Assistant General Counsel (Austin) (827235)

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is seeking an Assistant General Counsel (General Counsel I-II) to join the Office of General Counsel’s employment legal team. This position is located in downtown Austin, next to the Texas State Capitol at 101 E. 15th Street, Austin, TX. TWC is not considering applications from individuals who require sponsorship for an employment visa. You must be a Texas resident or willing to relocate to Texas.

About the Role

TWC is a state agency of approximately 4,500 employees helping the Texas economy grow by connecting people with jobs. The Assistant General Counsel provides legal advice and guidance on employment and labor matters to agency leadership to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and agency policies, procedures, and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Respond to EEOC charges, conduct formal internal investigations into employee complaints, and represent the agency in unemployment insurance claim hearings.
• Provide legal oversight for the pre-employment background screening process.
• Work closely with attorneys handling support for administrative, regulatory, and policy functions for the agency, as well as clients who administer Workforce, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Unemployment Insurance programs.
• Prepare legal documents and perform legal research, conduct investigations, and report findings and conclusions to management and other agency employees as appropriate.
• Handle special assignments related to personnel matters, including representing the agency in unemployment claim hearings and providing support for employee complaints and investigations.
• Analyze factual and legal issues in an independent and neutral manner, taking into consideration state, federal, and local employment laws, agency policy, and precedent.
• Provide counsel to management on employment-law-related matters.
• Draft position statements and conduct professional research, working closely with staff to produce legal memoranda, work product, and presentations.
• Research, analyze, and interpret state and federal employment laws and regulations, guidelines, policies, procedures, and rules.
• Provide professional legal advice for agency programs and operations, routinely the Workforce Solutions Division, including the Workforce and Vocational Rehabilitation programs, the Unemployment Insurance and Regulatory Integrity Divisions, as well as the agency's administrative divisions.
• Perform related work providing backup for other attorneys, as assigned.
• Review, summarize, and evaluate proposed state and federal legislation that may affect the agency on occasion.
• May provide support and conduct research related to requests for accommodation.
• May plan, assign, and/or oversee the work of others. May act as a liaison and counsel to committees and workgroups.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

General Counsel I: Graduation from an accredited law school approved by the American Bar Association and admission to the State Bar of Texas plus two years of experience in the full-time practice of law, or two years of full-time experience in a responsible position involving legal work as a primary duty.

General Counsel II: Graduation from an accredited law school approved by the American Bar Association and admission to the State Bar of Texas plus three years of experience in the full-time practice of law, or three years of full-time experience in a responsible position involving legal work as a primary duty.

Skills

• Understanding of employment laws, including but not limited to Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, Workers’ Compensation, GINA, and FCRA.
• Excellent oral and written skills. A writing sample will be requested at the time of interview.
• One or two years’ experience in legal research and writing.
• Experience in legal work with governmental entities providing guidance and briefing on federal and state laws.

Benefits

• Family Friendly Certified Workplace
• Competitive starting salary: $8,762.72-$9,033.08/month
• Defined Retirement Benefit Plan
• Optional 401(k) and 457 accounts
• Medical Insurance
• Paid time off, including time for vacation, sick, and family care leave
• Additional benefits for active employees can be found at https://www.ers.texas.gov/Active-Employees/Health-Benefits

Veterans can use their military skills to qualify for this position or other jobs. Visit www.texasskillstowork.com to translate military work experience and training courses into civilian job terms, qualifications, and skill sets. Compare this position to military occupations (MOS) at the Texas State Auditor's Office using this link.