Sr. Counsel, Employment

About the role

• Sr. Counsel, Employment | Tesla (Legal & Government Affairs)
• Location: PALO ALTO, California | Req ID: 283244 | Job Type: Full-time
• What to Expect

Tesla is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Counsel with a minimum of 10 years of employment law expertise to join our Legal Team. Based in Austin, Texas, Fremont, California, Palo Alto, California, or potentially another jurisdiction with significant Tesla operations, this role will provide strategic, high-level employment legal advice to internal business and HR teams with limited supervision.

The position focuses on proactively identifying and mitigating employment law risks, assessing potential issues, and delivering practical, creative, and scalable solutions to business partners. A strong work ethic, exceptional time management skills, and the ability to prioritize a heavy workload efficiently are essential for success in this role.

What You'll Do

• Provide legal advice and guidance on all aspects of employment law, including hiring, recruiting, termination, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, leave and disability accommodation, workers' compensation, non-competition, employee benefits, new market entry, and other employment-related issues across the Americas with emerging global elements
• Collaborate with local and global legal and HR teams to ensure consistency in employment practices and policies across the organization
• Support HR teams in continuously improving policies and programs while shaping legal strategy related to compliance, employee issues, internal investigations, audits, pre-dispute conflicts, and labor matters
• Lead and collaborate with cross-functional partners on complex projects to sustain and enhance employment law compliance across multiple jurisdictions and regions
• Support and advise Employee Relations on employee complaint and hotline investigation matters, as well as other workplace investigations, as needed
• Establish and maintain relationships at a senior level, building credibility and trust with business partners, HR, legal, and other colleagues
• Perform other duties as assigned by management

What You'll Bring

• Licensed to practice law and in good standing with at least one US state bar, with the ability to register as in-house counsel
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant legal experience with a focus on employment law, including experience in a senior in-house employment role, with Latin America or multi-jurisdictional employment law experience preferred
• Ability to provide practical legal advice tailored to business needs and legal support on multi-jurisdictional issues and projects
• Ability to independently manage and prioritize multiple projects with multiple teams simultaneously
• Ability to identify issues and propose and implement practical solutions quickly in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty
• Client counseling experience required, with employment litigation experience preferred

Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)

Expected Compensation$228,000 - $378,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefitsPay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.