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Investigator (Human Rights Specialist 1 (NY HELPS)

NYS Division of Human Rights · Albany, NY · 2 mo ago
HybridInformation TechnologyFull-time

About the role

As a Human Rights Specialist 1 reporting to the Associate Deputy Commissioner for Intake, incumbent will oversee the activities in the Intake Unit, ensuring the Division serves only clear, complete, jurisdictional discrimination complaints timely. The Intake Unit receives and triages information from the public about alleged discrimination as defined in the Human Rights Law in areas that include, but are not limited to, employment, housing, public accommodation, and more, based on protected categories that include, but are not limited to, age, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex, and more.

Responsibilities

  • Directly supervise three Legal Assistants, who are responsible for supervising 13 staff in the Intake Unit and help remove roadblocks to the timely completion of Intake activities
  • Ensure Intake Unit staff:
    • Contact the complainant timely to clarify the reported information
    • Identify the proper legal name of respondents
    • Request and follow up on the timely receipt of evidence (e.g., documents, photos, recordings) to support the alleged discrimination
    • Draft clear, concise complaints for the public's review and signature within 30 days
    • Ensure that incomplete, unclear, and/or non-jurisdictional matters do not advance to investigation
    • Answer calls and respond to emails from parties to a discrimination case timely, professionally, and accurately
    • Contemporaneously document all Intake activities accurately in the Division's case management system
    • Serve signed complaints on respondents timely
  • Engage in any of the above activities as needed
  • Address issues that require escalation, including, but not limited to, more complex cases of alleged discrimination and cases where the caller may become verbally abusive to other Intake Unit staff
  • Evaluate all recommendations from Legal Assistants to dismiss allegations that are duplicative, non-jurisdictional, or have not been properly clarified by the complainant
  • Confer with the Associate Deputy Commissioner for Intake for a final decision for dismissal
  • Provide on-the-job coaching and training to Legal Assistants

Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Six years of experience in field investigation or law enforcement investigation and the preparation of detailed narrative reports; OR planning, developing, implementing, or enforcing a human rights, civil rights or housing and community development program; OR conducting discrimination or labor relations investigations; OR litigation; OR any combination of the above experience to equal seven years
  • Substitution: an associate degree may substitute for two years of specialized experience; bachelor's degree may substitute for four years of specialized experience; master's degree may substitute for five years of specialized experience; J.D. may substitute for six years of specialized experience; Ph.D. may substitute for seven years of specialized experience
  • The selected candidate will be tested for proficiency in Spanish and must pass at Level 3 proficiency to be considered for appointment
  • For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply
  • At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State
  • While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified

Benefits

  • Holiday & Paid Time Off
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
  • Pension from New York State Employees' Retirement System
  • Affordable Health Care options
  • Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost
  • NYS Deferred Compensation plan
  • Access to NY 529 College Savings Program

Please note that specific benefits and programs may vary based on negotiating unit, current contract, and length of State service.

Pay

This position is eligible for additional $4000 location pay. Salaries are non-negotiable. Candidates with no previous state service will begin at the starting rate of the posted salary range.

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