Labor Relations Associate

In this position, the Labor Relations Associate will perform a wide variety of duties related to employee and labor relations, including contract administration; grievance and arbitration issues; negotiation of settlements and mediation of disputes on disciplinary and contractual matters; and employee relations concerns.

Please note:

This position is designated as confidential. As such, a confidential employee is not permitted to pay union dues and is not covered by the applicable collective bargaining agreement for purposes of the grievance process.

• Assist with ensuring appropriate coverage, provide guidance to staff, and ensuring the unit is operating in accordance with labor law, collective bargaining agreements, Office policy and City policy.
• Assist with the coordination of the Office’s disciplinary process which may include but not limited to providing guidance to HR staff/Managers/employees on matters involving performance, behavior, conflict prevention and dispute resolution, progressive discipline, assisting Managers with employee writeups, Performance Improvement Plans (PIP), involuntary termination requests and involuntary termination sessions, ensuring all the appropriate supporting documentation is collected and compiled. Supervise staff that provide support in performing these functions.
• Prepare and draft Charges and Specifications for disciplinary actions, attend disciplinary hearings on behalf of the agency such as but not limited to Informal Conferences, disciplinary meetings, and grievance meetings and provide management with updates. Ensuring approvals and review of the Disciplinary Committee. Supervise staff that provide support in performing these functions.
• Assist with the performance evaluation program and training registrations and tracking process for the agency which includes but is not limited to providing guidance to supervisors and managers throughout the process, creating/updating reports, sending email reminders, etc.
• Function as liaison on behalf of the Agency with City oversight, other City agencies, various union representatives and agency staff such as Workplace Policy Liaison, Workplace violence prevention program liaison, referring employees to the New York City Employee Assistance Program (NYC EAP) when appropriate. This includes but is not limited to providing guidance to employees and track compliance for various mandatory trainings.
• Participate in the administration, implementation, and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements. Assisting departments in operating in accordance with labor law, collective bargaining agreements, Office, and City-wide policies.
• Assist with the Office’s 211 Waiver process.
• Ensure all inquiries are resolved in a timely manner and escalated as needed to management promptly.
• Assist with creating, reviewing final drafts of various HR communications prior to management approval.
• Responsible for tracking and responding to work-related injuries and illnesses by sending supervisors/employees the appropriate paperwork when an incident occurs.
• Participate in cross-training and knowledge transfer sessions and provide coverage for other HR staff and the HR department as needed.
• Perform other HR related duties and projects as assigned by Management.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and 2–4 years of specific experience in labor relations; or
• Associate’s degree from an accredited college and 4–6 years of specific experience in labor relations.
• Candidates with continuous NYC HR experience will be credited one (1) extra year of experience.

• Master’s degree.
• Direct experience working on labor relations matters and interfacing with unions.
• Knowledge of City disciplinary process and Civil Service Laws.
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, organizational, verbal, written, and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail, data accuracy and integrity.
• Ability to interact with all levels of staff, with a high regard for confidentiality and diplomacy.
• Knowledge of labor laws, collective bargaining agreements, City, and State laws.
• Knowledge of City systems such as PMS, WCS,…