Under the general direction of the Secretary or a Deputy Commissioner, the Attorney III researches and writes legal decisions on behalf of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Reconsideration Unit, a seven member quasi-judicial body, in response to written appeals from trial-level decisions issued by workers’ compensation administrative law judges.
Attorney IIIs generally have mid-level experience and are expected to work independently, have solid legal research and writing skills, and have some appellate or judicial experience and / or a background in substantive legal writing. Teleworking is available per DIR policy.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Conduct research in workers’ compensation and related civil law.
- Review evidentiary record, analyze legal issues, and draft decision and briefing.
- Serve as a legal resource to the Commissioners and the Deputy Commissioners.
- Act as a member of a practice area team in one or more of the following subject areas: appellate practice; rule-making; public records requests and confidentiality; and disciplinary proceedings for non-attorney representatives.
The Appeals Board has interesting and often novel work, providing vital guidance on challenging legal issues to the community and Courts of Appeal, which impact injured workers and employers statewide.
This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR §249.3
To be considered for this Attorney III job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin:
https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1580
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
Salary- $10,536 - $14,879/month
Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
Desirable Qualifications
In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
- Knowledge concerning the work of the Appeals Board.
- Knowledge of statutory and case law in workers’ compensation law and / or labor and employment law.
- Experience researching, editing, and / or writing legal opinions and / or briefs.
- At least five years of prior litigation, judicial, appellate, and / or administrative law experience.
- Experience analyzing and working on legislation and / or administrative regulations.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability and desire to contribute to a collegial office environment; ability towork independently and manage own workload to meet statutory deadlines.
- Proficiency in Word and other Microsoft applications and in electronic legal research.
Additional Documents
Department Information
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) was established in 1927. Its mission is to improve working conditions for California's wage earners and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR administers and enforces laws governing wages, workplace safety and health, apprenticeship training programs, and medical care and other benefits for injured workers.
Electronic Submission of Applications preferred. Application Packages maybe submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at https://jobs.ca.gov/ Applications must be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on or before the above final filing date.
Please only submit ONE application. Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended and will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing.
If you are unable to apply electronically through your CalCareer account, please mail a completed and signed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 and application package to the mailing address provided in the “Application Instructions” section below and ensure the following:
• Clearly indicate the Job Code #, Position Number and the Title of this position in the “Examination or Job Title(s) For Which You Are Applying” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.
• Clearly indicate the basis of your eligibility (cert, transfer, reinstatement, etc.) in the “Explanations” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.
• Remove and do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678. This page is for examination use only.
• Do not include your full Social Security Number on your documents and/or do not provide any LEAP information.
Department Website: https://www.dir.ca.gov/
Special RequirementsApplicants must have active membership in the State Bar of California. The minimum requirements are defined in the Class Specification for Attorney III.
Statement of Qualifications:
In order to apply for this position, you must submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) answering the questions below in addition to the Standard State Application (STD 678) form. Applications received without a SOQ will be rejected. Resumes will be accepted but may not be submitted in lieu of the SOQ. Responses to the SOQ will be competitively scored. The SOQ must be typed in 12-point font, double-spaced and be 5 pages at a minimum and no more than 10 pages in length. Applicants who do not follow the formatting requirements and / or do not provide responses to all four specific questions below may be disqualified. Please respond in detail to the following questions in your SOQ. Include specific examples in each of your responses and explain how your professional experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities meet the qualifications of this position.
- Describe your experience in substantive legal writing, including performing legal research, analyzing and appraising legal issues.
- Describe your experience working in a judicial or administrative system, including as an intern, clerk, attorney, or judicial officer.
- Describe your experience litigating workers’ compensation and / or civil cases, including both oral and written advocacy, and any appellate experience.
- Describe your experience working at a statutory, regulatory, or legislative body, including any drafting and / or analysis of statutes and regulations.
Application Instructions
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 7/30/2025Who May Apply
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process.Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Mailing Address Sacramento
Attn: Certifications Unit
2180 Harvard Street Suite 160
Sacramento, CA 95815
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Drop Off Address Sacramento
2180 Harvard Street Suite 160
Sacramento, CA 95815
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
- Statement of Qualifications - Please see Special Requirements section of the posting for instructions on the Statement of Qualifications.
Working Conditions
This position may be available at in any of the following locations:
455 Golden Gate Ave., Ste 9328, San Francisco, CA 94012
6150 Van Nuys Boulevard, Suite 206, Van Nuys, CA 91401
2031 Howe Ave STE 100, Sacramento, CA 95825
This is a full-time permanent position at the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Reconsideration Unit. Employees in this position have their own offices, work at desks, and are required to work extensively on computers as necessary for the drafting of legal opinions and other documents, and for research, email communication, file review, training and other purposes. Attorneys are expected to perform their own word processing, and secretarial support is generally limited to the finalization and filing process. The position requires little to no contact with the general public and teleworking per DIR policy is available.
The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Department Website:https://www.dir.ca.gov/
Human Resources Contact:
Certification Unit
(800) 564-0771
cert@dir.ca.gov
Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.
EEO Contact:Diversity and Inclusion Office
(916) 559-6999
DIO@dir.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.
Additional InformationPreference will be given to persons with State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) or Surplus status. Applicants must attach a copy of their most recently dated letter that specifies their designation as either SROA or surplus candidate as proof.
Qualified candidates must have eligibility in State employment, be in a reachable rank on an employment list for this classification, be currently in this classification, or have transfer eligibility to this classification.
If you do not hear from us in 4-6 weeks, you may assume the position has been filled by another applicant. Please note that all additional vacancies that become available may be added to this advertisement.
Please note that the Exam and Certification Online System (ECOS) does not allow you to resubmit your application once you withdraw it. If you have any updates to your online application, please contact the Personnel, Recruitment, & Hiring Unit at (800) 564-0771.
Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey: DIR Applicant Survey
DIR Mission and Core ValuesOur mission is to protect and improve the welfare and working conditions for California's wage earners and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR is also committed to ensuring that all employers comply with labor laws in California to support a fair and thriving business environment.
Integrity - We fulfill the promise of our mission through fair, honest and ethical behavior.
Service - We are committed to responsibly serving the public and value their trust.
Respect - We treat others with dignity, courtesy and consideration.
Quality - We take pride in providing the public with accurate and timely services.
Transparency - We conduct ourselves with openness and accountability in all aspects of our work.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device. BenefitsBenefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
- State of California health coverage and other benefits are comprehensive and compare favorably tothe private sector.
- The Appeals Board is a qualifying organization for eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness(PSLF) program for certain types of student loans. Employees who meet specific loan and paymentrequirements may receive loan forgiveness from the U.S. Department of Education.
- Teleworking per DIR policy is available.
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