Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment

Lyondell Basell North America•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Senior Counsel, Labor & Employment will be part of the Legal Department’s Global Labor and Employment practice group. As a key member of LyondellBasell Legal, the incumbent will provide practical, business-focused legal advice on a broad range of labor and employment matters. The role partners closely with other Labor and Employment team members, Human Resources, Compliance, and business leaders and managers to manage legal risk and achieve operating objectives and helps resolve workplace issues in a complex manufacturing and corporate environment. This position initially will have U.S.-focused responsibilities with opportunities to obtain international experience.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school required.
Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar and in good standing required.
Typically 8+ years of relevant labor and employment law experience in a large law firm, corporate legal department, or combination of both required.
Demonstrated experience counseling employers on complex employment and labor law matters and managing employment-related disputes, investigations, and agency proceedings required.
Strong knowledge of U.S. federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations required.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting manufacturing, industrial, energy, chemical, or other multi-site operational environments preferred.
Experience partnering closely with Human Resources and senior business leaders preferred.
Some travel may be required.

Responsibilities

Provide timely, pragmatic legal counsel on labor and employment matters affecting LYB’s businesses, operations and corporate functions.
Help the business identify, assess, and mitigate legal and reputational risk associated with workplace matters and employee relations issues.
Support consistent and legally compliant employment practices aligned with company values, policies, and business objectives.
Partner across functions to strengthen manager capability, improve processes, and support proactive risk prevention.
Advise Human Resources on a variety of day-to-day employment and labor matters, including disability accommodations and leaves of absence; wage and hour questions; recruiting and pre-employment inquiries; discipline, performance management and employment terminations; reductions in force and other organizational changes; and discrimination, harassment, retaliation and whistleblower laws.
Advise on collective bargaining agreement negotiation, administration and interpretation and labor relations strategy; grievance and arbitration proceedings; and union-free initiatives, including defense of organizing campaigns.
Interpret applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and assess their impact on business operations, policies, and practices.
Advise on and support sensitive workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, ethics concerns, and other employee relations matters.
Represent the Company in federal and state administrative charges or agency matters (e.g., EEOC, NLRB, DOL and comparable state agencies); in alternative dispute resolution proceedings and in responding to demand letters.
Manage employment litigation, strategy and budgeting.
Draft, review, and update workplace-related policies and procedures.
Prepare executive and employee agreements and associated documents.
Develop and deliver training for Human Resources, managers, and other internal stakeholders on employment and labor laws.
Manage and oversee business immigration matters.
Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, including Employee & Labor Relations, Compliance, Security, and business leaders and managers on complex workplace issues.
Support people-related strategies and global initiatives by identifying labor and employment implications and recommending practical solutions to mitigate risk.
Exercise sound judgment in balancing legal risk, employee experience, operational needs, and business priorities.