What Does a Human Resources Assistant Do?
New-hire paperwork, from I-9 forms to tax withholding forms, passes through a human resources assistant's hands before anyone gets a first paycheck. HR assistants in businesses, hospitals, schools and government agencies enter hires and pay changes into the HR system, answer questions about leave and benefits and schedule interviews. Their careful filing keeps the employer within federal and state law.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Human Resources Assistant (HR Assistant), Human Resources Associate (HR Associate), Personnel Clerk.
Human Resources Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a human resources assistant include:
- Collect and check new-hire paperwork, including I-9 and tax withholding forms, before start dates.
- Enter hires, pay changes and terminations into the HR information system and double-check each record.
- Answer employee questions about leave balances, pay dates and benefit deadlines by phone and email.
- Post approved job openings on the careers site and send applicant lists to hiring managers.
- Schedule interviews, book rooms and send confirmation emails to candidates and search committees.
- File and scan personnel documents, keeping medical records in separate, locked files.
- Order background checks and follow up when results or references are slow to arrive.
- Prepare employment verification letters for lenders and landlords once the employee gives consent.
- Assemble orientation packets and run sign-in, ID badges and forms at new employee orientation.
- Update the HR office's forms, web pages and contact lists when policies change.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a human resources assistant, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Accurate data entry in HR systems such as Workday or PeopleSoft
- Discretion with salaries, medical notes and Social Security numbers
- Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
- Working knowledge of I-9 and new-hire reporting rules
- Friendly, patient phone and email manner
- Organized paper and digital filing
- Ability to juggle deadlines around payroll cutoffs
- Associate degree or coursework in human resources
Education and Training
Entry to the field without an associate degree might be possible, but applicants with one will have a head start over other candidates. Most HR offices require assistants to be background-checked. With experience, you could progress from assistant to HR specialist or recruiter.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $44,030 - $59,800 per year, with a median of $50,610.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping.
BLS projects employment of human resources assistants to decline about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, as more hiring and benefits paperwork moves into self-service software. Progression is often quick for assistants who master the HR system and openings for newcomers are still steady, at roughly 7,900 a year. While the pool of jobs shrinks, it is a good idea to learn a widely used HR system such as Workday or ADP early on to stay in demand.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping.
Human Resources Assistant Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $37,340 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $44,030 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $50,610 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $59,800 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $68,280 |
Highest-Paying States for Human Resources Assistants
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($59,050), California ($57,590), Washington ($57,390), Maryland ($56,880), Alaska ($56,510). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($44,780), West Virginia ($42,990), Alabama ($42,140).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,140 |
| Alaska | $56,510 |
| Arizona | $47,890 |
| Arkansas | $46,190 |
| California | $57,590 |
| Colorado | $54,880 |
| Connecticut | $54,130 |
| Delaware | $50,850 |
| District of Columbia | $59,050 |
| Florida | $48,330 |
| Georgia | $46,830 |
| Hawaii | $49,260 |
| Idaho | $51,770 |
| Illinois | $48,310 |
| Indiana | $47,850 |
| Iowa | $48,490 |
| Kansas | $49,630 |
| Kentucky | $50,400 |
| Louisiana | $47,490 |
| Maine | $49,710 |
| Maryland | $56,880 |
| Massachusetts | $55,840 |
| Michigan | $48,250 |
| Minnesota | $54,520 |
| Mississippi | $44,780 |
| Missouri | $47,960 |
| Montana | $50,070 |
| Nebraska | $47,130 |
| Nevada | $47,900 |
| New Hampshire | $51,400 |
| New Jersey | $54,410 |
| New Mexico | $49,650 |
| New York | $52,920 |
| North Carolina | $48,190 |
| North Dakota | $53,000 |
| Ohio | $48,310 |
| Oklahoma | $44,950 |
| Oregon | $53,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,800 |
| Rhode Island | $56,370 |
| South Carolina | $45,300 |
| South Dakota | $45,150 |
| Tennessee | $45,760 |
| Texas | $47,540 |
| Utah | $45,790 |
| Vermont | $51,810 |
| Virginia | $51,950 |
| Washington | $57,390 |
| West Virginia | $42,990 |
| Wisconsin | $48,690 |
| Wyoming | $49,660 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use email every day
- 96% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 94% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 93% are on the phone every day
- 90% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 67% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 54% deal with rude or angry people at least once a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 34% |
| Associate's degree | 27% |
| High school diploma or GED | 21% |
| Some college | 11% |
Tools and Software Human Resources Assistants Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking, Monitoring.
Knowledge areas used most: Personnel and Human Resources, Administrative, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, English Language.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Human Resources Assistant Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 43-4161.00 (Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping). View on O*NET OnLine.
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