Employment Counsel

Human Interest is on a mission to ensure that people in all lines of work have access to retirement benefits. 

Nearly half of all working Americans are not saving enough for their future. Too often it’s because they are employed by a company that doesn’t offer a retirement plan. Human Interest is changing that by making it affordable and accessible for small and medium-sized businesses to offer employees a path to financial independence through retirement savings.

We’re a high-growth tech company changing the retirement industry. We’ve raised more than $700M in primary and secondary financings and are backed by a number of investors. Most recently, this includes funding from Marshall Wace and Baillie Gifford, as well as top investors such as BlackRock, TPG (The Rise Fund), SoftBank, Glynn Capital, NewView Capital, USVP, Wing, Uncork, and more.

About the role

We are seeking an accomplished and proactive attorney to join our dynamic Legal team as Employment Counsel. This critical role will advise our People team and business leaders on employment-related matters, anticipate and mitigate risks, and help scale Human Interest’s Legal & Compliance team to support our next phase of growth.

As Employment Counsel, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring Human Interest’s compliance with employment laws while supporting our rapid growth and evolving needs. This is a hands-on, high-impact position where you’ll serve as both a strategic advisor and a tactical problem solver.

What you get to do every day

Primary Legal Advisor:

• Act as the company’s subject matter expert on employment law, providing actionable guidance to the People team, executives, and business leaders.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with outside counsel on employment-related matters.

Policy Development and Implementation:

• Design, review, and implement employment policies and handbooks that align with legal requirements and company values.
• Build scalable, innovative programs to support compliance and employee engagement as the company grows.

Risk Mitigation and Strategy:

• Identify and mitigate risks related to employment practices, proactively addressing potential challenges before they escalate.
• Conduct risk assessments on employment issues and develop frameworks to ensure compliance across all jurisdictions where Human Interest operates.

Counseling on Employee Issues:

• Advise on wage and hour compliance, classification issues, employee benefits, and leave/accommodation matters (FMLA, ADA, etc.).
• Provide strategic advice on employee relations matters, such as performance management, disciplinary actions, and terminations.

Investigations and Dispute Resolution:

• Lead and support internal investigations related to employment matters, ensuring thorough and unbiased processes.
• Manage employment disputes, including responding to administrative charges, overseeing mediations, and resolving pre-litigation conflicts efficiently.

Training and Development:

• Develop and deliver training programs for managers and employees on employment law topics, fostering awareness and proactive compliance.
• Provide legal education and tools to empower the People team and other stakeholders.

Collaboration Across Teams:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including HR, Finance, and Compliance, to align on employment-related initiatives and broader company goals.
• Partner with senior leadership to support strategic business decisions from an employment law perspective.

Expanding Expertise:

• Be open to contributing to broader legal and compliance initiatives, such as commercial agreements, corporate governance, or regulatory matters, as business needs evolve.

What you bring to the role

• Expertise and experience: Minimum of eight years of substantive employment law experience, ideally combining time at a top-tier law firm with in-house experience at a fast-paced, high-growth company.
• Litigation acumen: Strong background in managing employment-related disputes, including mediations and arbitrations, with the ability to assess and minimize risk effectively.
• Educational pedigree: J.D. from a top-tier law school with a strong academic record.
• Business-oriented mindset: A practical, solutions-driven attorney who can translate complex legal concepts into actionable, business-friendly guidance.
• Collaborative and hands-on: A team player who thrives in a fast-moving, high-expectations environment, balancing strategic thinking with a roll-up-your-sleeves approach.
• Growth-oriented mindset: Flexible, curious, and open to expanding beyond employment law to contribute to other areas of the Legal team’s work.
• Exceptional communicator: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to influence and build trust across all levels of the organization.

Why you will love working at Human Interest

Mission - Highly collaborative startup dedicated to supporting employee engagement and growth. It’s an opportunity to help solve one of the biggest unsolved problems in America: saving for retirement.

Culture - Our operating principles define how we come together as a team to do our work. They reflect Human Interest’s unique view on what’s important and what’s right. Documenting this core aspect of our culture helps employees make good decisions on their own. It also helps candidates considering career opportunities critically evaluate whether they will thrive at Human Interest. 

• Customer obsession
• Long-term orientation
• Autonomous and accountable teams
• An escalating bar for talent and performance 
• Fundamental optimism 

Compensation - At Human Interest, there are a number of factors that are used to determine the appropriate pay range for each position. We take into account the cost of labor for each position in various markets across the US. The base salary for this position spans $170,000 - $190,000 and represents the minimum in our lowest geographic region to a maximum in our highest geographic region. The salary that we offer to a new employee within this range is based on their location within the US, their relevant job-related skills, and experience. At Human Interest, base salary is one component of the overall Total Rewards package. Depending on the position, additional compensation components such as bonus, commission, and equity may be offered. All of our employees are offered a robust suite of physical, financial and mental wellness benefits.

Benefits - 

• A great 401(k) plan: Our own! Our 401(k) includes a dollar-for-dollar employer match up to 4% of compensation (immediately vested) and $0 plan fees
• Top-of-the-line health plans, as well as dental and vision insurance
• Generous PTO and parental leave policies
• Addition Wealth - Unlimited access to digital tools, financial professionals, and a knowledge center to help you understand your equity and support your financial wellness
• Lyra - Enhanced Mental Health Support for Employees and dependents  
• Carrot - Fertility healthcare and family forming benefits
• Candidly - Student loan resource to help you and your family plan, borrow, and repay student debt
• Monthly work-from-home stipend; quarterly lifestyle stipend
• Employee Resource Groups including Veterans, Lift Ev’ry Voice, Pride, LatinX, Families, and Women in Tech
• Fun online and regional events and celebrations and department and company offsites
• The vast majority of our positions can be 100% remote
  

We’re a great place to work (but don’t take our word for it) 

Here’s a list of our awards and accolades:

• Certified as a Great Place To Work® (2023-2024)
• Fortune Best Place to Work in the Bay Area (2024)
• Best Places to Work by Built In (2023-2024)
• America’s Best Startup Employers by Forbes (2020-2022, 2024) 
• A Top Company by Y Combinator (2020-2023)
• Inc. Fastest Growing Companies (2021)

Human Interest is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran or military status, pregnancy, or any other characteristics protected under federal, state, or local laws.

We are committed to making every stage of our application process fully accessible to all individuals. If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point in the process, please let us know at applicantaccommodations@humaninterest.com.

Please note Human Interest does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. We will not consider resumes from vendors including and without limitation search firms, staffing agencies, fee-based referral services, and recruiting agencies. 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. We comply with CCPA guidelines.

See more: https://humaninterest.com/disclosures