HR Compliance & Risk Specialist

About Puttshack:

Puttshack is an upscale, tech-infused mini golf experience that appeals to everyone. More than just indoor mini golf, Puttshack leans on its ground-breaking technology to elevate the game while also serving world-class food and full bar in a cool environment. The Puttshack experience is really all about having fun - and doing something fun - together.

Our Purpose: To bring everyone in to play.

Our Vision: To be the universal answer to the question 'Where should we get together?'

Our Mission: To create lasting memories for people of all generations through a shared, world-class entertainment experience.

Our Values:

• Bring your 'A' game - We strive for excellence in everything we do.
  
• Lead the Way - Our associates embrace and are inspired by change.
  
• Own the Fun - We revel in our guests' enjoyment.
  
• Care Deeply - We take great care of our guests, our associates and the communities we call home.
  

Location: This position is a hybrid role, with 3 days onsite at our Home Office in Chicago (River North), IL.

Position Summary:

The position supports the Human Resources department in managing workplace risk, ensuring regulatory compliance, and promoting organizational integrity. This role administers and monitors policies and procedures across areas including Workers' Compensation, employee leaves, unemployment claims, benefits compliance, EEO reporting, and general HR regulatory adherence. The Specialist will collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to reduce risk exposure, ensure fair practices, and maintain legal and procedural compliance across the employee lifecycle. Additionally, this role will lead and support HR audits, manage projects related to compliance and process improvement, and drive the creation, implementation, and rollout of HR policies and procedures across the organization.

Position Responsibilities may include, but not limited to:

Risk & Workers' Compensation Management

• Manage the end-to-end Workers' Compensation process, including incident intake, coordination with third-party administrators, documentation tracking, medical treatment verification, and return-to-work follow-up.
  
• Ensure compliance with state-specific Workers' Compensation laws and required postings.
  
• Identify patterns in claims data and work with stakeholders to recommend injury prevention strategies.
  
• Serve as primary liaison with insurance carriers and adjusters to ensure accurate and timely claim resolution.
  

Leave Management & Compliance

• Administer employee leaves of absence in accordance with federal, state, and local laws (e.g., FMLA, ADA, paid sick leave).
  
• Track leave balances, ensure accurate documentation, and communicate leave entitlements and obligations to associates.
  
• Partner with HR Business Partners and managers on return-to-work planning.
  

Benefits Compliance & ACA Oversight

• Support the administration of benefits compliance, including Affordable Care Act (ACA) tracking, 1095-C reporting, and eligibility audits.
  
• Monitor hours of service for variable-hour employees to ensure compliance with benefit offering thresholds.
  
• Maintain accurate benefit enrollment records in alignment with qualifying life event rules and plan documentation.
  

Regulatory & HR Compliance

• Prepare and submit annual EEO-1 reports and maintain other required government filings.
  
• Coordinate internal audits to ensure compliance with wage and hour laws, posting requirements, and employment policies.
  
• Monitor legislative changes impacting HR processes and collaborate on policy updates.
  
• Support internal investigations related to policy violations or workplace misconduct with documentation and reporting.
  

Unemployment Claims Management

• Respond to unemployment claims and coordinate with third-party vendors or state agencies.
  
• Prepare documentation and represent the company in hearings when necessary.
  
• Track claim trends and collaborate with HR and operations to mitigate risk of wrongful claims.
  

Process & Policy Creation

• Support the development, review, and revision of HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance with changing laws and organizational needs.
  
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and document new HR processes and workflows.
  
• Manage company-wide rollout of new or updated HR policies and procedures, including communication, training, and change management activities.
  
• Monitor the effectiveness of implemented policies and processes, gather feedback, and recommend improvements.
  

Project Management

• Plan, coordinate, and execute HR compliance and risk-related projects, ensuring timely completion and alignment with organizational goals.
  
• Develop project plans, set milestones, and track progress for initiatives such as audit readiness, process improvements, and policy rollouts.
  
• Facilitate project meetings, coordinate resources, and communicate project status to stakeholders.
  

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain confidential employee records related to compliance, benefits, claims, and investigations.
  
• Generate regular reports related to claim activity, leave status, benefits eligibility, and compliance milestones.
  
• Ensure proper documentation of all regulatory responses and audit trails.
  

• Other projects or duties as assigned.
  

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, Risk Management, or related field.
  
• 5+ years of experience in HR compliance, risk management, benefits administration, or employee relations.
  
• Knowledge of federal and state laws including FMLA, ADA, ACA, OSHA, Title VII, and Workers' Compensation.
  
• Experience with HRIS and benefits administration systems; knowledge of reporting tools and government portals preferred.
  
• Strong attention to detail, time management, and documentation skills.
  
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities; ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion.
  
• Certification preferred (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP, CEBS, ARM).
  
• Must be able to travel up to 15% of the time to support business needs.
  
• This position must pass a post-offer background.
  

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Experience with data preparation and HR data visualization tools, including ADP Workforce Now, Excel, or Tableau
  

Physical Requirements:

On a continuous basis, sit at desk for a long period of time; frequent use of telephone/video conferencing and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means. Some walking and lifting, up to 25 lbs. may be required. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate. The physical demands described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and responsibilities.