Employment Counsel

The Part-Time Employment Counsel provides practical, business-oriented legal advice on employment and labor law matters affecting the organization and its workforce throughout the United States and Canada. This attorney serves as a trusted advisor to Human Resources, Compliance, and business leaders, helping the company manage legal risk while supporting employee engagement and organizational objectives.

The role requires strong expertise in federal and state employment laws, employee relations, workplace investigations, policy development, and litigation management.

Key Responsibilities

Employment Law Advice and Counseling

• Advise Human Resources and management on employment-related legal issues, including:
• Hiring and recruitment practices
• Employee discipline and performance management
• Terminations and reductions in force
• Leave and accommodation issues
• Wage and hour compliance
• Background checks and onboarding practices
• Employee classification matters
• Provide guidance regarding compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.

Workplace Investigations

• Conduct or oversee investigations involving:
• Harassment
• Discrimination
• Retaliation
• Code of conduct violations
• Employee complaints and ethics concerns
• Direct written investigative findings and recommendations as appropriate.

Policy and Compliance Support

• Draft, review, and update:
• Employee handbooks
• Workplace policies
• Employment agreements
• Restrictive covenant agreements
• Separation and release agreements
• Monitor legal developments and recommend policy changes to maintain compliance.

Employee Relations

• Support employee relations initiatives and risk mitigation strategies.
• Advise management on sensitive personnel matters.

Litigation and Claims Management

• Manage employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation.
• Coordinate with outside counsel regarding:
• EEOC charges
• State agency complaints
• Wage and hour claims
• Employment litigation
• Assist with strategy, discovery, settlement evaluation, and legal spend management.

Training and Risk Mitigation

• Develop and deliver management training on:
• Harassment prevention
• Employment law fundamentals
• Workplace misconduct
• Documentation and performance management
• Promote best practices that reduce legal and compliance risk.

Ethics Hotline Management

• Serve as legal advisor for ethics hotline, whistleblower, and employee complaint matters.
• Review and assess reports received through the company's ethics reporting channels, including allegations involving:
• Harassment and discrimination
• Retaliation
• Conflicts of interest
• Code of conduct violations
• Fraud, misconduct, and policy violations
• Workplace integrity concerns
• Partner with Compliance, Human Resources, Internal Audit, and business leaders to triage and investigate reported concerns.
• Conduct or oversee privileged internal investigations and provide legal guidance regarding investigative scope, documentation, findings, and corrective action.
• Advise on anti-retaliation requirements and help ensure appropriate protection for reporting employees.
• Identify trends and recurring issues from hotline reporting and recommend risk mitigation, policy enhancements, and training initiatives.
• Prepare periodic reporting and metrics regarding significant employment and ethics matters for senior leadership, executive committees, and boards of directors, as appropriate.
• Ensure concerns are addressed consistently, fairly, and in accordance with legal and company requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with:
• Human Resources
• Compliance
• Business leaders
• Support M&A employment due diligence and integration activities as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of employment law experience, preferably including substantial in-house experience.
• Strong knowledge of:
• Title VII
• ADA
• ADEA
• FMLA
• FLSA
• PWFA
• State employment laws
• Experience conducting workplace investigations.
• Excellent judgment and ability to provide practical business-oriented advice.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred

• Prior in-house counsel experience.
• Experience supporting multistate employers.
• Experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, financial services, insurance, energy, or manufacturing.
• Experience managing outside counsel and employment litigation.

Competencies

• Sound legal and ethical judgment
• Risk-based decision-making
• Strong investigative skills
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision
• Executive presence and credibility
• Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives