Skip to main content

This job has expired

General Attorney (Labor)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Closing date
Jun 30, 2019
Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Mine Safety and Health Division. The Division is responsible for providing all legal services to officials of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), other Department of Labor (DOL) and government officials, and the general public in matters relating to enforcement, interpretation, and application of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act), as amended.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Incumbent will be the main point of contact in the Division for handling Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) matters in the Mine Act context. In doing so, incumbent works with a high degree of independence, directly advising MSHA and other DOL officials concerning FOIA matters, including preparation and review of proposed FOIA responses, coordinating with other SOL and DOL officials concerning FOIA appeals and similar matters, and coordinating with Department of Justice officials as necessary. Cases arising under other federal statutes may also be assigned to be handled in conjunction with attorneys from other divisions in the Solicitor's Office or the Department of Justice.

Incumbent can also expect to handle the development, proposal, and publication of final mine health and safety standards and/or regulations in the Federal Register for the client agency. He/she performs the full range of rulemaking projects within the counsel area. Incumbent analyzes the legal issues involved in a regulatory project; plans an appropriate approach, and works with a high degree of independence with a client agency rulemaking committee to draft both proposed and final regulations as well as mandatory safety and health standards. Legal assignments are characterized by work on more complex and difficult rulemaking projects where there is an absence of precedent or where more novel issues are presented for resolution. Projects require balancing the objectives of the Mine Act, the client agency, regulatory reform issues, and the perspectives of the affected industry and those employed in it. Incumbent is expected to render timely oral and written legal advice.

The incumbent can also expect to review and analyze the legal sufficiency of petitions for modification which are granted or denied by the Administrators for Coal or Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that the Agency has met the appropriate legal tests in these cases.

Incumbent can expect to participate as legal counsel in conferences with MSHA officials, other agency officials, and industry representatives. Effective participation in these conferences requires thorough knowledge of the Mine Act and Agency policies and procedures. The incumbent also drafts legal opinions, interpreting standards and regulations for signature by the Associate Solicitor. When Congressional inquiries are received that pertain to standards or regulations, or where the Department seeks comments on laws or Executive Orders pertaining to rulemaking, the incumbent drafts appropriate responses. The incumbent also drafts documents for signature by the Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health and by the Secretary of Labor. The incumbent may prepare and deliver training legal matters to attendees at the Mine Safety and Health Academy.

Incumbent may be assigned to carry out special projects in areas not directly related to the promulgation of a particular rule. These projects may be assigned by the Counsel for Standards and Legal Advice, the Deputy Associate Solicitor, or the Associate Solicitor. Incumbent is expected to render timely oral and written legal advice.

Incumbent may have assigned to him/her a junior attorney to assist in the project or rulemaking. When this occurs, the junior attorney works under the incumbent's direct supervision and depends on him/her for guidance and training.

SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE RECEIVED

The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Counsel for Standards and Legal Advice who outlines policy issues and provides administrative direction. Incumbent is expected to work independently on FOIA and all other assigned matters. The incumbent works independently in investigating the facts, researching legal precedents, defining the legal and factual issues, drafting the necessary documents, and developing conclusions and recommendations. Completed work is normally assumed to be accurate with respect to legal citations, treatment of facts, and other technical legal aspects.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel will be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the need for an employee promoted to the higher level, and supervisory approval.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • U.S. Citizenship.
  • Relocation expenses will not be covered
  • This position is inside the bargaining unit

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

Qualifications

To qualify for an attorney position, applicants must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); be a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the U.S.; and have acquired the amount of experience indicated below for each grade level.

GS-14: three (3) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level. At least two years of the three (3) years of qualifying experience, at this level must be specialized experience as defined below.

Specialized experience is defined as experience conducting federal or administrative litigation (involving federal laws), which can include preparing briefs to related filings and developing case strategy.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

The Department of Labor does not make unfavorable hiring decisions on the basis of an applicant's previous or current unemployment, or the fact that an applicant has experienced financial difficulty through no fault of his/her own and has undertaken good faith efforts to meet his/her financial obligations. Consideration is given to financial status in relation to appointments only where required by law, regulation, or Executive Order.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION , REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION , ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION , SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION , PROBATIONARY PERIOD , FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

The incumbent may be prohibited from having any interest in a mine or mining company affected by their duties. The incumbent will be required to file a confidential financial disclosure report with the Office of Government Ethics.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements for this position will be further evaluated against the following evaluation factors. Current and/or past supervisors may be contacted unless specified otherwise. A panel and/or the selecting official or his/her designee may interview applicants.

Evaluation Factors:

1. In depth knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and demonstrated ability to render legal advice concerning FOIA matters arising under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended, and related statutes.

2. Ability to make effective oral presentations in a clear and concise manner.

3. Ability to conduct research and create well-written, organized and persuasive legal documents, memoranda and other documents for departmental consideration.

4. Ability to establish and maintain effective liaison with departmental officials, regional program officials, supervisors, agency staff, judges, and the general public.

5. Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced legal environment, entailing timely collection of facts, identification and resolution of issues, enumeration of options, and formulation of recommendations.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply sufficient information to provide a basis for rating each of the evaluation factors listed above.

Individuals who meet eligibility requirements for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility/Core Questions #24 and 27 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP/CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Follow the instructions: click How To Submit Supplemental Documentation Document . Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you.

- Bar Certification: Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. This letter and/or certificate should be dated within the last six months of the closing date of this job announcement.

- Transcripts: Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you have completed your first professional law degree. Applicants who claim substitution of education for experience with an LL.M must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

- Veterans Documents (if applicable):
Attorney appointments within the Department of Labor are positions in the excepted service, not the competitive service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference in attorney appointments; however, the Department of Labor considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. In order to receive positive consideration, you must indicate your eligibility, in response to the appropriate item on the vacancy questionnaire. Additionally, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD214 showing the type of discharge and dates of active duty and, if applicable, a VA letter certifying the present existence of the service-connected disability which indicates the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty ) Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's consideration. Additional information is available in the Vet's Guide .

You may also find more information on positive consideration for attorney hiring .

- Displaced Employee Placement Documents: These documents are only required if you are requesting priority consideration under ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility. Applicants with disabilities (SCHEDULE A) applying under the area of consideration must submit proof of certification by counselors, State vocational rehabilitation agencies or the Veterans Administration.

- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.

Applicants selected for employment that are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, or non-citizenship as allowable in Excepted Service hiring through P.L. 112-10, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.

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.

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert