Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Office of General (OGC), General Law Office (GLO), Employment Law Practice Group (ELPG), Washington, DC. For more information on this office, visit their website: http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-general-counsel-ogc. GLO, ELPG is looking to fill at least one position.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

GLO is one of several law offices in the OGC and consists of four practice groups, one of which is the Employment Law Practice Group (ELPG). The ELPG provides a broad range of employment and labor law-related services to EPA managers and supervisors. Topic areas include, but are not limited to, employee discipline, performance matters, and reasonable accommodation. Members of the ELPG also represent the Agency before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Merit Systems Protection Board and the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Further, ELPG members represent the agency in arbitrations and work closely with U.S. Department of Justice attorneys in employment litigation brought in District Courts.

Under the administrative supervision of the Associate General Counsel and the Deputy Associate General Counsel, you will provide legal advice to Agency managers and supervisors and represent the Agency in litigation on employment, personnel, and labor law matters, including issues arising under:

-Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964;

-The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, as amended;

-The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended;

-The Equal Pay Act of 1963;

-The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;

-The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, as amended;

-The whistleblower protection provisions of a wide range of environmental statutes; and

-Other relevant statutes, Executive Orders, regulations, policies, and procedures.

This position is in the excepted service. Selection under this appointment authority does not confer civil service competitive status. However, this position is covered for the purpose of federal retirement and benefits.

If you are selected, you will be expected to report to work as soon as practical but no later than thirty (30) days from the date you receive a final job offer. Extension of this reporting requirement may be granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be required to travel 1 to 5 days per month.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You must submit a resume and required documents (See How to Apply).
• You may be required to travel occasionally.

Qualifications

Applicant must have an LL.B. or J.D. degree from an accredited law school; must be admitted to practice before the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Pico; and must maintain active status as a member of the bar in one of these jurisdictions. Incumbent must have experience in providing legal advice and counsel at EPA, other federal, state or local agencies, or in private practice.

If you are selected, you must complete a one-year trial period.

The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive knowledge and relevant experience in administrative and employment law.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Form prior to your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

This position is designated as a Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.

Education

Additional information

EPA participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information and if you have part-time experience, visit https://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures . If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. Position has portable work and selectee may be eligible to telework. It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination. For more information, visit https://chcoc.gov/sites/default/files/Mythbuster_on_Federal_Hiring_Policies_0.pdf

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Initially, you will be evaluated based on the information contained in your resume packet. If an interview is granted, you will be evaluated based on the responses you provide during an interview. In responding to interview questions, you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did and the outcome. There is no numerical rating system for applying veteran's preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Office of General Counsel considers veteran's preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.
To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Documents submitted in PDF format only :

• A resume (business style)
• Written statement of interest (no more than two single-spaced pages) specifically addressing your qualifications for this position
• Writing sample of no more than ten pages
• References (names and contact information of three professional references)
• Copy of bar certification
• Veterans' Preference Documents - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service), VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage), and SF-15, if applicable; active duty service members: submit certification from the armed forces documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (a certification is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after you submit the certification).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.