Legal Counsel - Labor and Employment (PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR)

State of Illinois•Springfield, IL

8d•$102,852 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the direction of and subject to the approval of the General Counsel, the Legal Counsel – Labor and Employment provides specialized legal guidance on labor and employment matters affecting the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC). The position engages directly with union business representatives throughout the grievance process to help ensure contractual obligations are met and to use union partnership when appropriate. The role conducts extensive and complex legal research on matters involving the Office of Legal Services, including state and federal statutes, regulatory requirements, and IDEC policies and procedures. It also serves as the secondary Office of Legal Services contact for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, with primary responsibility for requests involving labor relations, personnel issues, and discrimination. The position performs other duties reasonably within the scope of these responsibilities to support IDEC’s Office of Legal Services and its mission.

Requirements

Graduate from an accredited school of law.
Possess a valid license to practice law in Illinois.
Have three years of progressively responsible administrative experience in the practice of law.
Successfully pass an Illinois State Police criminal history check.
Successfully pass a Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) background check.
Be able to travel in the performance of duties, including overnight stays as appropriate, and possess an appropriate, valid driver’s license.
Be able to use and maintain state-issued equipment, including a cell phone, laptop, and other necessary equipment.
Be able to work overtime when requested or mandated, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime that may involve evenings and weekends.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing legal representation in labor and employment matters, including handling discrimination charges before the Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Human Rights Commission, or U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Experience conducting workplace investigations, including interviewing employees and management, analyzing evidence, and preparing legally sound findings and recommendations consistent with policy, past practice, and collective bargaining agreements.
Knowledge of labor relations and experience in a unionized environment, including engaging with union representatives, supporting grievance processes, and fostering collaborative labor-management relationships.
Ability to conduct complex legal research and draft legal analyses, policies, or procedures involving state and federal law, particularly labor, personnel, discrimination, or administrative law.
Experience responding to or advising on FOIA requests, especially those involving labor, personnel, or discrimination, and applying statutory disclosure and exemption requirements.

Responsibilities

Serve as Legal Counsel – Labor and Employment for IDEC, subject to management approval of the Deputy General Counsel.
Engage with union business representatives as needed throughout the grievance process, using them as a resource and involving them when contractually appropriate.
Conduct extensive, complex legal research on issues related to Legal Division functions, state and federal law, and IDEC policies and procedures.
Serve as the secondary Legal Division contact for FOIA requests, with a primary focus on labor, personnel, and discrimination matters.
Perform other duties reasonably within the scope of the position’s responsibilities.