Summary

About the Position: You will advise clients on Personnel Law, AR 15-6 investigations, and employment litigation.

Duties

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• You will provide oral and written advice to the Command, senior leaders, and other management officials on all aspects of federal employment and labor relations law.
• Provide preventive counsel and legal review regarding employment matters, disciplinary actions, performance management, labor relations matters, and equal employment opportunity policies and issues.
• Prepare recommended course of action for senior staff members; prepares factual analysis and legal opinions, and present oral briefings to command officials and supervisors
• Responsible for keeping abreast of developing issues with the labor and employment law area of practice and will proactively work to address these issues within the legal community of practice.
• Advises the Command regarding the effect on management stemming from changes in employment laws and regulations, and the verdicts and settlements of grievances, EEO complaints, MSPB appeals, and Whistleblower Protection Act proceedings.
• Coordinate closely with the Civilian Personnel Staff and the EEO Office to identify and address employment law issues and to develop and present training and training materials to supervisors and employees on employment law and policies
• Represent the District in administrative hearings before mediators, arbitrators, investigators, and administrative judges from various agencies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• To avoid real or apparent conflicts of interest, you will be required to submit recurring Confidential Financial Disclosure Reports (OGE-450).

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Attorneys (GS-0905): Successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D).

Bar Membership: Applicants MUST currently a member in good standing of a bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Specialized Experience: Professional legal experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar. This experience must be documented in your resume. At least 3 years of experience independently (1) analyzing facts, ascertaining law and give opinions, articulating facts and legal issues; (2) explaining legal principles and identify alternative courses of action; (3) advising managers or supervisors on the civilian personnel system and aspects of handling issues of conduct, performance, and EEO, and (4) preparing litigation reports and draft pleadings and other legal documents required by the Department of Army and Department of Justice in various federal courts or administrative forums. (Experience must be documented in your resume).

Fitness to Practice Law: An applicant must currently be fit to practice law. If your fitness to practice law, or your conduct has ever been challenged you must submit a sworn statement giving the facts and circumstances, together with any explanations you consider appropriate. The sworn statement should be notarized and dated within 3 months of the date of your application. (If you are currently employed as an attorney with The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this requirement does not apply to you)..

Time in Grade Requirement: If currently employed as an attorney by the Federal Government you must have completed 1 year at the next lower level within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement, or previously served at the same or higher grade as the position being filled.

This position is in the excepted service without time limitation and will not be filled by competitive appointment. Service in this position may be fully creditable toward civil service retirement. Any selected applicant who is in the competitive service will be taken out of the competitive service when he or she occupies this position and will compete only with other excepted status employees in the event of a reduction-in-force. He or she, however, remain eligible for reinstatement in the competitive service.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attached supporting documentation (for example, DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty") to their submissions.Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation for the specific type of preference claimed. The SF 15 will identify the supporting documentation required along with a list of the types of 10-point preference. The SF 15 is available from the OPM at https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms.

LOCALE INFORMATION

Sacramento, home to the world's second largest urban forest (behind Paris), sits just two hours between both San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is blessed with California's famed good weather, without the L.A. or San Francisco markup, and locals call Sacramento California's best kept secret. It's got big city amenities, but with a small town feel. America's best bike trail runs along the American River from the center of town up to Gold Country. And the wineries of Napa, and Sonoma, national parks like Yosemite and Sequoia, the beach and the mountains, are only a day trip away. Come see what makes Sacramento California's most livable metro - and why the Sacramento Area Human Resources Association named the Sacramento District the best large government agency to work for in Sacramento!

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 2-year trial period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a Career Program (CP) 56 - Civilian Attorneys & Paraprofessionals position.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
• A Relocation, Recruitment, Student Loan Repayment, Advance in Hire or Advance Leave Accrual incentive may be authorized if it is in the best interest of the government.
• Attorney spouses of active duty military may apply for available positions in accordance with the military spouse program, as identified in DODI 1400.25 Volume 315.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.