Are you interested in becoming an HR compliance specialist, but not sure what they do? As an HR compliance specialist, you’ll ensure that employees are respected, and their safety and overall health is a priority. In this guide, we’ll talk more about what you can expect from your day-to-day tasks when you start working as an HR compliance specialist.
What Does an HR Compliance Specialist Do?
Your role as an HR compliance specialist will involve knowing the laws that directly affect the employees, and specifically, their welfare within the organization.
As you might expect, labor laws will be the main focus of your job. However, you should also be aware of how well the company policies adhere to these laws, and whether the employees themselves are compliant.
However, education is just the beginning. You’ll also be responsible for keeping up to date on company policies and ensuring that they’re implemented in a timely fashion. This may involve communicating with the legal department as well as employees and members of management.
Specifically, your tasks could include the following:
- Drafting company policies for employees, including an employee handbook
- Analyzing employee benefits
- Communicating with healthcare departments
- Tracking workers’ compensation claims
- Participating in audits
- Training employees regarding compliance issues relating to illness, injuries, accidents, and leave of absence
- Managing leave of absence documentation and record maintenance
- Conducting background checks in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Working with management on drafting new policies to avoid recurrence of accidents and/or injuries
How Do You Become an HR Compliance Specialist?
A great way to start your career as an HR compliance specialist is by enrolling in a vocational program. Why sign up for a vocational program instead of obtaining a traditional four-year degree? Most vocational school programs last only one to two years. That means you can put your hard work to good use and start earning in less time. Vocational programs also offer small class sizes so you can get personal attention from instructors. Plus, they offer career services to help you find your first job after graduation. The benefits are endless.
What Do You Learn During a Human Resources Management Program?
There are many classes you will attend during a Human Resources Management program. They include:
Principles of Accounting
As your day-to-day tasks may require some bookkeeping, this course is a good place to begin. You’ll learn the fundamental principles of accounting, as well as the concepts of assets and liabilities, costs, and revenue. When you’re through, you’ll be ready to show prospective employers your cash management and data entry skills.
Communication and Learning Skills
Never underestimate the “human” factor when considering a career in human resources. In a Communication and Learning Skills course, you’ll receive the skills to connect with others on a meaningful yet professional level.
Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to convey your ideas with clarity and concision. You’ll also learn how to be an active and engaged listener, and make your way through difficult conversations.
Microsoft Word and Excel with Certification
Microsoft’s Word and Excel programs have been important for a number of years. A certificate will show employers that you’ve had verifiable experience with both.
Word focuses on document development, while Excel is used to store and track company data with formulas and functions. The more time you spend honing your skills on each application, the more attractive you’ll be as a potential hire. Getting certified demonstrates expert-level competence with the Microsoft 365 software suite.
Intro to Management
This course provides a basic overview of the core principles of business management. You may be sharing class space with students who aren’t focusing on human resources, giving you a strong foundation in interdepartmental relations.
Business management is at the core of every successful company, regardless of what the corporation does or offers. Once you’ve completed this course, you should be able to manage a team, or even an entire business, with ease.
Business Law & Ethics
Most businesses exist to turn a profit. As you’ll learn throughout your career as an HR compliance specialist, it’s critical for businesses to do so in an ethical manner.
As we mentioned earlier, an understanding of the law is an important component of an HR professional’s skill set. During this course, you’ll explore issues that affect the world of commerce, specifically the ones that relate to ethics and legal matters.
Recruiting and Selection
How do you find the right individual to fit every role? It’s a tricky line to walk, and one that you should definitely master if you’re considering a career in human resources.
A course in Recruiting and Selection allows you to enhance your interviewing skills so you can attract the best candidates for the company. It’s important to ensure that the candidate’s career goals align with the company’s goals. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting company resources by hiring and training the wrong person.
Human Resources Management
When you complete an HR management course, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the competition because you’ll know what’s expected of a leader. You might not earn a management position right away, but once you have the requisite skills, you will be considered for the job.
There are several components to the HR experience: recruitment, planning, onboarding, training, development, reward programs, and performance and career management. You’ll come away from this course with a detailed understanding of Human Resources Management.
Training and Professional Development
From time to time, it’s necessary for businesses to conduct an analysis of training needs. This helps identify the current training needs of the business and predicts how they might change, or need to be changed, in the future.
HR compliance specialists who have experience in Training and Professional Development will be able to choose and implement the proper methods. You will also learn how to evaluate the programs, so you can remove them if they prove unsuccessful.
Employee Benefits Administration
In return for sharing their talents with the company, employees expect two things: to be paid in a timely manner, and to have their benefits handled skillfully.
When a worker enrolls in a health or life insurance plan, it’s important to make sure that their application is approved. It’s also vital to record paid time off, such as vacation or sick time, so they’ll know how much time they’ve used and how much they have remaining. A benefits administration course will help you build this skill set.
Principles of Payroll
Even if your duties don’t include payroll administration, you should still have an understanding of the basics of payroll. Payroll is about more than just logging and entering hours worked, there may be bonuses or commissions involved, not to mention deductions for insurance or retirement plans.
Strategic HR Management
A step up from the basic Human Resources Management course, the strategic level introduces you to the fields of knowledge that’s expected of C-level professionals. Learn to speak like a senior business leader while exploring the history of HR management and the ever-changing landscape of technology. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of how a strong human resources department can benefit the company on a financial level.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what an HR compliance specialist does, it is time to learn more about Interactive College of Technology (ICT). Take the time to research our curriculum and talk to fellow classmates about their experience at Interactive College of Technology. You will find happy students and interesting instructors that have a lot to offer you during Human Resources classes. With ICT, the sky’s the limit.
Want to Learn More?
At the Interactive College of Technology, we offer Human Resources Management training that can help you get started in a new career or advance your current one. You’ll get hands-on training, industry recognized certifications, and real-world experience prior to graduation! We also offer continuing education courses to refresh and build on your current skills.
Let’s take the first step together! Contact us now to learn more.
