Position Information

NY HELPNo

AgencyChildren & Family Services, Office of

TitleAssistant Counsel

Occupational CategoryLegal

Salary GradeNS

Bargaining UnitM/C - Management / Confidential (Unrepresented)

Salary RangeFrom $82383 to $104135 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Exempt Class

Travel Percentage 0%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 9 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

Location

County Rensselaer

Street Address Capital View Office Park - Legal

52 Washington Street, North Building

City Rensselaer

StateNY

Zip Code12144

Job Specifics

Minimum Qualifications Candidates must have been admitted to the New York State Bar and must have had two years of experience in the practice of law subsequent to admission to the Bar.
Admission to the New York State Bar and current registration to practice law in New York State is required for continued employment. Disbarment or loss of registration shall result in termination or suspension of employment.

Duties Description
The Employment Law Unit (ELU) within the Division of Legal Affairs provides legal guidance to the agency with respect to employment matters, with a special emphasis on protected classes.

The Assistant Counsel will:

• Provide legal guidance on employment matters to all divisions within the agency;
• Support the agency’s mission to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace;
• Represent the agency in all phases of administrative proceedings for matters involving complaints of workplace discrimination before the State Division of Human Rights and related venues;
• Assist the Attorney General’s Office with litigation before state and federal courts;
• Perform attendant litigation tasks such as preparing pleadings, compiling discovery, preparing for hearings and trials, negotiating with opposing counsel, preparing settlement documents, drafting briefs, and conducting hearings and trials;
• Handle additional general litigation matters involving representation of the agency before various courts and administrative venues;
• Assist in the investigation of internal workplace discrimination complaints;
• Review and approve draft investigation reports and legal recommendations with respect to internal discrimination complaints, and request supplemental investigation when necessary;
• Analyze legal issues and research relevant legal principles and laws;
• Monitor the progress of protected class matters;
• Collaborate with the agency’s Labor Relations Department (LR) in determining disciplinary charges, drafting notices of discipline, and determining the course of discipline to be taken and the parameters of settlement, if any;
• Assist LR in preparing for disciplinary arbitration and, in some instances, by conducting the arbitration in either a first or second chair capacity;
• Participate on agency committees related to employment law issues, including reasonable accommodation, workplace violence, and criminal history review.

Additional duties will be discussed in greater detail during the interview.

Additional Comments
Background Investigation Requirements:

1) All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee’s employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information, and may be required to pay any necessary fees.

2) All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.

3) For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. OCFS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. OCFS is committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity. It is the policy of OCFS to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position for which they are applying or for which they are employed. OCFS does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Contact Information

Name New York State Office of Children and Family Services

Telephone 518-473-7936

Fax 518-473-6122

Email Address eoajobpostings@ocfs.ny.gov

Address

Street Bureau of Personnel - CDS

52 Washington Street, 231 North

City Rensselaer

State NY

Zip Code 12144

 

Notes on ApplyingQualified candidates should e-mail their resume and letter of interest to eoajobpostings@ocfs.ny.gov You MUST include the Vacancy number of the position in the subject line of your email and/or cover letter to ensure receipt of your application. In order to qualify you for the position when you have current or prior New York State employment, you may be contacted by OCFS Personnel for your social security number to confirm your employment history.