HR Specialist - Employee Relations

CrossAmerica Partners is a leading wholesale distributor of motor fuels, operator of convenience stores, and owner and lessor of real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. We are a top ranked wholesale distributor with eight major fuel brands, our seven high quality convenience store brands have 250+ locations, and we are actively buying, selling, and leasing sites across the US. With a geographic footprint across 34 states, we strive to be an industry leader, providing fuel and convenience products essential to keep people moving across America! Job Description: The HR Specialist Employee Relations provides support to employees and management by addressing workplace concerns, ensuring compliance with company policies and employment laws, and fostering a positive work environment across a multi-state network of convenience store, fuel, and corporate locations. This role serves as the primary point of contact for employee relations inquiries and conducts investigations, maintains case data and reporting, identifies trends and risk exposure, and develops solutions that align with organizational goals and legal requirements. Responsibilities: Assists in resolving employee issues by communicating policy, responding to inquiries, and advising management on decisions that comply with employment laws and company policies Acts as the initial point of contact for receiving incoming employee relations calls, emails, and hotline reports from store and field employees Evaluates the scope and risk level of issues and escalates complex or high-risk matters to the Employee Relations Manager as appropriate Assists in developing, implementing, and communicating human resources policies and procedures Supports Human Resources Department management in various project work Conducts and documents workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, theft, and policy violations at store, field, and corporate locations Maintains accurate, confidential case records in the HRIS or HR case management system and ensures documentation is complete, consistent, and audit-ready Analyzes employee relations data (e.g., case volume, issue types, turnover, exit feedback) to identify trends by store, or region, and shares recurring reports and dashboards for HR and operations leadership Coaches field and sales management on corrective action, performance management, and consistent policy application, and recommends targeted training for performance improvement. Partners with Risk Management, Safety, and Legal on matters involving workplace incidents, theft, workers' compensation, and potential claims Supports corporate counsel and management on legal claims, agency charges (EEOC and state agencies), unemployment claims, and related audits through research and documentation Qualifications: Advanced experience with harassment issues, conflict resolution, and diverse employee populations Objective, neutral approach with sound judgment and strong active listening skills Working knowledge and application of federal, state, and local employment laws (e.g., Title VII, FLSA, FMLA, ADA) across a multi-state footprint Strong time management and organization; able to manage multiple investigations concurrently while focusing on relevant facts Ability to work in a team environment within a fast-paced, decentralized, multi-site company Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear, well-supported investigation reports Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trusting relationships with employees at all levels Highly discreet with confidential information Strong data skills, including advanced Microsoft Excel (e.g., pivot tables, lookups, charts) to analyze and present employee relations trends Experience with HRIS and HR case management platforms Ability to travel up to 30% to store and field locations Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in human resources management, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience 2+ years of employee relations or performance management experience, preferably in a retail, convenience store, restaurant, or other multi-unit, hourly workforce environment Preferred: exposure to risk management, loss prevention, workplace safety, or workers' compensation Equal Employment Opportunity CrossAmerica Partners (or its subsidiaries and related entities) contract with employment service organizations to provide staffing for its corporate operations. The employment service organizations are equal opportunity employers. For this position, the employment service organization is VUC Inc. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Accommodations The employment service organizations with which CrossAmerica Partners contracts, including VUC Inc, make all employment decisions in accordance with applicable laws and provide reasonable accommodations to qualifying individuals on the basis of any protected characteristic consistent with applicable law. VUC Inc is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. VUC Inc also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact mweber@caplp.com.