HR Consulting & Coaching · Pleasanton, CA
Executive HR leadership for California employers — reduce risk, strengthen compliance, and build high-performing workplaces
Experienced, California-specific HR consulting for Bay Area organizations that need executive-level guidance without the cost of a full-time department.
What we bring to your organization
Years of HR leadership
Nonprofit, healthcare, technology & manufacturing
California employment law expertise
FEHA, CFRA, ADA, wage & hour compliance
Core HR service areas
From compliance to leadership coaching
Who we serve
Built for organizations like yours
We work with a wide range of Bay Area organizations — from growing startups to established nonprofits — who need senior HR expertise without a full-time department.
Nonprofits
Subject to the same California employment laws as for-profits — often with fewer internal HR resources to manage them.
Healthcare Organizations
Complex leave patterns, ADA/FEHA accommodation demands, and a workforce that can't afford HR disruptions.
Technology Companies
Fast-moving teams that outgrow informal HR before they realize it — and need rapid compliance buildout without slowing down.
Manufacturing
Multi-shift environments with complex wage and hour exposure, safety-adjacent HR issues, and high employee relations volume.
Growing Startups
Post-funding organizations scaling headcount quickly who need to build HR infrastructure before the first complaint or audit.
Executive Teams
Leaders who need a trusted HR advisor in the room — not a vendor — for board-level people decisions and sensitive situations.
Professional credentials & affiliations
SHRM Member
Society for Human Resource Management
PIHRA Member
Professionals in Human Resources Assoc.
Lean Six Sigma
Green Belt Certified
Webster University
MA, Human Resource Management
What we do
Comprehensive HR services for every stage of your organization
From foundational compliance to strategic leadership development — we partner with you to build people systems that work.
HR Compliance
Policies, procedures, and audits to keep your organization compliant with California and federal employment law — before issues arise.
Learn more →Employee Relations
Expert guidance on performance management, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, and complex personnel matters with legal defensibility.
Workplace Investigations
Impartial, thorough investigations of harassment, discrimination, and misconduct complaints conducted in accordance with California law.
Learn more →Leave & ADA/FEHA Guidance
Navigation of FMLA, CFRA, PDL, ADA and FEHA accommodation requests, interactive process management, and return-to-work planning.
Policy Development
Development and revision of employee handbooks, HR policies, and SOPs tailored to your organization and reviewed for legal compliance.
Leadership Coaching
One-on-one and group coaching for new and emerging managers — building the skills, confidence, and legal awareness to lead effectively.
New Supervisor Training
Customized training programs that equip first-time managers with practical tools, California-specific legal knowledge, and leadership foundations.
Recruitment
End-to-end recruitment support — from job descriptions and sourcing through candidate assessment and offer — with consistent, documented practices.
Fractional HR
Ongoing HR leadership for organizations that need a senior HR partner on a part-time or project basis — without a full-time hire.
Learn more →HR Audits
Comprehensive review of your HR practices, documentation, and compliance posture — with actionable recommendations to reduce risk.
Performance Management
Design and implementation of performance management frameworks that support employee development and protect the organization legally.
Payroll Guidance
California wage and hour compliance, payroll transitions, and process review to reduce exposure and keep your organization on solid footing.
HRIS Implementation
End-to-end implementation and optimization of HR platforms including ADP, Workday, Paycor, and Paycom — from configuration and data migration to training and go-live support.
Learn more →
Mary Mehr, MA
Founder & Principal HR Consultant
Solutions for People Management
About Mary Mehr
Senior HR expertise, personally delivered
Mary Mehr, MA is an accomplished Human Resources executive with extensive experience helping organizations navigate California employment law, employee relations, workplace investigations, organizational development, compliance, and leadership coaching. She has supported nonprofit, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology organizations, partnering with executive leadership to build compliant, high-performing workplaces where both people and organizations thrive.
Extensive senior HR leadership experience across healthcare, nonprofit, technology, and manufacturing industries
Deep expertise in California employment law: FEHA, ADA, CFRA, FMLA, and wage and hour compliance
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt — process improvement applied to HR systems, operations, and organizational effectiveness
MA in Human Resource Management, Webster University; BA, Mills College
Extensive experience managing complex employee relations and workplace investigations with a strong track record of reducing legal risk
HR executive experience across multi-site organizations supporting 500+ employees
Host of Bold Moves podcast — conversations with women in leadership and entrepreneurship
HRIS implementation expertise: ADP, Workday, Paycor, and Paycom — configuration, data migration, training, and go-live support
Selected results
Experience that speaks for itself
A track record built across nonprofit, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing organizations throughout California.
15+
Years HR Leadership
Senior roles across four industries
500+
Employees Supported
Multi-site, multi-state organizations
✓
Strong Track Record
Complex investigations & ER matters resolved with reduced legal risk
4
HRIS Platforms
ADP · Workday · Paycor · Paycom
Developed 15+ HR policies, employee handbooks, and SOPs aligned to California law
Led workplace investigations into harassment, discrimination, and misconduct — all resolved with reduced legal risk and no regulatory findings
Guided organizations through end-to-end HRIS implementations including ADP, Workday, Paycor, and Paycom
Managed ADA/FEHA interactive process and complex leave administration across multiple organizations
Built HR infrastructure from ground up for nonprofit and healthcare startups and growing organizations
Partnered with executive teams on org design, restructuring, and workforce planning initiatives
Delivered supervisor and leadership training programs with measurable impact on manager effectiveness
Applied Lean Six Sigma methodology to HR operations, reducing process time and improving compliance posture
Selected engagements (anonymized)
Nonprofit · 120 employees · Bay Area
Organization lacked formal HR infrastructure, faced growing compliance exposure, and needed a rapid HRIS transition before year-end.
OutcomeBuilt complete HR policy framework, deployed ADP from contract to go-live in 11 weeks, and trained all managers — zero compliance findings in subsequent audit.
Healthcare · 250 employees · Multi-site
Complex harassment complaint involving senior leadership required an impartial investigation with strict confidentiality and board-level reporting.
OutcomeConducted thorough, legally defensible investigation and delivered findings within 3 weeks. Matter resolved internally with no litigation, regulatory complaint, or turnover among key staff.
Technology · 80 employees · California
Rapid growth exposed gaps in California wage and hour compliance, leave administration, and ADA interactive process documentation.
OutcomeCompleted HR audit, updated employee handbook, and built ADA/FEHA accommodation workflow. Organization passed subsequent DFEH inquiry with no findings.
Why clients choose us
Why Solutions for People Management
California-specific expertise
Employment law in California is uniquely complex. We bring deep, current knowledge of state requirements so you're not learning from expensive mistakes.
Executive-level strategic guidance
You get director-level HR thinking and leadership experience without the cost of a full-time hire — flexible to your needs and budget.
Practical, business-focused solutions
Every recommendation comes with a clear path to implementation. We build processes your team can actually follow — not binders that gather dust.
Personalized service
You work directly with Mary — not a junior associate. Every engagement is tailored to your organization's specific culture, size, and needs.
Cross-industry experience
Healthcare, nonprofit, technology, and manufacturing experience means we understand the unique people challenges your industry faces.
Risk reduction focus
Proactive compliance, sound documentation, and legally defensible processes protect your organization before problems become liabilities.
Recent insights
California HR — what employers need to know
Practical guidance on California employment law, HR compliance, and people management for Bay Area organizations.
What California Employers Need to Know About CFRA in 2026
California's Family Rights Act continues to expand. Recent amendments extend coverage to smaller employers and broaden qualifying family relationships — here's what HR needs to communicate to managers now.
Read article →When Do You Need an External Workplace Investigator?
Internal investigations can work — but there are situations where using an outside investigator isn't just better, it's legally safer. Here are five scenarios where external is the right call.
Read article →The 5 Most Common HR Compliance Mistakes California Nonprofits Make
Nonprofits often assume they're exempt from complex employment law requirements. They're not. These five gaps show up repeatedly in HR audits — and each carries real legal exposure.
Read article →Testimonials
What leaders say
Mary combines exceptional HR expertise with practical business judgment. She approaches complex employee relations matters with professionalism, fairness, and sound judgment.
Laura BennettFormer Chief Operating Officer
Mary is a trusted strategic HR leader. Her knowledge of California employment practices and her ability to guide managers through difficult situations make her an invaluable partner.
David ChenFormer Executive Director
Mary has an exceptional ability to build strong HR processes while creating trust across an organization. She is thoughtful, responsive, and highly committed to delivering practical solutions.
Michelle ThompsonFormer Vice President of Operations
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Answers to what Bay Area organizations most often ask about HR consulting.
Get started
Ready to build a stronger HR foundation?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss your organization's needs and how we can help.
Contact
Let's talk
Reach out to discuss how we can support your organization. We respond within one business day.
Location
Pleasanton, California
Serving the Bay Area
Phone
925-878-4033
admin@solutionsforpeoplemanagement.com