Legal Advocate Wage

Title: Legal Advocate Wage

State Role Title: Human Resource Analyst II

Hiring Range: $49.86 - $81.03

Pay Band: 5

Agency: VA Dept of Transportation

Location: Old Hwy. Building

Agency Website: https://www.virginiadot.org/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The position you are applying for is an Hourly/Wage position. Hourly (wage) employees may not work more than an average of 29 hours a week and cannot exceed 1500 hours the wage employment year (5/1 - 4/30). This position does not include health insurance, retirement or paid leave benefits.

What drives you? Whether it's knowing the work you do makes a difference, having a great work/life balance, working on exciting and challenging projects, leading innovation and championing change or simply working with a great group of people who are committed to professionalism. Are you ready to advance you career at the Virginia Department of Transportation?

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is excited to announce an opportunity to serve as a Legal Advocate Wage in the Central Office located in Richmond, VA. The Legal Advocate Wage will be responsible for representing Agency management in employee grievance proceedings brought under the Commonwealth's State Grievance Procedure (Va. Code § 2.2-3000, et seq.)

The Advocate is responsible for assisting local management and members of Human Resources to develop a strong case strategy designed to show the Agency's compliance with policy in taking the management actions being grieved. To develop that strategy, the Advocate must extract all details of the grievance case by collecting documentary evidence and speaking to all potential witnesses.

The selected candidate will: Develop the case strategy; Participate in the pre-hearing conferences; Make pre-hearing motions; Draft any pre-hearing or post-hearing briefs; Request and disseminate orders for witnesses as needed; Collect and select relevant documents to enter into evidence; Coordinate with local HR regarding logistical arrangements for the hearing (e.g. hearing location, etc.); Select and prepare witnesses; Notify witnesses of hearing date, time and location; Assemble and submit the Agency's Witness Lists and evidence binders (tabbed documents to be introduced into the record at hearing); and Present the agency's case at hearing to include making opening/closing statements, questioning witnesses and admitting evidence.

The Advocate will also serve as the primary human resources records coordinator, gathering records, making appropriate redactions and withholding decisions, and responding to requests for personnel records pursuant to the Grievance Procedure, subpoenas, and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

VDOT employees serve the citizens of the Commonwealth and travelling public daily through our mission to plan, deliver, operate and maintain a transportation system that is safe, moves people and goods, enhances the economy, and improves quality of life. VDOT is the third largest state-maintained highway system in the country, maintaining over 58,000 miles of roads, bridges, and tunnels, and employing over 7700 people through a diverse workforce. Our culture includes teamwork, transparency, nimble learning, creativity and collaboration that values differences.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is an Equal Opportunity Employer by both policy and practice. For more information about our employment practices, please visit "Information for VDOT Employees and Applicants": http://www.virginiadot.org/jobs/information_for_employees.asp

We have Shared Values and a Code of Ethics. Your success in our organization depends upon modeling these values, therefore visit http://www.virginiadot.org/about/missionandvalues.asp to review them and, if in agreement, we welcome you to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to develop an organized and persuasive case strategy to include presentation of opening and closing statements, admission of documentary evidence and questioning of witnesses in an easy to understand, chronological manner.

• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with all levels of employees within VDOT.

• Experience applying state, federal laws, policies to individual fact patterns, assessing and providing recommendations on case merits.

• Experience interacting with, negotiating with opposing attorneys, representatives, and unrepresented parties in adversarial settings.

• Knowledge of employment-related laws and regulations including the FLSA, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, Virginia Personnel Act, Virginia State and Local Government Conflicts of Interest Act, Virginia FOIA, and Virginia Human Rights Act.

• Ability to work independently and without supervision.

• Ability to travel in order to participate in hearings statewide.

• Ability to actively listen, persuade others, manage time effectively and critically think.

• Ability to research, interpret, apply VDOT, Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) policies and procedures.

• Experience conducting legal research and drafting legal briefs and motions.

• Ability to accurately gather, extract and analyze evidence from witnesses and documents and formulate conclusions thereon.

• Ability to manage conflict professionally and make on-the-spot decisions at hearing.

• Experience conducting fact finding, legal research to develop case strategy, enter exhibits, question witnesses, make opening/closing arguments, file legal briefs and motions.

• Ability to analyze and counsel management on the probable outcome of cases.

• Experience advocating on behalf of an organization or client in administrative hearings, state/federal court, or other adversarial legal settings.

Additional Considerations

• A combination of training, experience or education in legal studies or related field desired.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to "Your Application" in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

This position requires a fingerprint based Criminal History Background Check, DMV Record Check and Work History Verification with references.

VDOT is an emergency operation agency. Positions physically working within Central Office locations may be designated upon request and coordination among the respective District Engineer or Administrator and Chief. Assignments are updated annually. Not all designated employees are provided an emergency operations assignment.

Once onboarded, this position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration of telework shall be approved as outlined in the Commonwealth telework policy.

VDOT utilizes a market based pay program, which has been approved by DHRM. Therefore, advertised rates of pay may or may not align with the Commonwealth pay bands.

We are a "Virginia Values Veterans" (V3) official certified company and state agency that provides hiring preference to Veterans and Members of the Virginia National Guard in support of Executive Order 29, (2010). If you are a Veteran or Virginia National Guard Member, we urge you to respond accordingly on your state application.

This position requires the submission of a Statement of Economic Interests (financial disclosure).

Contact Information

Name: Logan Sanchez

Phone: (804) 807-3482

Email: logan.sanchez@vdot.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth's commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.