The Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) at the U.S. Department of Labor provides challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school graduates. Honors Program attorneys work in the Solicitor's Office, gaining exposure to a broad range of substantive legal work in one of the government’s preeminent legal offices. Upon completion of the two-year program, attorneys will continue their careers in one of the Solicitor’s national or regional offices.
Summary
The Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) at the U.S. Department of Labor provides challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school graduates. Honors Program attorneys work in the Solicitor's Office, gaining exposure to a broad range of substantive legal work in one of the government’s preeminent legal offices. Upon completion of the two-year program, attorneys will continue their careers in one of the Solicitor’s national or regional offices.
Occasional travel - Occasional travel - Limited travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
14 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor’s recommendation to the next grade.
This is an Excepted Service position and is open as well to Non-Citizens as allowed by law. This position will be filled through an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service.
Law students who will graduate between Oct 1, 2019 - Sept 30, 2020 and recent law school graduates who within 9 months of graduation began judicial clerkships or time-limited court staff attorney positions; federal or state government Honors Attorney programs; or legal fellowships.
The Office of the Solicitor serves as the legal counsel for the U.S. Department of Labor. The approximately 550 attorneys in SOL enforce and interpret occupational and mine safety and health laws, civil rights laws, pension and health benefit laws, minimum wage and overtime requirements, whistleblower protections, and international labor standards. SOL also provides legal services to programs that pay Federal benefits to the victims of certain occupational diseases and accidents, provide grants in support of employment and training programs, and administer unemployment benefits. In all, SOL attorneys work with more than 180 labor and employment laws.
SOL has more independent litigating authority than virtually any other cabinet department outside the Justice Department. SOL attorneys represent the Secretary of Labor in proceedings before federal district courts, federal courts of appeals, and administrative law judges. SOL attorneys also play a leading role in important and high-profile federal rulemakings and policy decisions.
About half of SOL's attorneys serve in the National Office in Washington, D.C., and the remainder work in one of the 14 regional and branch offices across the country. Those offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Cleveland, Denver, Nashville, Los Angeles, and Arlington, Virginia.
The Honors Program gives attorneys a unique opportunity to help interpret and enforce a broad range of labor and employment laws while working in one of the largest legal offices in the Federal government. Honors Attorneys will gain experience that would be difficult to obtain in years of private practice, and will share the honor and privilege of representing the United States Government and engaging in public service.
The Department of Labor’s mission is to promote the welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and retirees, to improve working conditions, to advance opportunities for profitable employment, and to ensure work-related benefits and rights. Honors Attorneys play a crucial role in enabling the Department to carry out its mission. Like the Department, the Honors Program is more effective when its workforce includes highly qualified individuals whose backgrounds reflect our nation’s richly diverse workforce.
Honors Attorneys who are located in the National Office will spend their first two years in SOL handling a broad variety of assignments from divisions in the National Office. National Office Honors Attorneys have the opportunity to argue cases in federal courts of appeals, draft new mine and occupational safety regulations, participate in negotiations regarding international trade and labor law, prepare the Department for litigation in enforcement matters, and draft regulations. Honors attorneys in the National Office will rotate through various SOL divisions. National Office Honors Attorneys may also volunteer to work in a Regional Office for one of their rotations.
Honors Attorneys who are located in the Regional Offices will engage in all aspects of trial litigation under the various statutes enforced by the Department of Labor, including analyzing an investigative file, filing a complaint, engaging in negotiations and discovery, preparing briefs and arguing motions, and serving as lead counsel in cases that go to trial. Honors Attorneys in the Regional Offices remain in that office for the duration of the Honors Program but may volunteer for a three-month rotation in the National Office.
After two years, Honors attorneys will be permanently placed in a specific office in SOL. All efforts will be made to accommodate attorneys' preferences among the National Office divisions and regional offices, consistent with the needs of the Department.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
This position is outside the bargaining unit.
Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.
Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements.
Qualifications
RECRUITING FOR FALL 2020
All applicants must be in or have graduated in the top 50% of their class or have a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the time of application or graduation.
FOR LAW CLERK POSITIONS:
Applicants who have not been admitted to a state bar may be selected for a Law Clerk, GS-0904-11 position. Appointments as a Law Clerk are limited to 14 months during which time appointee must be admitted in good standing to the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the United States and will be appointed to a permanent appointment as an Attorney.
FOR ATTORNEY POSITIONS:
Applicants applying for the General Attorney, GS-0905 positions, must possess a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); be a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a state, territory or possession of the U.S.; and have acquired the amount of experience indicated below for each grade level.
GS-11, applicants must possess progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level.
GS-12, applicants must possess (1) year of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level.
GS-13, applicants must possess (2) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level.
GS-14, applicants must possess (3) years of progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability to perform the work at this level. At least one year of qualifying experience, at this level, must be specialized experience as defined below.
Education
Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.
If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.
Additional information
DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements for this position will be further evaluated and the selecting official or his/her designees may interview applicants. Selections are made based on many elements of a candidate’s background, including a demonstrated commitment to or interest in labor law, employment law, government service, or public interest law; academic achievement; strong writing skills; leadership positions; law journal experience; moot court or mock trial experience; clinical experience; and past employment or extracurricular activities that relate to the work of the Department of Labor. It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply sufficient information to provide a basis for rating the elements listed above.
Individuals who meet eligibility requirements for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility/Core Questions #24 and 27 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP/CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you.
Complete application packages include:
- Resume - Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position, as failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.
- A Cover Letter - is mandatory.
- An unedited Writing Sample - is mandatory and must be 5-10 pages in length.
- Transcripts: Should you be selected for this position, verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position. You will be required to submit official transcripts for verification purposes before you are hired. However, unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application phase of the process.
- Bar Certification: Should you be selected for an Attorney, GS-0905 position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. This letter and/or certificate should be dated within the last six months of the closing date of this job announcement.
- Veterans Documents (if applicable): Attorney appointments within the Department of Labor are positions in the excepted service, not the competitive service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference in attorney appointments; however, the Department of Labor considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. In order to receive positive consideration, you must indicate your eligibility, in response to the appropriate item on the vacancy questionnaire. Additionally, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD214 showing the type of discharge and dates of active duty and, if applicable, a VA letter certifying the present existence of the service-connected disability which indicates the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty) Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's consideration. Additional information is available in the Vet's Guide.
You may also find more information on positive consideration for attorney hiring.
- Displaced Employee Placement Documents: These documents are only required if you are requesting priority consideration under ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility. Applicants with disabilities (SCHEDULE A) applying under the area of consideration must submit proof of certification by counselors, State vocational rehabilitation agencies or the Veterans Administration.
Applicants selected for employment that are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, or non-citizenship as allowable in Excepted Service hiring through P.L. 112-10, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on www.usajobs.gov that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the Apply button . For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Rm. N2419
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you.
Complete application packages include:
- Resume - Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position, as failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.
- A Cover Letter - is mandatory.
- An unedited Writing Sample - is mandatory and must be 5-10 pages in length.
- Transcripts: Should you be selected for this position, verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position. You will be required to submit official transcripts for verification purposes before you are hired. However, unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application phase of the process.
- Bar Certification: Should you be selected for an Attorney, GS-0905 position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. This letter and/or certificate should be dated within the last six months of the closing date of this job announcement.
- Veterans Documents (if applicable): Attorney appointments within the Department of Labor are positions in the excepted service, not the competitive service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference in attorney appointments; however, the Department of Labor considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. In order to receive positive consideration, you must indicate your eligibility, in response to the appropriate item on the vacancy questionnaire. Additionally, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD214 showing the type of discharge and dates of active duty and, if applicable, a VA letter certifying the present existence of the service-connected disability which indicates the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty) Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's consideration. Additional information is available in the Vet's Guide.
You may also find more information on positive consideration for attorney hiring.
- Displaced Employee Placement Documents: These documents are only required if you are requesting priority consideration under ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility. Applicants with disabilities (SCHEDULE A) applying under the area of consideration must submit proof of certification by counselors, State vocational rehabilitation agencies or the Veterans Administration.
Applicants selected for employment that are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, or non-citizenship as allowable in Excepted Service hiring through P.L. 112-10, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on www.usajobs.gov that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the Apply button . For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Rm. N2419
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome.
