Duties

Summary

DOL is hiring an attorney to handle appellate cases, work on regulations, and provide legal advice related to minimum wage and overtime, family and medical leave, child labor, guest worker visa programs, and work performed on government contracts, as well as under numerous whistleblower protection statutes. This is an opportunity to do meaningful work protecting workers' rights, take on significant responsibility, and have wonderful colleagues.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Fair Labor Standards Division of the Solicitor's Office at the Department of Labor provides legal services related to the administration and enforcement of numerous worker protection laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (including child labor), Family and Medical Leave Act, Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act, various contract labor standards laws (including the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and the Service Contract Act), various worker protection provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (including those related to H-2A, H-2B, and H-1B visas), and numerous whistleblower protection statutes (including those that apply to the securities, railroad, and airline industries). Our attorneys handle an exciting mix of sophisticated legal work and are part of a supportive team dedicated to the Department's mission to protect wage earners.

Appellate Litigation : The attorney will handle appellate cases before U.S. Courts of Appeals and an administrative appellate court, including cases in which the Department is a party and in which the Department is participating as amicus curiae . The attorney will draft the brief(s) and any motions or other appropriate filings and will present oral argument. The attorney will also work on cases, including in U.S. District Courts, in which agency actions are challenged.

Regulatory Projects : The attorney will assist in drafting proposed and final regulations issued pursuant to the laws listed above, as well as related materials, including sub-regulatory guidance. This work involves collaboration with staff and leadership from across the Department, analysis of questions of administrative law, and consideration of policy and legal options.

Client Advice : The attorney will conduct legal research on a range of questions that arise in the course of administering and enforcing the laws listed above, draft legal analyses, and participate in discussions of policy and legal options for Departmental actions. The attorney will also draft and review agency guidance materials.

The Fair Labor Standards Division seeks to be a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applications from attorneys with a range of personal and professional experiences. More information about our office's work is available here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/sol/divisions/fair-labor-standards .

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be needed, but travel is not often.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor's recommendation to the next grade.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
• Requires a trial period if the requirement has not been met.
• U.S. Citizenship.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• This position is included in 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-12, one (1) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level.

GS-13, two (2) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this 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 one year of qualifying experience, at this level, must be specialized experience as defined below.

Specialized experience is defined as experience in performing legal work, such as researching and analyzing issues, drafting briefs or legal memoranda, and advising clients, that is performed with a higher degree of independence. Experience with legal work involving the Fair Labor Standards Act and/or other laws assigned to the division would be an advantage but is not necessary.

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

DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees' differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION , ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION , FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Position Telework eligibility is determined by management based on position duties during the recruitment process. Employee participation in telework on a routine or situational basis is determined by management primarily based on business needs. Employees participating in telework are subject to the terms and conditions of the Department of Labor's Telework Program.

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:

Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and on the extent to which their application establishes possession of the following knowledge, skills, and ability factors associated with the position:

1. Demonstrated skill in conducting thorough legal research and drafting well-written, well-organized, and persuasive documents.
2. Ability to make clear and effective oral presentations.
3. Experience handling litigation, in particular appellate, matters, and/or experience related to regulations or other agency guidance documents.
4. Demonstrated interest in workers' rights/employment law, administrative law, and/or public service.
5. Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, supervisors, agency leadership, and others.
6. Ability to handle complex and fast-paced work, including time management skills and ability to quickly identify issues, describe options, and formulate 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.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. 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.

-Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and the number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.

- Cover Letter(s) will be used to verify experience and are highly encouraged.

- 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.

- Transcript(s): 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.

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.