Attorney-Advisor (Employee and Labor Relations)

Proactively ensures that all agency personnel programs, policies, and practices comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including merit system principles and prohibited personnel practices set forth in 5 U.S.C., sections 2301-2302.

Provides legal advice and counsel to agency management and human resource staff regarding the full range of employment matters, including, but not limited to, hiring, personnel policies, and disciplinary and other adverse personnel actions.

Represents agency managers in administrative proceedings in connection with EEO complaints prior to the adversarial stage, including advising on preparation of declarations, statements or affidavits, and responses to information requests.

Maintains contact with the OCHCO Division Directors, officials at the Office of Personnel Management's Employee and Labor Relations Network, and other federal agencies.

Performs special projects in the areas of performance improvement and labor and employee relations, which may require leading ad- hoc project teams and analyzing and evaluating critical and sensitive problem areas.

Works proactively with managers and employees to informally resolve employment-related disputes.

Attends staff meetings, ad-hoc or special committee meetings, etc. in order to ascertain and/or keep abreast of program needs and requirements, particularly in the area of performance improvement and employee conduct.

Serves as the agency's representative in litigation and other administrative proceedings before arbitrators, mediators, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).

Defends the agency in: unfair labor practice claims; negotiability petitions; grievance/arbitration cases, which may be followed by exceptions proceedings; and bargaining disputes.

Advises internal agency clients, including senior agency officials, on a wide range of labor issues, such as bargaining obligations, contract interpretation and application, representation law, and other labor relation topics.

Conducts personnel misconduct investigations and prepares findings, reports, and recommendations for management action.

For the GS-14: You must have earned a professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, be an active member of the BAR, and have three (3) years of professional legal experience with at least one year being equivalent to the GS-13 level providing legal advice and counsel to agency management and human resources staff regarding the full range of employment matters, including, but not limited to disciplinary and other adverse personnel actions, performance-based actions formal and informal EEO complaints, hearings and appeals, and grievances and works proactively with managers and employees to informally resolve employment-related disputes.

Professional legal education above the first professional law degree may be substituted for experience required as follows:(a) The second professional law degree (LL.M) may be substituted for one year of experience (b) The third law degree (J.S.D) may be substituted for one year of experience beyond the LL.M.

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements (e.g., time-in-grade and qualification requirements) within 30 days of the closing date specified in the vacancy announcement. Attorneys appointed in the excepted service are required to maintain active membership in a bar within U.S. jurisdiction for the duration of their employment.

Attorneys must provide documentation supporting active membership and good standing status (or equivalent) on at least an annual basis.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.