Associate Counsel - Employment

Carle Health•Champaign, IL

4d•$67 - $115

About The Position

The Associate Counsel – Employment, serves as a key member of the Carle Health Legal Department and acts as the primary legal advisor on employment and human resources matters. This role provides strategic, practical, and compliant legal guidance to support Carle Health's mission, vision, and operational objectives across its affiliates and subsidiaries. This attorney represents and protects the legal and business interests of Carle Health by ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, while partnering closely with human resources, leadership, and external counsel. The Associate Counsel – Employment reports to the EVP, Chief Legal Officer, and partners closely with the HR leadership team.

Requirements

Licensed Attorney within 6 months - Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC)
Doctorate: Law
Legal Experience

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary legal advisor on employment law matters, including employee relations, discipline, terminations, compensation and benefits, hiring practices, and immigration related issues.
Provide timely, practical legal guidance to support sound decision making and risk mitigation across the organization.
Advise on complex employment matters involving both staff and employed physicians/providers.
Advise on the development, implementation, and revision of HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and alignment with organizational values and best practices.
Monitor changes in employment law and proactively communicate updates and compliance implications to internal stakeholders.
Conduct periodic audits to identify and address areas of potential legal exposure related to employment practices.
Analyze internal and external employment related trends to identify areas of organizational risk and opportunity for improvement.
Track external employment litigation and regulatory developments and translate insights into proactive guidance for leadership.
Coordinate and manage responses to employment related charges and claims, partnering with HR leadership, the Legal and Risk Management teams, and external counsel as appropriate.
Develop and deliver training programs for HR Business Partners and leadership on current and emerging employment law topics.
Create educational materials and resources to promote consistent understanding of employment law requirements and best practices.
Coordinate and facilitate quarterly educational sessions for HR and leadership, including “Managing Within the Law” programs.
Serve as a trusted legal resource to the HR Talent Relations team, with a primary focus on employee relations matters.
Participate in quarterly retirement, health, and welfare committee meetings with external counsel and follow up on legal developments as needed.
Coordinate with and manage external employment counsel as appropriate.