Open to opportunities

Niko Hines

@nikohines

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Employee Relations and HR leader with 20+ years driving fair investigations and risk-reducing workplace strategies.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a leadership role where I can run sensitive employee relations and investigations, coach leaders, and strengthen compliance and workplace culture through proactive risk mitigation, training, and defensible decision-making.

I’m a Strategic Employee Relations and Human Resources leader with 20+ years of experience leading complex workplace investigations and advising senior leadership across federal, state, and military organizations. I’m known for delivering fair, consistent, and defensible outcomes while protecting confidentiality and staying aligned with federal and state employment laws.

In my current role as an EEO Employee Relations Supervisor for the Virginia Department of Health, I serve as the primary Employee Relations contact for 3,500+ employees and manage 120+ matters annually, including 75+ complex investigations. I counsel leaders and HR partners on risk mitigation, performance management, ADA accommodations, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation issues, and I also deliver employee relations and workplace compliance training to 100+ managers and employees—while identifying trends to strengthen organizational trust and workplace culture.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

EEO Employee Relations Supervisor

Virginia Department of Health

Jan 2023 - Jan 2025 (2 years)

Served as the primary Employee Relations contact for 3,500+ employees, managing 120+ employee relations matters annually. Conducted 75+ complex investigations per year and provided employee relations/workplace compliance training to 100+ managers and employees.

Workplace Investigations Performance Management Risk Mitigation Leadership Coaching Training Facilitation Stakeholder Management

Senior Employee Relations Specialist

Department of Defense

Jan 2012 - Jan 2019 (7 years)

Managed 75+ employee relations and EEO cases annually involving discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, and ADA accommodations. Conducted investigations and mediation, guided leaders on disciplinary and performance improvement processes, and interpreted Title VII, ADA, and FMLA/EEO compliance requirements.

Mediation & Pre Complaint Counseling Discrimination Harassment Casework Performance Improvement Employment Law Compliance FMLA Policy Compliance

EEO / Union Steward

Department of the Army

Jan 2008 - Jan 2012 (4 years)

Investigated allegations involving discrimination, harassment, workplace misconduct, and labor relations matters, while managing grievance procedures. Negotiated resolutions with employees, leadership, unions, and stakeholders and delivered EEO and workplace compliance training to employees and leadership teams.

Grievance Management Labor Relations Conflict Resolution Policy Compliance Training Facilitation Negotiation Stakeholder Management

EEO / SHARP Specialist

Department of Defense

Jan 2000 - Jan 2008 (8 years)

Conducted employee relations and EEO investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and workplace misconduct. Prepared EEOC responses and investigative documentation and delivered investigations/EEO/compliance training to more than 300 personnel.

EEOC Response Preparation Workplace Investigations Training Delivery Risk Mitigation Case Management Confidentiality