BETH HILLIS McCANDLESS
Fayetteville,AR
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
HR Counsel & Staff Manager
HR Solutions Center
Fayetteville
06.2022 - Current
- Provide legal counsel to business leaders and HR staff on employment law and employee relations matters including ADA compliance, workplace investigations, discrimination and harassment prevention, EEOC compliance, and Canadian employment regulations.
- Lead legal compliance initiatives including handbook and policy updates, waivers and releases, adverse impact analysis, and WARN Act analysis for reductions in force.
- Advise senior leaders on organizational design and workforce strategy, aligning role structures, spans of control, and capabilities with business goals and competitive positioning while ensuring legal risk mitigation.
- Oversee administrative tasks and financial analysis associated with reductions in force; guide leaders through functional analysis of knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure reorganizations and RIFs achieve intended strategic and financial outcomes.
- Provide instrumental support for M&A activity including employment law due diligence, organizational transition policies, and HR systems integration.
- Direct the HR Solutions Center (since November 2023), a dynamic, digitally enabled resource supporting talent acquisition, HR Business Partners, employees, and managers across the organization.
- Lead the design and implementation of a new enterprise HR Help Desk portal and case management system, integrating with other core systems and delivering enhanced functionality at approximately 60% cost savings.
- Build AI-enabled self-service capabilities, including an HR virtual assistant to help employees resolve routine issues and access resources prior to engagement with People Resources, reducing case volume and improving response times.
- Partner with Corporate Legal and IT on deployment of an internal large language model, drafting terms and conditions of use and advising on governance, usage limits, and legal risk associated with employee usage.
- Oversee all pre-employment background screening processes and I-9 compliance, including audits of retention practices and adaptation to shifting immigration regulations.
- Lead cross-functional projects with the IT department to enhance HRMS functionality, optimizing the HR ticketing system and reducing annual costs by 80%.
- Spearhead comprehensive overhaul of the accommodations and leave of absence process, redesigning the operating model and centralizing workflows to improve employee experience, increase HR team efficiency, and enhance tracking of all leaves and accommodations.
- Conduct financial modeling and cost–benefit analysis of HR initiatives, including vaccination incentive programs and consolidation of multiple PTO policies into a single PTO structure, quantifying legal, financial, and operational impacts by state and in the aggregate.
- Manage complex employee relations matters including investigations of harassment, discrimination, and workplace conflicts; provide recommendations and implement corrective actions.
- Partner with HR Business Partners on performance management and development decisions to align talent outcomes with organizational strategy.
- Partner with external and internal legal counsel on employment litigation matters, EEOC charges, and regulatory compliance.
- Strategic HR Leadership
Sr. Analyst, Human Resources
Windstream
Little Rock
07.2020 - 06.2022
- Served as Project Manager of COVID-19 Response, leading enterprise-wide pandemic management efforts affecting thousands of employees.
- Advised field HR and management on COVID-19 protocols, alternate work arrangements, pandemic pay policies, and employee relations matters.
- Monitored CDC guidance and multi-state health regulations; ensured compliance with mandated reporting requirements.
- Tracked and reported daily/weekly/monthly on COVID-related instances and workforce impact, developing process improvements and contributing to data-driven decision-making for business continuity.
- Led bi-weekly COVID task force meetings and provided regular reporting to senior leadership on workforce and business impact.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with Business Continuity, Facilities, Security, and Corporate Communications on contact tracing and workplace safety protocols.
- Project managed development of IT automation tools for COVID data intake and management, working with HRIT, IT, Learning and Development, and Corporate Communications.
Teacher, College Counselor, Junior Class Team Lead
Pulaski Academy
Little Rock
06.2015 - 06.2019
- Taught AP United States History, College Prep United States History, and Honors American Literature.
- Served as Junior Class Team Lead, coordinating team of teachers and monitoring student performance.
- Achieved AP Exam pass rates of 3.62 (2018), 3.5 (2017), and 3.3 (2016).
- Served as College Counselor; planned and executed 11-day college tours visiting 15+ institutions.
- Advised students and families on college application process, wrote recommendation letters, and edited admission essays.
Manager, Employee Relations
Verizon
Little Rock
02.2009 - 07.2014
- Developed and delivered national training curriculum on EEO and Affirmative Action compliance for HR partners covering Title VII, ADA, ADEA, USERRA, Executive Order 11246, and federal/state employment laws.
- Created and led employee relations training program for management teams across the enterprise nationally.
- Conducted investigations and authored written responses to federal and state charges of harassment and discrimination across all 50 states.
- Provided counsel to HR partners and managers nationally on complex employee relations matters and day-to-day HR needs.
- Served as subject matter expert on employment law compliance and risk mitigation strategies.
Staff Attorney
Alltel
Little Rock
05.2005 - 02.2009
- Developed and delivered legal compliance training curriculum for HR and management on Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, ADEA, USERRA, and harassment prevention.
- Investigated and authored written responses to federal and state charges of discrimination and harassment.
- Provided daily counsel to HR staff and management on employment law matters, including harassment and discrimination complaints.
- Ensured legal compliance in mergers and acquisitions, reductions in force; developed transition policies for organizational changes.
Education
Juris Doctor -
Editor-in-Chief, The Sports Lawyers Journal
Bachelor of Arts - American Studies, cum laude
Skills
- Employee relations and conflict resolution
- Employment law compliance
- EEOC investigation and response
- Leave administration and Accommodations expertise
- HR policy development
- Training and development programs
- Talent acquisition strategy
- Background screening procedures
- HRIS systems and AI solutions
- Workforce strategy and organizational design
- People analytics and financial modeling
- Change management response
- Strategic HR program development
- Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
- HRIS systems experience
- Technical proficiency with LMS platforms
- Microsoft Power Platform experience
- Written and oral communication skills
- Project management leadership
- Data analysis and HR metrics