Description:
About the role:Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, the CEI Labor Union/Employment and Safety attorney will function as an advisor and business partner to CEI operations/project management teams, managers, executives, corporate support managers, and field/production leaders to provide real-time, proactive legal advice and support to enable the Company to consistently and effectively manage, optimize, and avoid/mitigate risks related to the Company's relationships with labor unions and with the Company's union employees.
Responsibilities include the following:
- Legal advice on union/employment matters: Provide legal advice and guidance to field leaders, project teams, corporate support functions, executives/managers and the People team regarding legal matters related to union employees including CBA and PLA compliance, wage and hour laws, workplace safety, rest break laws, disability laws, workplace harassment and discrimination, and wrongful discharge matters.
- Corporate Support Functions support: Review and provide ongoing input to People team regarding Company policies/procedures and Employee Handbook regarding compliance with labor laws, customer requirements, and union agreements. Provide input and support to Safety team regarding union employee management and communications with union employees. Provide support to Finance team regarding payroll matters, preparation for and during union wage and benefit audits, government agency audits, and union trust fund audit matters. Provide support and advice to Risk/Insurance team regarding workers compensation claims involving union employees.
- Field leadership partnering and support: maintain active partnering relationship with field leaders and field teams to provide real-time advice and legal support on union matters and union employee employment issues, including hiring and onboarding processes, disciplinary processes, layoff processes (including reductions in force), termination processes, etc. Regularly attend field leadership meetings and events, and meet with field leaders, to proactively identify trends and issues related to union matters and union employees.
- Education/Training: Develop and provide ongoing training to develop awareness and capability of field leaders, project teams, corporate support teams, etc. regarding union relationships, operating parameters created by CBAs, PLAs and other applicable agreements, and identification and mitigation of risks related to management of union employees. Ensure consistency in application of discipline and push to eliminate “selective ROFs”.
- Union grievance process/regulatory agency claims/individual lawsuits/class action lawsuits: Coordinate/collaborate with field leadership, project teams, and People team to proactively and timely address emerging issues involving union employees to mitigate legal risks, union relationship impacts, and brand/reputation impacts. Participate in and/or oversee investigation of claims, select/manage outside employment counsel if needed, develop strategy for management of matters, collaborate with business leader to effectively manage coordination/collaboration of multi-disciplinary internal teams to address and effectively resolve claims.
- Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs): Review/analyze/summarize all existing, new and renewal CBA Master Agreements, addendums, amendments, side letters and other documents. Prepare CBA summaries and assist with development and implementation of compliance strategies for the project teams (Production and PMs), including identification/analysis of any deviations from standard practices. Maintain and make available to stakeholders a database of current and historical documents and summaries. Provide strategic support to project management and field leadership regarding union matters related to Company's entry into new union geographies. Provide strategic and tactical legal support to CBA negotiation teams as needed. Provide legal advice and support for disputes related to conflicts caused by multiple unions “claiming” jurisdiction for the same work.
- Project Labor Agreements (PLA): Review/analyze/summarize all PLAs and related agreements. Prepare summaries and advice regarding compliance, resolving conflicts with CBA Master Agreements, and ongoing operations for CEI stakeholders. Maintain communication with State Building Trades attorney and certain union attorneys to form more favorable PLAs and allow for resolution of challenges through pre-job conferences and other informal processes.
- Customer Project Contracts: Review/analyze/summarize provisions in customer contracts related to union matters and provide advice to project teams and field leadership regarding same.
- Subcontractor Project Contracts: Develop and implement tools/processes to determine when union relationships or strategies require hiring of subcontractors – and if so, whether subcontractors maintain good standing with the unions when engaged and throughout project execution.
- Outside Counsel Management: Select and manage outside counsel in multiple jurisdictions to support Company operations.
Knowledge: Having wide-ranging experience, uses professional concepts and company objectives to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways. Some barriers to entry exist at this level (e.g., dept/peer review).
Job Complexity: Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Networks with key contacts outside own area of expertise.
Supervision: Determines methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel (Team Lead).
About You:
Team orientated and highly collaborative - when leading a team and as an individual contributor. Demonstrated track record of effectively advising, coaching, and consulting with internal clients as well as providing creative business solutions. Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal skills and written work product), with the ability to work well with diverse personalities in a fast-paced dynamic environment. Strong attention to detail, process development and organizational management. Highly organized in working, thinking, and prioritizing to meet deadlines while managing multiple projects. Motivated team player with solid persuasion skills coupled with a flexible, can-do attitude. Creative problem solver with keen intellect. Ability to balance interests of the Company and its internal stakeholders with the requirements imposed by customers, union agreements, and legal/regulatory requirements.
What You Will Gain
The Labor Union/Employment and Safety attorney at CEI is a key partner to internal clients. You'll have the opportunity to provide real-time, proactive legal advice and support to enable the Company to consistently and effectively manage, optimize, and avoid/mitigate risks related to the Company's relationships with labor unions and with the Company's union employees. As a Labor Union/Employment and Safety attorney, you will practice our core values, Integrity and Excellence by applying expertise and continuous improvement to deliver results that we, as CEI, can be proud of every day.
Minimum Qualifications:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities as well as possession of any required licenses or certifications is qualifying.
Education: Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the ABA. Admitted to practice law in one or more states.
Work Environment: Ability to travel on short notice as required to remote locations.
Experience: Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience and a Juris Doctor degree.