Description:
This senior leadership position manages all legal matters related to labor, employment, workers compensation, and auto liability claims. The Director of Legal Affairs provides strategic legal guidance to the organization to ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations, mitigate risk, and protect the organization's interests.Examples of Duties:
- Legal Advisory: Provide expert legal counsel and guidance on labor and employment matters, workers compensation issues, and auto liability claims. Interpret and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws, regulations, and employment standards. Advise on employee relations, discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination issues.
- Litigation Management: Manage and oversee the organization's legal disputes, including labor-related litigation, employment claims, workers compensation claims, and auto liability lawsuits. Represent the Company in all legal matters and work with outside counsel as needed.
- Policy Development: Develop, review, and update policies and procedures related to labor and employment, workers compensation, and auto liability to ensure they align with current laws and industry best practices.
- Contract Review: Review and assist in negotiating labor agreements, employment contracts, and insurance agreements as needed. Ensure contract compliance to minimize legal risks.
- Training and Education: Develop and implement training programs to educate employees and management on labor and employment laws, workers compensation procedures, and best practices for minimizing auto liability risks.
- Risk Management: Identify and assess potential legal risks associated with labor and employment practices, workers compensation claims, and auto liability incidents. Develop and implement strategies to minimize legal exposure.
- Government Compliance: Monitor changes in labor laws and regulations and ensure that the organization remains in compliance. Interact with relevant government agencies and respond to inquiries or audits.
- Respond & Report on Agency Matters: Prepare written company responses to any CHRO, OSHA, NLRB, EEO, or other entity complaints. Produce regular reports on legal activities, including litigation status, settlements, and ongoing compliance efforts, for the executive staff, AGM's and General Manager.
- Serve as the Company's EEO Officer.
- Develop and recommend policies and procedures to implement the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action program; assist in evaluating the company's compliance with the implementation of the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action program in each department and division
- Investigate all EEO/AA related complaints and recommend corrective action.
- Conduct research in response to inquiries concerning EEO/AA issues by soliciting information, both orally and in writing, from state and federal agencies, agency legal personnel, and other sources regarding labor statistics, programs for the disadvantaged, the interpretation of law and the status of EEO/AA cases.
- Assist the HR team with EEO, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, trainings, committees, and efforts.
- Develop goals and timetables for AA. Design and implement reporting systems to measure the company's progress toward AA goals.
- Prepare periodic and scheduled reports on the status of the implementation of the EEO program.
- Review all job postings for compliance with ADA and EEO guidelines.
- Provide technical assistance and training to sub-recipients, vendors, and contractors regarding the development and implementation of AA Plans.
- Review job specifications to become familiar with the duties and requirements of positions; review job postings for compliance with EEO/AA and ADA guidelines; confer with the HR Director regarding the effect job descriptions and job requirements have on protected group members.
- Review personnel actions to ensure compliance with AA/EEO requirements.
- Other duties as required by the FTA.
- Sit in as a neutral party on interview panels as needed.
- Work cooperatively with all levels of personnel, and assist other departments and divisions as needed.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Possession of a Juris Doctorate (JD) and active state bar membership in the state of Connecticut is required.
- Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant full time work experience as a practicing attorney, with a strong background in labor and employment law, workers compensation law, and general litigation is required. Specific experience handling auto liability claims is preferred.
- Proven experience in managing complex litigation, negotiation, and dispute resolution.
- Experience in labor negotiations and the NLRA is required.
- Experience as General Legal Counsel or a Labor & Employment Attorney is required.
- Previous experience in the transportation industry or a similarly government regulated environment is preferred.
- Ability to make decisions requiring independent judgment including the setting of priorities for performing work, excellent, interpersonal skills, tact and diplomacy.
- Ability to work both independently and in a team environment is essential.
- Must be able to handle confidential information, manage multiple priorities and have excellent communication skills (especially verbal), interpersonal skills, professionalism, discretion, and diplomacy to work effectively with the public, outside agencies, private vendors, and other employees at all levels throughout CTtransit.
- Ability to learn procedures that require a high degree of responsibility, accuracy, timeliness, and precision.
- A valid drivers' license is required. Individual may be required to travel in the course of their daily work.
- Advanced knowledge of Microsoft 365 and/or Office programs (Outlook, Excel, Word, Powerpoint) with the ability to quickly learn other internal software programs.