Lana Hernandez

Provide executive leadership for the Library's Employee Relations function while overseeing employee relations, recruitment, benefits administration, labor relations, compliance, and strategic HR initiatives. Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on complex workforce matters, organizational strategy, employment law, and organizational effectiveness. Partner with executive leadership on strategic reorganization and change management initiatives while providing strategic leadership across critical Human Resources functions that support organizational effectiveness and long term workforce planning.

Key Leadership Contributions

• Oversaw the Library’s disciplinary process from consultation to final action, conducted pre-disciplinary hearings, evaluated evidence, determined disciplinary outcomes, and drafted documentation.
• Advise the Chief People Officer and executive leadership on complex employee relations matters, organizational risk, and employment law.
• Partnered with executive leadership in negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement within Utah's public library system, helping establish the Library's inaugural union contract and laying the foundation for an effective long-term labor-management relationship.
• Led policy modernization efforts with comprehensive revisions to Employee Handbook and Human Resources policies to ensure compliance and improve clarity.
• Support workforce planning through administration of the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP).
• Lead complex workplace investigations involving misconduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, policy violations, and other sensitive employee relations matters.
• Oversee ADA accommodations, FMLA, federal leave law administration, leave of absence programs, and Fitness for Duty evaluations.
• Advise department directors and executive leadership on performance management strategies, including the development and implementation of Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), while providing training to managers on documentation, coaching, and progressive discipline.
• Facilitate labor management meetings and provide guidance on contract interpretation, grievances, and disciplinary matters.
• Conduct position reclassification reviews and partner with leadership on organizational and workforce planning initiatives.
• Oversee and provide strategic oversight of recruitment and benefits administration to support workforce planning, talent acquisition, and employee retention initiatives.
• Developed employee engagement initiatives that enhanced communication, collaboration, and organizational culture, fostering a positive work environment.

Directed the Employee & Labor Relations Division for a workforce of more than 2,500 employees across five collective bargaining units, including Police and Fire unions, serving as the City’s primary advisor on labor relations, employment law, workplace investigations, and organizational risk.

Key Leadership Contributions

• Directed all employee and labor relations functions for a large, complex municipal workforce.
• Oversaw City’s disciplinary process from initial consultation to final action, collaborating with department directors and executive leadership to ensure legally defensible outcomes.
• Conducted and oversaw all pre-disciplinary hearings, evaluated evidence, and drafted findings and recommendations supporting final disciplinary outcomes.
• Led complex workplace investigations into misconduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and policy violations, ensuring thorough and impartial evaluations.
• Oversaw ADA accommodations, Fitness for Duty evaluations, grievances, EEOC matters, labor negotiations, and arbitration preparation.
• Advised department directors and executive leadership on performance management strategies, including the development and implementation of Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), while providing training to managers on performance evaluations, documentation, coaching, and progressive discipline.
• Collaborated with outside legal counsel in labor arbitration preparations, assisting with case strategy, witness preparation, evidence review, and legal analysis as City’s representative.
• Strategized with executive leadership on contract interpretation, organizational risk, and labor relations matters while fostering productive labor-management relationships.

Supervised the Employee & Labor Relations Division while providing strategic labor relations guidance and supporting complex employee relations matters.

Key Leadership Contributions

• Led day-to-day operations of the Employee & Labor Relations Division.
• Managed complex disciplinary matters by partnering with department directors to evaluate employee misconduct and recommend corrective actions that ensured fair treatment and compliance.
• Conducted pre-disciplinary hearings and analyzed investigative findings, drafting comprehensive reports that supported informed disciplinary decisions.
• Conducted workplace investigations involving misconduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and policy violations.
• Partnered with department directors and managers to address performance concerns, develop performance improvement plans (PIPs), and recommend appropriate corrective and disciplinary action consistent with City policies, collective bargaining agreements, and employment law.
• Oversaw and conducted ADA accommodations, Fitness for Duty cases, grievances, EEOC matters, and collective bargaining preparation.
• Advised managers on policy interpretation and disciplinary actions, enhancing labor agreement administration and promoting employee relations best practices.

Entered the City of Miami Beach Human Resources Department specializing in labor and employee relations, supporting collective bargaining, workplace investigations, grievance administration, and employment law matters.

Key Leadership Contributions

• Supported collective bargaining negotiations and contract administration.
• Provided guidance on interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements to prevent misunderstandings or violations.
• Participated in workplace investigations, arbitration preparation, grievance administration, and disciplinary guidance.
• Engaged in all stages of the disciplinary process and assisted in drafting disciplinary documentation.
• Streamlined grievance procedures resulting in quicker resolutions and increased trust between labor and management.
• Participated in Labor Management Meetings and developed positive working relationships with all five union groups.
• Served as liaison to the Human Rights Committee.

Cum Laude