The Senior Employee Relations Partner serves as a key team member of the Employee Relations Center of Excellence. This dual-focused role supports the company by ensuring that managers are well-equipped to implement people solutions that resolve employee relations matters, administer collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), build a positive employee and labor relations climate, and ensure compliance with relevant employment and labor legislation.

The Senior Employee Relations Partner plays a vital role in conducting climate assessments, resolving grievances, and overseeing employee engagement and retention initiatives. This role operates in both a leadership and team capacity to support multiple sites and lines of businesses in a specific geographic region across Quest Diagnostics and its subsidiary companies. Additionally, the Partner serves as a mentor, providing guidance and support to Employee Relations Partners within the Center of Excellence, and collaborates closely with HR Centers of Excellence, Business Leadership, Management, and Legal to foster an optimal work environment.

Employee & Labor Relations Counsel and Support

• Partners with employees, HR Business Partners, and operational managers to resolve in-depth, complex, and non-routine work-related employee and labor relations issues through advice and recommendations.
• Recommends proactive solutions and interventions when repetition of individual problems or grievances indicates negative workplace trends.

• Delivers consistent, high-quality advice and counsel to managers and employees on both union and non-union issues to maintain a productive, compliant work environment and minimize legal and operational risk to the company.

Labor Relations & Grievance Administration

• Supports formal grievance proceedings, including investigating grievance claims, participating in step-level grievance meetings, and drafting contractually compliant company responses.
• Provides day-to-day interpretation and guidance to operational leaders and HRBPs regarding collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), ensuring consistent application of contractual terms and work rules.
• Assists with the compilation of operational data, research, and preparatory materials in support of contract negotiations and bargaining strategies.

• Supports responses to union organizing campaigns and concerted activity events (e.g., union card signing, informational picketing, employee petitions) under the direction of Labor Relations leadership.

Performance Management Guidance and Support

• Administers the company’s coaching and disciplinary action processes, ensuring compliance with both company policies and CBA provisions where applicable.
• Coaches and counsels managers on performance management, including Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) and the progressive disciplinary action process.
• Supports management in the preparation of in-depth, complex, and non-routine disciplinary documentation, ensuring that written documents are contractually and legally sound.
• Follows up with employees and their managers after a performance document has been delivered to monitor progress and support ongoing communication.

• Participates in disciplinary or termination proceedings for employees, providing guidance on potential labor relations implications.

Company Internal Investigation Process

• Conducts in-depth internal investigations of complex, non-routine allegations regarding harassment, discrimination, misconduct, or policy/CBA violations. Documents findings, determines final conclusions, and recommends action plans for resolution.

• Advises Tier 1 and Tier 2 HR Service Center teams on addressing routine issues and identifying when matters should be escalated to the ER/LR team.

Legal and Compliance Support

• Serves as a primary contact for the company on matters pertaining to employment and labor law compliance and the mitigation of operational people risk.
• Stays current on the latest employment and labor relations law trends, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rulings, and regulatory changes.

• Supports and participates in employment- and labor-related litigation, including EEOC/NLRB position statement preparation, mediations, and unemployment hearings.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

• Provides feedback and tactical recommendations for the development and refinement of ER/LR policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and tools.

• Identifies continuous improvement opportunities in ER/LR operational workflows to enhance service delivery to the business.

Employee Engagement, Climate Assessments, and Retention

• Conducts localized employee climate assessments and trend analyses to proactively identify, anticipate, and address employee relations and labor-related risks.
• Monitors and reports on key ER/LR metrics (e.g., grievance rates, disciplinary trends, turnover) to identify operational risks and opportunities.

• Leverages engagement tools (surveys, focus groups, town halls) in partnership with leadership to ensure workplace concerns are surfaced and addressed timely.

Leadership / Mentorship of Employee Relations Partners

• Provides work direction, shares specialized labor and employee relations expertise, and mentors Employee Relations Partners within the ER Center of Excellence.
• Facilitates and delivers established Employee and Labor Relations training sessions to HR partners and people leaders to build organizational capability.

Required Work Experience

• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, with a heavy focus in Employee Relations.
• Minimum 3 years of direct, hands-on experience working in a unionized environment, including experience with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and grievance administration (Required).

• Minimum 2 years of leadership experience obtained through mentorship, supervisory roles, project management, or high-level consultative accomplishments.

   

Knowledge

• Deep working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Strong working knowledge of federal labor laws (National Labor Relations Act / NLRA) and grievance handling procedures.

• Familiarity with HR systems (e.g., HRIS, HR Reporting, Case Management, Oracle Cloud workflow systems).

   

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Strong skills in contract interpretation, labor dispute resolution, and conflict management.
• Experience conducting climate assessments and translating findings into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent attention to detail, analytical problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain composure, sensitivity, tact, and professionalism in high-stress or sensitive situations.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

   

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree (Required). Master's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or a related field is preferred.

   

License / Certifications

• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) / Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) or labor-relations equivalent certification preferred.