A human resource of a company or organization is generally an employee, and the department that communicates with employees and manages employee-related issues—including job applications, job interviews, drug tests, employment offers, wages, benefits, paid time off (PTO), unpaid leave, employee reviews, termination of employment, and unemployment insurance claims—is often known as the human resources department, or human resources, or simply HR. An employer’s human resources department may consist of one person in a smaller organization or many persons in a larger organization, and is often headed by a human resources manager or human resources director.

In Kansas, as in other states, the human resources (HR) department plays a critical role in managing the employer-employee relationship. This includes overseeing the hiring process, which encompasses job postings, interviews, and drug testing, in accordance with both federal laws and state-specific regulations such as the Kansas Civil Service Act for public employees. HR departments are also responsible for crafting employment offers and managing compensation packages, which must comply with the Kansas Wage Payment Act. This act dictates the frequency and manner of wage payments and addresses the issue of final paychecks upon termination. Benefits and paid time off (PTO) are subject to agreements between employers and employees, while unpaid leave may be regulated under federal laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which also applies in Kansas. Employee performance reviews and the termination process must be handled in a manner that avoids discrimination, adhering to both federal laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and state laws such as the Kansas Act Against Discrimination. Finally, HR departments assist with unemployment insurance claims, which are governed by the Kansas Employment Security Law. The size and structure of an HR department can vary greatly depending on the size of the organization, but all HR departments in Kansas must operate within the framework of these regulations.