Deputy Director of the Employment Law Unit, Office of General Counsel

About the role

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and assistance to the entire agency. Specifically, OGC works to ensure that the innovative programs and initiatives of DOHMH are supported by a dedicated legal team.?The OGC team is comprised of attorneys who work in a variety of areas including legal affairs (legal and policy analysis; health code enforcement; records access), contracts, privacy, and employment law.

OGC also houses the Institutional Review Board and attorneys working in the Assisted Outpatient Treatment program. The Employment Law Unit ("ELU") exercises jurisdiction over all non-managerial employees working at NYC Health Department and is responsible for handling employee disciplinary matters and fitness for duty cases, among others.

ELU serves as the NYC Health Department's liaison to the Conflicts of Interest Board and provides advice regarding Chapter 68 and other conflicts of interest matters. ELU is seeking an experienced and senior attorney to serve as the Deputy Director of ELU and function as an integral member of the legal team.

Duties will include but not be limited to

Under general direction of the Director of ELU, the Deputy Director will

Assist the Director of ELU in the handling of disciplinary cases including advising managers on best strategy and determining the appropriate course of disciplinary action and investigation.

Assist the Director of ELU with the administration of disciplinary cases including the preparation and drafting of charges, as well as litigating charges at the informal conference stage through the appeal process including at Step II, Step III, OATH trials, OCB arbitrations, and Civil Service Commission hearings.

• Assist the Director of ELU with the preparation and adjudication of NYS Civil Service Law Sections 71, 72, and 73 cases including analyzing statements, evidence, meeting with supervisors, interviewing witnesses, and drafting pleadings.
• Litigate Section 72 cases before OATH.

Evaluate and respond to inquiries concerning the conflicts of interest law; interpret and advise on potential conflicts of interest issues; evaluate and respond to requests for support of waivers from COIB; and draft waiver requests to COIB from the Commissioner.

• Train new ELU attorneys on the application of Chapter 68 to DOHMH employees.
• Provide training to supervisory staff in the area of progressive discipline and its importance in the administrative disciplinary process.
• Assist the General Counsel's office with varied assignments such as revising Agency Policies.
• Assist the Director of ELU in the supervision and training of new ELU Attorneys.
• Participate in mandatory Agency-wide activities for emergency preparedness and respond promptly.
• Maintain sensitive and confidential information.
• Manage and distribute information accurately and appropriately.
• Monitor the workflow, ensuring compliance with deadlines, and preparing reports and summaries.
• Establish positive working relationships with co-workers and programs.
• Possess excellent research and writing skills
• Attend to other ad hoc projects and tasks, as needed or assigned.

Preferred Skills

• 5-10 years of professional experience as an attorney after admission to the NYS bar.
• Highly detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects
• Ability to use online legal research platforms such as Westlaw, CLEAR, and Lexis Nexis
• Administrative law or employment law litigation experience.

Why you should work for us

• Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website
• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:

• o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
• o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position's associated union/benefit fund.
• o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
• o a tax-deferred savings program and o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Additional information

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC.

We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives.

As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Qualifications & Requirements

• Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
• One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
• Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.