Director, Employment Law

LaserAway is the nation’s leader in aesthetic dermatology, seeking a dynamic and driven attorney to lead our employment law function company-wide. This remote, U.S.-based role requires deep California employment law expertise.

About the role

As Director, Employment Law, you will direct the company's employment litigation strategy and serve as the core advisor on critical issues for a multi-state workforce. Partnering with Benefits, HR, Payroll, and business units, you will counsel HR leaders, conduct proactive audits, and lead the HR compliance function with one direct report (Senior Manager, HR Compliance). This is a hands-on leadership role.

Responsibilities

• Litigation & Outside Counsel Management
  • Manage outside counsel across the employment litigation portfolio—wage-and-hour class and PAGA actions, single-plaintiff claims, and arbitrations—setting strategy, controlling scope and budget, and driving matters to efficient resolution.
  • Oversee the company's response to EEOC and state civil-rights agency charges, reviewing and approving position statements and information requests.
  • Direct the workers' compensation litigation portfolio in coordination with Risk Management and Benefits.
  • Select and evaluate outside firms; manage legal spend and billing guidelines; and escalate key matters and exposure to the General Counsel.
  • Oversee internal investigations and translate litigation trends into risk-prevention priorities.
• Benefits, Leave Of Absence (LOA) & ADA/FEHA Accommodations
  • Advise the Benefits and Leave Administration teams on complex, multi-jurisdictional leaves (FMLA, comparable state and local leave programs, and workers' compensation leaves).
  • Establish best practices and legal guardrails for the ADA/FEHA interactive process, counseling on complex accommodations for clinical and corporate staff.
  • Drive coordination across leaves, disability/ADA, and workers' compensation—return-to-work plans, light-duty assignments, fitness-for-duty evaluations, and defensible leave-exhaustion protocols.
  • Partner with Benefits to standardize LOA documentation, medical certification templates, and employee communications that maintain compliance.
• Proactive Wage & Hour Processes
  • Lead internal wage-and-hour audits and serve as lead counsel for federal or state wage-and-hour inquiries or investigations.
  • Partner with HR Operations, Payroll, and IT to maintain compliance in time-tracking systems, pay statements, and payroll calculations.
  • Maintain defensible worker classification (exempt vs. non-exempt; contractor vs. employee) under federal and California standards for clinical and non-clinical roles.
  • Serve as subject-matter expert on pay calculations—overtime, double time, and premiums when employees earn commissions, bonuses, or multiple pay rates.
  • Counsel Finance and HR on the legal design of incentive and bonus plans.
• Legislative Tracking, Policy Strategy & Team Leadership
  • Track and analyze federal, state, and local employment law developments.
  • Translate regulatory change into policy; direct the Senior Manager, HR Compliance in maintaining handbooks, state addendums, and compliance SOPs.
  • Counsel HR Business Partners and Operations in real time on high-risk terminations, performance management, severance, restrictive covenants, and escalated leave/accommodation matters.
  • Manage and develop your direct report, including oversight of the employee hotline.
  • Oversee workplace safety compliance and advise on labor relations strategy.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school; active bar admission in good standing.
• 8–12+ years of labor and employment law experience, combining strong law firm training with in-house legal leadership—ideally in a multi-unit retail, healthcare, hospitality, or aesthetic environment.
• Deep, hands-on command of California employment law with multi-state fluency across a national footprint.
• Subject-matter expertise across leave and disability accommodation, wage-and-hour compliance, worker classification, and technical pay calculations.
• Sound, business-oriented judgment and a proven ability to advise senior stakeholders on high-stakes employment decisions.
• Proven people-leadership experience developing legal, HR, or compliance talent.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Technical familiarity with HRIS/Payroll systems (e.g., ADP, Workday, UKG) and leave-management software platforms.

Working Conditions

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Remote, U.S.-based, with limited travel as needed for investigations, hearings, agency proceedings, or company meetings.

Pay

Base salary range: $170,000 – $200,000 per year, plus an annual bonus. This range reflects the geographic breadth of a U.S. remote role; actual base pay offered will depend on job-related factors such as experience, skills, and the market in which the successful candidate is located.

Benefits

• Medical benefits
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off
• Generous employee discounts