Karen L. Forrester, PHR
**** ***** ****** ***** 513-***-**** cell
Fairfield, OH 45014 ***********@*****.***
Human Resources Professional
Certified, strategic and administrative business partner with demonstrated ability to lead HR functions while improving organizational effectiveness. Energetic and innovative manager with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Experience includes but is not limited to managing and administering the following areas:
• Benefits Administration • Recruitment & Selection • EEO/AAP
• Employee Relations • Labor Relations • Workman’s Compensation
• FMLA • Policy Development • Payroll Administration
Selected Achievements
• Generated a 50% improvement in absenteeism by implementing a new and highly efficient attendance tracking system.
• Contributed to a 30% decrease in OSHA recordables/accidents/incidents in one year by implementing a ‘near miss’ safety log.
• Eliminated the lease cost of a 2,000 sq. ft. facility through the strategic movement and
consolidation of the confidential employee personnel records warehouse into a 750 sq. ft. area within the headquarter office.
• Trained by a Department of Homeland Security Vendor (BMS) to identify illegal/false identification and documentation that has the ability to pass through E-verify.
Professional Experience
ROBERT HALF INTERNATIONAL (3/12 to present)
HR Manager – AddisonMckee – contract position
Basic HR Management and Payroll functions with basic accounts payable responsibilities
HUMACare (5/11-3/12)
Benefit Specialist
Oversee and administer 10+ benefit plans for 100 separate companies encompassing more than 2000 lives. Benefits to include:
• Medical, Dental, Vision and multiple PBM providers
• Short Term and Long Term Disability
• Life and AD&D
• HSAs
• Flexible Benefits/Cafeteria plans
• 401k administration
AMERICAN FOODS GROUP (1/09 – 8/10)
Human Resources Manager/Office Manager
Manage all human resource leadership functions up to and including:
• Strategically improved absenteeism by building positive employee relations.
• Determine appropriate methods of recruiting, coordinate activities dealing with
hiring advertisement and employment agencies, aligning with managers to determine employment requirements.
• Develop, administer and conduct management training programs.
• Saved $62,000 in reduction in workers’ compensation claims from previous year.
• Developed, administer and conduct management training on the effective implementation and administration of the Corporate EEO/Affirmative Action Plan.
• Successfully avoided several union attempts.
CONSOLIDATED CONTAINER COMPANY (8/07 – 1/09)
Human Resources/Office Manager
Responsible for the continuous improvements of a modern, team oriented, full service Human
Resource functions including:
• 25% improvement in contractual timeliness of grievance answers resulting in improved labor relations and operational efficiencies.
• Eliminated lost work day safety incidents with savings of $55,000.
• Created a 32% reduction in intermittent FMLA usage by closely monitoring medical leave of absence forms.
• Tactically handled labor relations issues and advised managers on a wide range
of HR and employee matters.
• Generated significant savings via 5s efforts in the personnel records warehouse.
• Conducted workplace investigations using problem solving techniques.
• Provided 3rd Step Answers to grievances, and Appeal/Arbitration Statements.
5/3 BANK (5/05 – 8/07)
Sr. Administrative Assistant (with HR responsibilities)
Responsible for managing all HR administrative operations maintaining strict confidentiality:
• Reviewed and approved Fifth Third Processing Solutions Merchant Payroll in resolving discrepancies and changes.
• Prepared and processed expense reports for SVP and VP’s.
• Maintained accurate and up to date personnel files.
• Conducted new hire on-boarding processes, transfers, promotions/salary increases, job postings, performance appraisals, company announcements, and organizational charts.
• Provided document retrieval for audits.
CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (2/04 – 5/05)
Executive Secretary (with HR responsibilities)
• Processed all paperwork formalities for job requisitions, lateral transfers, and promotions.
• Provided management with language of all employee written disciplinary correspondence.
• Developed core competencies and language for performance evaluations.
• Managed FMLA from basic employee inquiries, approval, denial notifications and tracking of hours.
Previous experience includes extensive Benefits Administration, and Administrative support with companies such as Humana, Ethicon Endo Surgery, Hamilton County and Cincinnati Sports Medicine
Education
Wright State University
Professional in Human Resources (PHR) –Human Resource Certification Institute
Raymond Walters College
Nursing/Medical Secretary
Professional Affiliation
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
GCHRA (Greater Cincinnati Human Resources Association)