Senior Counsel, Employee Discipline (Department Advocate)

Company Description

Job Description

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City healthy, safe, and clean by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning City streets and vacant lots, and clearing snow and ice. DSNY is the nation's largest municipal sanitation agency, with nearly 10,000 employees, 59 district garages, and a fleet of more than 5,000 trucks, cars, and other types of equipment. The Department clears litter, snow, and ice from approximately 6,500 miles of City streets and removes debris from vacant lots as well as abandoned vehicles from City streets.

DSNY seeks an Executive Agency Counsel to serve as the Senior Counsel for Employee Discipline (Department Advocate) for the Agency. Reporting to the Chief of Department, the Department Advocate will manage the Office of Employment and Disciplinary Matters (OEDM) and oversee the adjudication of disciplinary complaints.

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

- Manage OEDM and oversee the calendaring, handling and processing of all disciplinary complaints referred to the Advocate’s Office by field supervisors, the Health Care Facility and others;

- Direct and manage the day-to-day operations of OEDM and supervise all unit staff. This includes providing supervision and oversight of the Deputy Advocate and support staff, ensuring appropriate volume of work, and providing expert legal guidance on successful trial advocacy.

- Screen all complaints for legal sufficiency and hold conferences regularly with attorneys from Local 831 and Local 444 to resolve disciplinary charges;

- In consultation with the office of the Chief of Department, evaluate proposals to resolve outstanding disciplinary matters;

- Prepare negotiated plea recommendations for the Commissioner’s review and approval;

- Represent the Department at the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) and oversee all staff attorneys assigned to OATH cases;

- Plan, direct, and supervise all administrative investigations and research pertaining to the work of OEDM;

- In consultation with the office of the General Counsel, coordinate with the Law Department regarding appeals to Commissioner determinations following OATH reports and recommendations; and

- Advise and report to DSNY Executive Staff on issues of law related to disciplinary matters

EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL - 95005

Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.

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

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.