Assistant Agency General Counsel I

Maximum Recruitment Salary - $110,000

The North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) is charged with the administration and enforcement of numerous acts including the: Wage and Hour Act; Uniform Boiler and Pressure Vessel Act; Elevator Safety Act; Amusement Device Safety Act; Occupational Safety and Health Act; Migrant Housing Act; Controlled Substance Examination Regulation; and Retaliatory Employment Discrimination. The laws administered and enforced by NCDOL are contained in North Carolina General Statute Chapter 95 and Title 13 of the North Carolina Administrative Code. NCDOL is comprised of 3 divisions: Standards and Inspections, which contains 5 bureaus; Occupational Safety and Health, which contains 5 bureaus; and Administration, which has 6 divisions. NCDOL receives funding and oversight from various federal agencies and provides regulatory assistance and consultative services to the regulated community. NCDOL OSH Division conducts approximately 3,200 compliance inspections, issues citations for approximately 6,700violations and approximately $5 million in penalties annually. NCDOL conducts approximately 50,000 pressure equipment certification inspections, 24,000 elevator inspections and 6,200 amusement device inspections. The primary purpose of the Legal Affairs Division (LAD) is to provide legal advice and counsel to the Commissioner and all the divisions, bureaus and programs within NCDOL, assist in the development of internal policy to ensure a sound legal foundation, develop and revise legislation to implement changes in procedures and policies, develop and revise rules, act as a liaison with the N.C. Attorney General’s Office – Labor Section, and manage all litigation in which NCDOL is either a party or is expected to provide evidence or testimony.

The Assistant General Counsel I will provide legal counsel to all divisions and bureaus within the NCDOL. These functions include developing and promulgating rules, responding to public records requests, serving as the agency’s Ethics Liaison, issuing and responding to subpoenas and warrants, and undertaking legal research as requested or needed to provide competent legal counsel. This position will provide legal advice to the Commissioner and all NCDOL personnel regarding a wide variety of topics ranging from the department’s legal authority to take enforcement actions, utilize new procedures, review court filings, and collect penalties and fees. The position interprets statutes and rules; develops Memoranda of Understanding, model settlement agreements, and contracts; and assesses legal exposure in cases regarding a wide range of matters from personnel decisions to tort claims involving serious injury or death. The position will assist in providing guidance to the Human Resources Division, to include performing internal investigations. This position will have the working title of “Deputy General Counsel.”

This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with State Benefits, including parking. This position's typical work schedule is Monday - Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, or 9 am – 6 pm with some flexibility. Additional work hours may be required to meet daily priorities and to accomplish division and department missions. There may be infrequent situations that require the work schedule to extend beyond the 8-hour day, due to unanticipated demands. Work for this position may require occasional travel within the state. This position will be located in the Labor Building in downtown Raleigh, NC. 

Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of administrative law and ability to maintain confidentiality. 

Ability to interpret laws, rules, regulations, and court decisions, and to express legal interpretations or conclusions of law clearly and logically in oral and written form.

Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with internal and external audiences including but not limited to agency management and personnel, the public, and personnel from other agencies. 

Strong recordkeeping skills and the ability .to review documentation to ensure compliance and integrity with the law and policies. 

Demonstrated strength and prior experience in MS Office Suite, specifically in Word and Outlook, to include Excel skills. 

Licensed to practice law by the North Carolina State Bar and two years of progressively responsible professional legal experience. 

NOTE: GS 114-2 and 114-6 make it the duty of the Attorney General of NC to represent the State of North Carolina in all litigation unless another statute specifically states otherwise. 

For applicants that earned a foreign degree: Foreign degrees require an official evaluation for U.S. equivalency, and must be submitted to Human Resources for verification. This documentation should be attached to your application to receive credit for your degree. There are several organizations that perform this specialized service. Applicants can use any service of their choosing. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options on their website that can provide credential verification: https://www.naces.org/members

SEE ATTACHED RESUME WILL RESULT IN AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION. To receive credit, all experience must be included in the work history sections.  Any information omitted from the application but included in the resume will not be considered for qualifying credit. Faxed applications will not be accepted.

 Persons eligible for veteran preference must submit a copy of Form DD-214.
If you are the selected candidate, you will be required to submit a certified 10 year driving record as a condition of employment. 

Prior to being hired, all candidates are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test.

 NCDOL uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Personnel Act with the most qualified applicants. When a salary range or recruitment range is posted, the actual salary will be based on relevant competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities, internal equity and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. All post-high school degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

 The State of North Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Processing applications will take an average of 6 – 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are “Under Review” and will be screened by Human Resources for the most highly qualified applicants.
 
 For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 855-524-5627. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact:

 NC Department of Labor
 Human Resources Division
Stacey Thompson
919-707-7733