How to hire an employee relations representative

How to hire an employee relations representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step employee relations representative hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an employee relations representative job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new employee relations representative
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an employee relations representative do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your employee relations representative job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an employee relations representative for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An employee relations representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, employee relations representatives from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of employee relations representative salaries for various roles:

   Type of Employee Relations Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Employee Relations Representative	Labor relations specialists interpret and administer labor contracts regarding issues such as wages and salaries, healthcare, pensions, and union and management practices.	$19-43
   Staffing Consultant	A staffing consultant develops and maintains the accounts of clients through outside and inside organizational activities. Staffing consultants induct, assess, and monitor the job applicants preparing them for their assignments... Show more	$12-31
   Staffing Recruiter	A staffing recruiter is primarily in charge of handling the hiring operations of a company or organization. Typically their responsibilities revolve around advertising and publishing job openings on boards or online platforms, devising strategies to bring in more potential employees, and coordinating with department personnel to develop criteria or requirements for applicants... Show more	$14-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Performance Management
   • Labor Relations
   • Human Resources Policies
   • Conflict Resolution
   • Employment Law
   • HRIS
   • Disciplinary Actions
   • Exit Interviews
   • FMLA
   • Federal Laws
   • EEO-1
   • FLSA
   • Payroll Issues
   • Performance Issues

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Gather and document information to achieve litigation free outcomes or successfully defend company.
   • Process job injury payroll and time sheets utilizing Kronos and PeopleSoft systems.
   • Oversee all leaves of absence including short-term disability, long-term disability, FMLA, military leave and personal leave.
   • Participate in the selection and implementation process for the HRIS system and maintain applicant data entry for HRIS/Lawson application tracking system.
   • Research and analyze the implications of the FMLA legislation on company practices, and implement employee communication and corporate compliance procedures.
   • Conduct disciplinary action and termination investigations and track information regarding investigations via HRIS system.

   More employee relations representative duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your employee relations representative job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An employee relations representative salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an employee relations representative in South Carolina may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level employee relations representative usually earns less than a senior-level employee relations representative. Additionally, an employee relations representative with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average employee relations representative salary

   $60,816yearly

   $29.24 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level employee relations representative salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average employee relations representative salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$78,121	$38
   2	California	$76,950	$37
   3	New York	$70,029	$34
   4	Virginia	$68,669	$33
   5	Illinois	$67,200	$32
   6	Arizona	$66,047	$32
   7	Colorado	$65,583	$32
   8	Iowa	$64,627	$31
   9	Michigan	$63,089	$30
   10	Utah	$58,932	$28
   11	Minnesota	$58,088	$28
   12	Washington	$57,350	$28
   13	Tennessee	$53,540	$26
   14	Florida	$49,849	$24
   15	Ohio	$48,673	$23
   16	North Carolina	$48,627	$23
   17	Georgia	$48,304	$23
   18	Texas	$44,342	$21
   19	Indiana	$39,725	$19
   20	Missouri	$38,468	$18

   Average employee relations representative salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$124,728	$59.97	6
   2	Adobe	$113,532	$54.58	3
   3	Asana	$111,527	$53.62	6
   4	Splunk	$105,681	$50.81
   5	KLA	$102,156	$49.11
   6	Stripe	$98,263	$47.24
   7	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$90,579	$43.55
   8	Salesforce	$79,861	$38.39	3
   9	University of California-Berkeley	$77,711	$37.36
   10	Abercrombie & Fitch Co	$73,857	$35.51
   11	Halliburton	$72,020	$34.63
   12	Atlas Healthcare Partners	$71,808	$34.52
   13	Lucid Motors	$71,060	$34.16
   14	City of San Antonio	$66,981	$32.20	2
   15	ITW	$66,826	$32.13	26
   16	The Judge Group	$66,337	$31.89
   17	Lockheed Martin	$66,143	$31.80	7
   18	Mercy Children's Hospital	$63,568	$30.56
   19	Banner Health	$63,331	$30.45
   20	Raytheon Technologies	$63,028	$30.30	2

4. Writing an employee relations representative job description

   A good employee relations representative job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an employee relations representative job description:

   Employee relations representative job description example

   Minimum qualifications:
   
   + Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
   
   + 7 years of experience in employee relations/investigations within a Human Resources Business Partner or Employee Relations Advisory role, as an employment attorney practicing employment law.
   
   + Experience working with employment law principles and conducting and advising on investigations.
   
   Preferred qualifications:
   
   + JD with employment law focus and/or experience.
   
   + Experience advising on a wide range of employee relations issues, including reorganizations and performance issues.
   
   + Ability to establish cross-functional relationships at all levels and geographies.
   
   + Ability to convey ideas and recommendations verbally and in writing.
   
   + Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to organize and analyze data.
   
   + Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage global projects.
   
   This is a fixed term contract till April 2023.
   
   Employee Relations upholds Google's values with integrity and care to enable equitable outcomes. We are a forward-thinking team that relies on both our subject matter expertise and empathy to help make a better Google. We conduct thorough and timely investigations into allegations of violations of Google HR policies and review and advise on other workplace concerns to ensure fair treatment of all Googlers. As a team, we apply an intersectional framework and consider how race, gender, other protected classes, power, and privilege are at play at all times. We support the learning and development of each member of our team and provide both training and practical experience to support the cultivation of employee relations expertise.
   
   + Give advice and counsel on general employee relations issues.
   
   + Partner with People Partners/Consultants and other Investigations teams to ensure that investigations/disciplinary processes are handled in a fair, timely manner consistent with local requirements.
   
   + Assess and document local best practices for investigations, reorganizations, and performance management. Maintain storage and access of this information for internal users, and ensure that US-based investigations are thorough and include: an understanding of the allegations, appropriate interviews, analysis and documentation, and recommendations for conclusion and course of action.
   
   + Provide project management coordination and guidance for People Partners, Consultants, and managers on reorganizations. Prepare and maintain the appropriate investigation and reorganization of data and documentation.
   
   + Develop and provide training and guidance to People Partners, Consultants, and managers regarding employee relations issues, investigations, reorganizations/managing performance, and localizing existing training materials.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find employee relations representatives for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any employee relations representatives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level employee relations representatives with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your employee relations representative job on Zippia to find and recruit employee relations representative candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with employee relations representative candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new employee relations representative

   Once you have selected a candidate for the employee relations representative position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new employee relations representative. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an employee relations representative?