Onondaga County is looking for a qualified candidate to fill the position of Employee Relations Officer in our Personnel Department. Employee Relations Officer 04463 (Competitive)
Distinguishing Features of The Class
The work involves responsibility for assisting the Director of Employee Relations in conducting a comprehensive Labor Relations program for Onondaga County Government. Under the general supervision of the Director of Employee Relations, an employee in this class manages and administers procedures and processes in employee relations, the major components of which are the preparation for and conduct of collective bargaining, administration of collective bargaining agreements and discipline and grievance activities. The nature of the work requires an incumbent in this class to coordinate and implement policies and programs that affect terms and conditions of employment negotiated with a number of employee organizations. An employee in this class also coordinates and conducts research and analysis of numerical and narrative data which pertain to the employee relations process. Work is performed, under the general supervision of the Director of Employee Relations with considerable leeway allowed for the exercise of independent judgement in representing management in a variety of employee relations areas. Does related work as required.
Typical Work Activities
Assists in the preparation for and conduct of collective bargaining and negotiations by performing the following:
Establishes, coordinates, and participates in the assembly, analysis, and application of numerical and narrative data.
May represent the County in particular aspects of negotiations under the general supervision of and in conjunction with the Director.
Consults with the Director, department administrators, and managers to determine appropriate responses to contract demands.
Develops and conducts periodic surveys of prevailing wages, salaries and benefits in surrounding and similar jurisdictions and private industry in preparation for collective bargaining.
Analyzes and evaluates contract clauses in collective bargaining agreements of other jurisdictions and private industry.
Assists in contract administration by performing the following:
Provides information and assistance verbally and in writing to management/confidential and supervisory personnel to insure proper administration of negotiated agreements.
Interprets the terms of agreements to management/confidential and supervisory personnel.
Confers with management/confidential and supervisory employees for purposes of training in contract administration to insure uniform administration, to obtain feedback of problems resulting from contract language and to avoid misunderstandings that may cause grievances or dissatisfaction.
May provide interpretation or clarification of personnel rules, regulations, and procedures and explains job benefits to management/confidential and supervisory employees.
Prepares various reports and related correspondence.
Assists in the operation of discipline and grievance procedures by performing the following:
Advises and guides management/confidential and supervisory personnel with respect to discipline and grievance procedures.
Processes cases in conjunction with management/confidential and supervisory officials.
Maintains and manages grievance and disciplinary cases and tracking procedures including file system and hearing schedules.
Investigates and prepares grievance and disciplinary cases including background and fact gathering for processing at pre-arbitration level review.
Represents the County in disciplinary and grievance matters within ascribed parameters
May serve as authorized designee of the Director of Employee Relations in reviewing disciplinary and grievance cases within ascribed parameters.
May adjust or negotiate settlements of grievances and disciplinary actions within ascribed parameters.
Conducts research in arbitration and administrative law decisions for application to potential or on-going case activity.
Full Performance Knowledges, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics
Thorough knowledge of principles and practices of collective bargaining, personnel administration and employee relations as practiced under applicable state and federal civil service and labor legislation.
Good knowledge of principles and practices of public administration inclusive of organizational principles, management principles, fiscal processes, and personnel administration.
Ability to analyze numerical and narrative information for the purposes of making recommendations relating to economic and non-economic factors in contract negotiation.
Ability to analyze information gathered for the purposes of developing recommendations and/or making decisions.
Ability to prepare detailed and complex written correspondence for the purpose of explaining recommendations.
Ability to relate well to others in argumentative and stressful atmospheres.
Minimum Qualifications
A. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a Bachelor’s Degree in Labor Relations, Personnel Administration, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field, and one (1) year of work experience, or its part time equivalent, that includes participation in collective bargaining negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures; or,
B. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with a Bachelor’s Degree with eighteen (18) credit hours in personnel, labor relations, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field, and two (2) years of work experience, or its part time equivalent, that includes participation in collective bargaining negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures; or,
C. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with an Associate’s Degree with nine (9) credit hours in personnel, labor relations, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field, and four (4) years of work experience, or its part time equivalent, that includes participation in collective bargaining negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures; or,
D. Six (6) years of work experience, or its part time equivalent, that includes participation in collective bargaining negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures.
Note: Successful completion of graduate level credit hours in labor relations, personnel administration, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field, from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents, may be substituted for work experience as follows: thirty (30) credit hours is equivalent to one (1) year of work experience.
1/2020 Revised
