Summary

The Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR), GS-0201-14 as known as the Labor Relations Officer serves as the principal authority and strategic advisor to leadership on highly complex, sensitive, and agency-wide labor relations matters. The employee leads comprehensive collective bargaining efforts, manages high-risk grievance tracking and resolution frameworks, formulates agency-wide labor policy, and represents the agency before third-party neutrals (FLRA, FSIP, Arbitrators).

Duties

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As a Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR), you will:

• Serve as FRA authoritative expert on employee and labor management relations, and provides advice and support to the senior leadership on negotiations, impact bargaining, Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs), grievances, and other union management relations.
• Represent the FRA Administrator and FRA managers and supervisors in investigating grievances; conducting negotiations and meetings of the parties involved; and in the preparation of responses to specific issues.
• Provide advice and assistance to management, employees and other appropriate individuals on proper techniques, procedures and formats for conducting unusual and negotiated grievances. Promote the resolution of grievances at the lowest possible organizational level. Advises and counsels in the areas of supervisory-employee relations, motivation and morale throughout the FRA.
• Analyze existing and new training requirements impacting employee and labor relations programs and provides solutions and options for implementation. Be responsible for administering the agency level development, execution, and evaluation of labor relations training/education activities for management.

The ideal candidate for this position has expert level knowledge of HR practices, laws, regulations, policies to provide advice and resolve the full range of complex and wide impacting employee and labor relations operational problems. The applicant must have excellent written, verbal and analytical skills, work collaboratively with other and have experience serving as an advisor to all levels of management on employee and labor relations issues.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:

• Experience interpreting federal labor relations statutes statutes (e.g., 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71), Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) precedents OR experience in interpreting and applying the national labor relations act (NLRA), national labor relations board (NLRB) precedents, and interpretation of Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), case law, and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
• Experience leading briefings, advising management officials, persuading stakeholders, and conducting collective bargaining and/or impact and implementation (I&I) negotiations with labor organizations.
• Experience drafting formal agency/organization grievance responses, settlement agreements, legal contract language, management proposals, and policy briefs that are clear, concise, and defensible before third parties.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Labor Relations: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and practices related to negotiating and administering labor agreements.
• Influencing and Persuading: Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
• Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

For all types of consideration, 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

RAILROAD STOCK: Pursuant to 5 C.F.R. Parts 2635.403 and 6001.104, all FRA employees (or spouses or minor children of FRA employees) are specifically prohibited from holding railroad stock (including shares of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. which owns 100% of BNSF), whether held outright, in an IRA, or in a 401(k) or other plan. (Employees may hold a mutual fund which invests in railroad stocks, so long as the mutual fund does not invest more than 30% of its assets in such prohibited investments.) Employees having a prohibited financial interest must divest themselves of railroad stock within 90 days after their appointment to their positions. Neither the rule against holding railroad stock, nor the divestiture period, is in any way affected by the existence of re-employment rights which employees might have with railroad companies. Nor is there any monetary threshold for applicability of the rule against ownership of railroad stock; all dollar amounts are prohibited.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code a7 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R a7 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [redacted]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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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.