Behind the Scenes at FCPL: Understanding Human Resources & Employee Relations

Submitted by Leigh Ann Holdridge

At FCPL, our most valuable resource is our people. From the moment you walk through our doors as a new hire to your day-to-day work serving the community, we want to ensure you feel supported, valued, and empowered.

Our staff is supported by two distinct functional areas: Human Resources (HR) and Employee Relations (ER). The lines between the two can sometimes feel a bit blurry, so we’ve put together this guide to help you distinguish "who does what" among Elise Herbst, Cristie Edmondson, and Leigh Ann Holdridge.

🏛️ The Architects: Human Resources (HR)

Elise Herbst & Cristie Edmondson

Think of Elise and Cristie as the architects of your employment foundation. They handle the "mechanics" of your journey at FCPL, managing the essential administrative pieces that keep your employment running smoothly.

Their Specialties Include:

• Talent Acquisition: Recruiting, interviewing, skills testing, selecting the best candidates for open staff and volunteer positions, and communicating personnel/volunteer announcements.  
  
  
• Onboarding: Conducting orientation and collecting all necessary employment documentation.
  
  
• Benefits Administration: Enrollment and management of health insurance, dental, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and all other employee perks.
  
  
• Time & Leave: Tracking the accrual of vacation and sick leave, as well as managing FMLA, Short/Long-term disability, and personal leaves of absence.

🤝 The Advocate: Employee Relations (ER)

Leigh Ann Holdridge

Leigh Ann focuses on the "human" side of your experience. Her priority is making sure our environment is safe, our policies are fair, and you have the professional growth tools you need to thrive.

Her Areas of Focus Include:

• Advocacy & Safety: Ensuring a fair, safe, and emotionally healthy workplace and managing risk and workplace safety protocols.
  
  
• Growth & Development: Succession planning, mentoring programs, training opportunities, and management coaching.
  
  
• Performance & Policy: Creating and interpreting library policies, managing job descriptions, performance evaluations, and driving continuous process improvement.
  
  
• Legal & Support: Handling employment law, ADA accommodations, conflict management, and dispute resolution.
  
  
• Transitions: Conducting exit interviews and managing the off-boarding process.

💡 Better Together: A Collaborative Effort

Even though their daily tasks may be different, HR and ER collaborate every single day. They share one simple goal: making sure FCPL remains a productive, healthy, and supportive home for every one of us.

Still not sure who to reach out to? No worries! Reach out to Elise, Cristie, or Leigh Ann anytime. We work together to ensure you get exactly the support you need.