Associate General Counsel - Employment & Labor - Nuvance Health

The Associate General Counsel, Labor and Employment ("Associate General Counsel" or “AGC”) plays an integral role on Nuvance Health’s Labor and Employment Team. Reporting to the Vice President, Chief Employment Counsel & Head of Labor Relations, the Associate General Counsel is responsible for providing business-oriented and practical legal advice to internal clients, including Human Resources (“HR”) and management, regarding all aspects of labor and employment law.  Areas of expertise include: fair employment practices (antidiscrimination/ harassment, retaliation) and whistleblower claims; administrative agency matters before the EEOC, CHRO, NYSDHR, OSHA, DOL and other agencies; labor and collective bargaining initiatives and strategies, including union negotiations, contract interpretation, ULPs, and labor arbitrations; employment litigation and dispute resolution; employee and labor relations matters, performance management, corrective action and internal investigations; leave and disability law compliance; wage and hour law compliance; employment contracts and restrictive covenants; employee benefits and compensation; reductions in force, corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions; contingent workforce matters; federal contractor compliance and OFCCP regulations; and, diversity and inclusion initiatives. The Associate General Counsel also will share responsibility with other Legal team members on certain healthcare matters that impact the workforce, including medical staff, graduate medical education, and other matters concerning patient care and regulatory compliance.  The AGC will provide timely, effective and practical guidance on a day-to-day basis in a stimulating, collegial, in-house setting under the direction of the Vice President. This position is based in Danbury, CT, with opportunity to work remotely on a “hybrid” basis (part remote, part in office).  

 

Critical Responsibilities:
1.    Provide day-to-day counsel, guidance and support to management, HR and Labor team on all stages of the employment relationship from recruitment, background screening and hiring, to pay, promotion, performance evaluation, re-assignment, corrective action, separation/ termination, and benefits, as well as successful resolution of disputes. 
2.    Manage litigation, arbitration, and administrative actions, including oversee defense of employment-related litigation, charges, notices and complaints. Hands-on role in managing external counsel and coordinating case strategy, including discovery, drafting and editing of motions, preparing witnesses, attending depositions, mediations, fact-findings and hearings and trials, and dispute resolution of claims. 
3.    Provide regular counsel and support to HR and management on FMLA, ADA and related matters, leave administration, reasonable accommodations, and disability benefits. 
4.    Advise on recent regulatory and legislative developments and guidance and their impact, including OSHA and other federal and state workplace health and safety guidance.
5.    Regularly review HR, labor and employment policies and advise on best practices.
6.    Create and deliver training to HR and Labor teams, business managers and employees on employment and labor law related topics.
7.    Assist with complex employee or labor relations investigations. Advise on grievances and settlement. 
8.    Negotiate and draft employee, executive and physician separation agreements. Advise on contractual matters relating to physician separations. 
9.    Advise on workforce impact and related matters from restructure and corporate transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, etc. Advise on related employment agreements and restrictive covenants.
10.    Provide legal advice and support to HR and Labor team members on all aspects of labor law and NLRB matters. 
11.    Second or first chair collective bargaining negotiations across the system in alignment with priorities and labor strategy defined by executive leadership. Prepare bargaining proposals in collaboration with HR Business Partner and Labor teams. Collaborate with HR support teams to operationalize new contract terms. Partner with HR and Labor teams on strike contingency planning and engage with strike staffing firms, as needed.
12.    Advise on contract interpretation and administration. Lead any mid-contract bargaining efforts, including draft and/or revise memorandums of agreement or side letters, as needed.  
13.    Manage labor disputes, ULPs, labor arbitrations and mediations. 
14.    Partner with HR and Labor teams in response to organizing campaigns. Provide legal support to HR and Labor teams on vulnerability assessments and subsequent action planning. 
15.    Collaborate on variety of special projects related to employee engagement, diversity initiatives, risk management, ethics and compliance programs, as needed.
16.    Perform other duties as assigned consistent with a lawyer with more than seven years’ experience in labor and employment law.