Job Description

The Employment Law Unit provides litigation and counseling services throughout the Agency with respect to employment and labor issues. Employment Law prosecutes employee disciplinary and fitness hearings before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings [OATH]; handles appeals before the City Civil Service Commission [CSC]; serves as counsel to the Agency’s Office of Staff Resources [OSR]; and represents the Agency at Federal, state, and city Equal Employment Opportunity hearings and trials through a special designation from the Law Department. Employment Law Unit responds to all records access requests both pursuant to the FOIL statute and those requested under other applicable laws and rules.

Under close supervision of a Supervising or Senior Attorney, with some latitude for independent judgment and un-reviewed action and decision, performs legal work.

The Office of General Counsel is requesting to recruit for an Agency Attorney Interne to function as Attorney Interne within the Employment Law Unit of the Office of Legal Affairs who will:

• Collect and analyze evidence of employee misconduct under Section 75 of the Civil Service Law and unfitness to perform job duties under section 72 of the Civil Service Law;

• Draft disciplinary charges and draft summaries of employees’ unfitness for City medical examiners;

• Prepare cases for trial and argue them at internal hearings and before administrative bodies, participate in interviews of witnesses and subjects;

• Determine the advisability of presenting witnesses, admissibility of types of evidence and matters of legal strategy;

• Determine which legal and/or other questions require more legal analysis or review and refer them with appropriate memoranda to the proper authority;

• Recommend settlements and negotiate, draft and process stipulations of settlement; conduct legal research and prepare briefs, memoranda and other documents;

• Investigate and respond to charges of discrimination filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York State Division of Human Rights and New York City Commission on Human Rights by preparing position statements based on facts and applicable law;

• Attend arbitrations and act as liaison with the New York City Office of Labor Relations; also serve as liaison with the New York City Law Department on lawsuits involving employment discrimination and discipline;

• Collaborate with other DSS divisions and program areas, including but not limited to Personnel and Office of Equal Employment Opportunity; and

• Advise on legal aspects of enforcement and administration of acts, rules, laws and regulations.

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited United States law school as defined in the Rules of the New York Court of Appeals (Sections 520.3 or 520.5) or admission to the New York State Bar.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.