Lori Comerford

Serve as a corporate HR Business Partner supporting 17 locations within the Northeast region consisting of 750 employees in a national Environmental and Infrastructure company of 3,500 employees. Through strategic thinking, planning, collaborating, and effective communicating, positive changes were implemented at locations resulting in higher profits. My relationship building skills enabled me to remotely earn the trust of managers to collaborate together and make a difference.

• Reduced employee turnover by identifying the need of manager training for hiring and, manager training and coaching on progressive discipline for current employees.
• Compensation benchmarking helping to attract and retain.
• Workplace litigation prevention through effective complaint handling, investigations, documentation, conflict management, and promoting a positive work environment.
• Increased performance and engagement by managing performance reviews with goals and improvement plans aligning with the company vision.
• Partner with Recruiting team to ensure compliance and talent acquisition strategies align with regional growth initiatives.
• Ensured legal compliance in all HR practices, preventing potential lawsuits and fines.
• Partnered with senior leaders on organizational development initiatives for continued growth.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop integrated solutions for business challenges.
• Collaborated with leadership to assess and improve policies across board.
• Facilitated effective communication between management and staff, fostering a positive work environment.
• Conducted exit interviews with employees leaving company to gauge areas of success and opportunities for improvement.
• Partnered with senior management to align HR strategies with overall business objectives.

Responsible for the support and management of all functions associated with the administration of employee benefit programs on a national basis.

• Analyze, design and administer employee benefits including; medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, LTD, LTC, and Retirement Plans.
• Manage all Leave of Absence requests, NYS STD claims, PFL, and Workers’ Compensation.
• Present the Benefits portion of New Hire Orientation.
• Head of Wellness Committee; plan and execute all wellness activities, events, and initiatives.

Responsible for providing companywide leadership in all matters relating to Human Resources. Develop and execute HR strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization. Planning for continuous growth and expansion while maintaining and improving upon talent acquisition, talent management, performance management, training and development, compliance, and culture. Lead, support, and coach managers within each school across the organization. Collaborate with related service providers, teachers, support staff & administration to ensure a warm and welcoming culture exists at all schools and clinics. Provide strategic leadership by articulating HR needs and plans to the executive management team.

• Function as a strategic business advisor to the executive management team or specialty group regarding key organizational and management issues.
• Developed HR policies and procedures supporting overall business operations objectives, and all Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Monitored updated Covid-19 regulations, communicated with Executive Team, lead Covid-19 initiatives.
• Addressed and resolved Employee Relations issues.
• Evaluated and pivoted Recruiting processes as the employment market shifted.
• Designed employee retention strategies to improve attrition.
• Partnered with vendors to create comprehensive benefit plans that are competitive yet cost-effective.
• Managed Benefits Administration including Leave of Absences.
• Managed Worker’s Compensation claims and worked on strategies to reduce premium costs.
• Researched competitive salary ranges for all positions and updated data, and made recommendations as needed.
• Developed processes for employee performance evaluations.
• Created and administered orientation and employee training.
• Ensured employment compliance/regulatory concerns/reporting.
• Constructed compliance standards across the organization.
• Executed employee communications.
• Planned and coordinated holiday parties, end of (school year) parties, family picnic, and birthdays.
• Supervised and mentored Human Resources team of 4.

Partner with 36 Pediatric Offices within the company providing guidance to management and support to 650 employees, Manage administration of human resources policies, procedures, and programs. Responsible for employee relations, training and development, benefits, and compensation.

• Leave Management - Manage all Disability, FMLA, PFL, and Worker’s Compensation claims.
• Employee Relations - Improve manager and employee performance by evaluating potential solutions, coaching, and counseling managers and employees, implement progressive discipline as needed.
• Talent Acquisition - Recruit for clinical and non-clinical positions for all divisions including corporate office.
• Compliance - Ensuring federal, state, and local requirements are met, advising partners of all updates.
• Additional responsibilities - Serve as back up for Payroll, support and advise office managers on company policies and labor laws, report claims to business insurance brokers, communicate any risks, or claims to employment attorneys, communicate project status and issues, committee member for planning company events.

Joined company as an HR Specialist then took on the added role as the Benefits Administrator. Furnished a diverse multitude of Human Resource services daily at the largest independent Aerospace, Military, Telecom testing lab in the U.S.

Benefits Administration

• Report and managed all Worker’s Compensation and Disability claims, process FMLA requests.
• Responsible for reviewing and approving payments for all Medical, Prescription, and Dental claims as well as Aflac, Basic Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability bills.
• Worked with Third Party Administrator regarding COBRA payment/Notices.
• Updated and closely monitored health insurance eligibility through CBT system and HRIS.
• Reviewed benefit plans each year with vendors to determine where improvements can be made and what government regulations dictate. Updated Summary Plan Document and Summary of Benefits Coverage.
• Planned and facilitated annual open enrollment and 401k information sessions.
• Scheduled and conducted monthly Benefits orientation for new hires.
• Point of contact for on and offsite employees regarding all benefits questions and billing issues.
• Liaison between employees and their providers when issues arise.
• Responsible for updating the company intranet benefits section, employee handbook, and manager’s manual with all appropriate benefit related communications.
• Maintained records for OSHA log, Worker’s Compensation and First Aid.

HR Operations

• Worked with department managers on writing job vacancy ads. Posted open positions
• Represented company at job fairs.
• Screened resumes, interview candidates, present offers, prepare new hire packages, enter new hire in HRIS, E-Verify, NYS reporting, conduct New Hire orientation.
• ·Scheduled and record all training classes.
• Conducted Exit Interviews, off-board employees.
• Planed and produced quarterly newsletter.
• Planned and hosted company events such as picnic, holiday party, Service Awards luncheon, Corporate Challenge, Blood Drive, Defensive Driving, and Golf Outing.
• Updated organizational charts, managed Workshare program, and responded to Unemployment notices.
• Planned and Managed Safety and Suggestion Forum.

Provided daily oversight of multiple human resources functions for a manufacturer of Aerospace, defense, and wireless mobile broadband communications systems during HR Generalist’s maternity leave.

• Hiring and on-boarding of Technical and Administrative staff; recruit new employees, conduct orientation, and facilitate benefit enrollment. Maintain employee information in ADP HRIS.
• Ensured compliance with all regulatory and company policies in processing of FMLA, leave of absence requests, short term disability claims, and workers’ compensation claims. Maintain OSHA Log.
• Resolved employee relations issues.
• Conducted Exit Interviews, off-board employees.
• Enforced company confidentially policies and regulations.
• Analyzed benefits package prior to renewal, worked with vendor to make improvements for new plan year.
• Planned and facilitated annual Benefits Open Enrollment.
• File EEO-1, Vets 100 and 100A Reports

Joined as an HR Assistant then moved into Coordinator role due to outstanding performance and process improvement initiatives.

• Recruitment - Represented company at job fairs. Recruited for Scientific, Accounting, Procurement, and Facilities roles.
• Onboarding - Facilitated processing of new hire paperwork, E-Verify, and background checks. Led new hire orientation; presented information on company history, benefits, and policies.
• Staffing/Personnel - Developed procedures for staff requisition requests, established bill rates, and automated request system. Reviewed departmental requests, partnered with staffing agencies to secure top candidates, screened candidates prior to referral to hiring manager, negotiated billing rates with staffing agencies.
• Consulted with Legal and Security Departments to resolve employee relations issues.
• Updated employee handbook and co-edited monthly newsletter.
• Benefits Management - Responded to questions about benefits, payroll, company policies, FMLA, STD, LTD, PTO, tuition reimbursement, and special programs.
• Event Planning - Planned annual Health Fair, Holiday party, Company Picnic, Employee Appreciation Day, Bring Your Daughter to Work Day and all off-site monthly Social Events.