HR Generalist

General Summary

Join the By Your Side Team

At By Your Side, we believe great HR teams create great employee experiences. We are looking for an HR Generalist who is hands-on, people-focused, organized, and ready to continue growing their HR career in a fast-paced and supportive environment.

This role is ideal for someone with prior HR Generalist experience who enjoys balancing employee support, problem-solving, compliance, and operational HR ownership. The primary focus of this role will be employee relations, investigations, unemployment administration, workers’ compensation management and risk reduction strategies, leave administration, accommodations, and driving process improvements that strengthen the overall employee experience.

If you are someone who thrives in a fast-moving environment, takes initiative, and enjoys solving problems while partnering closely with leadership and employees, we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

As an HR Generalist, you will serve as a key partner to employees and leadership while owning several critical HR functions across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the full unemployment administration process, including claims management, responses, hearings coordination, documentation, and trend tracking
• Manage all aspects of workers’ compensation administration including injury reporting, investigations, case management, return-to-work coordination, communication, and proactive risk reduction strategies
• Partner with leadership to strengthen workplace safety initiatives and identify opportunities for injury prevention and process improvement
• Lead employee relations matters from intake through resolution, including investigations, documentation, follow-up actions, and coaching support for leaders
• Conduct thorough, fair, and well-documented investigations involving workplace concerns, policy violations, and employee complaints
• Own and administer the full LOA/FMLA/ADA accommodation process, including employee communication, documentation, tracking, compliance, and coordination with leadership
• Identify trends within employee relations, leave activity, workplace injuries, and turnover data to recommend improvements that enhance employee experience and reduce organizational risk
• Respond to employee questions and HR inquiries with professionalism, urgency, empathy, and confidentiality
• Maintain accurate employee records, documentation, and HRIS data integrity
• Conduct exit interviews and provide insights related to retention, engagement, and employee experience trends
• Support employee engagement initiatives, HR projects, recognition programs, and continuous process improvement efforts
• Facilitate trainings and support communication around HR policies, compliance topics, and workplace expectations
• Collaborate with HR leadership to improve operational efficiency, consistency, compliance, and overall HR effectiveness

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who is proactive, detail-oriented, solutions-focused, and confident managing sensitive and complex employee matters.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Previous HR Generalist experience required
• Strong hands-on experience with employee relations, investigations, unemployment administration, workers’ compensation, leave management, accommodations, and compliance-related HR functions
• Working knowledge of employment laws including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, workers’ compensation, and general HR compliance practices
• Ability to manage sensitive employee situations with professionalism, sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality
• Experience working in HRIS, payroll, or HCM systems
• Strong communication and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills
• Tech-savvy with proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to quickly learn new systems and platforms
• Reliable transportation and willingness to travel between Illinois locations, with occasional support for out-of-state locations

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Management, or related field preferred
• Associate degree with 2-5 yrs relevant HR experience will also be considered
• HR certification (aPHR, PHR, or SHRM-CP) is a plus

Work Environment & Schedule

This is a full-time position supporting multiple By Your Side locations. Regular travel between Illinois centers is required, along with remote support for locations in Georgia and Colorado.

After training, this role may transition to a hybrid schedule of 1–2 remote days per week based on business needs and performance.

Flexibility in schedule and occasional travel are expected.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Competitive compensation: $55,000–$60,000 annually based on experience
• Immediate Pay Access — choose when you get paid
• Comprehensive benefits package including pet insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• 28 days of paid time off
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth
• Supportive team environment that values collaboration, learning, and employee success

Ready to Grow Your HR Career?

If you’re looking for an opportunity to continue building your HR experience in a collaborative, hands-on environment where your work truly makes a difference, we encourage you to apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. All qualified individuals will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.