This position is located in the Department of Labor, Region V, Chicago Regional Solicitor’s Office. The Chicago Regional Solicitor’s Office is primarily responsible for providing litigation and legal advisory services to DOL regional and field offices located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio.
This position is outside the bargaining unit.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement .
Summary
This position is located in the Department of Labor, Region V, Chicago Regional Solicitor’s Office. The Chicago Regional Solicitor’s Office is primarily responsible for providing litigation and legal advisory services to DOL regional and field offices located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio.
This position is outside the bargaining unit.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement .
Occasional travel - Travel will be subject to 1 to 5 days per month.
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 recommendations to the next grade.
U.S. Citizens; CTAP eligibles in the local commuting area; Non-Citizens as allowed by law. This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled through an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position will be subject to a one-year trial period.
The Kansas City Office of the Chicago Regional Solicitor’s Office has responsibility for trial in U.S. District Courts and before administrative law judges of all civil litigation under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Mine Safety and Health Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Black Lung Benefits Act, Employment Retirement Income Security Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Public Contracts Act, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and over 180 diverse federal laws enforced by the Department of Labor's agencies. Legal advisory services are also furnished in connection with many of these statutes and Executive Orders. Legal advice and assistance is also given to the Office of the United States Attorney in regard to the criminal prosecution of cases and defensive actions under such statutes as the Fair Labor Standards Act, Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, Mine Safety and Health Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act and other federal statutes and Executive Orders. This office is responsible for legal advice and litigation under various whistleblower statutes. This office also represents the various agencies within the Department in internal matters before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in the Federal District Courts and before Arbitrators.
Incumbent is responsible for working on cases, under the direction of and often with assistance from more senior attorneys and supervisors, to address legal concerns and issues relating to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Mine Safety and Health Act, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act, the Walsh- Healey Public Contracts Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, Executive Order 11246 and other statutes administered or enforced by the Department. Incumbent also works with more senior attorneys and supervisors in handling internal labor and employment related litigation involving Department of Labor employees within the Region, including appeals of personnel actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board, claims of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and cases arising under Executive Order 11491 dealing with Federal union- management activities.
At the direction of the Regional Solicitor, Associate Regional Solicitor, Deputy Regional Solicitor, or program counsel, incumbent advises, counsels, and works with the various Regional Department of Labor agencies in representing the Secretary of Labor. Incumbent is assigned legal cases arising within the Region, sometimes involving complex and difficult factual, procedural, substantive, and administrative issues that potentially have an effect on positions taken by the agency heads on programmatic enforcement both regionally and nationally, and can have an impact on one or more particular industries. The cases involve extensive research, analysis, and can require the use of expert testimony. The cases also can involve large sums of money, multi- establishment employers with large numbers of employees, important enforcement policies, and novel issues. May present oral argument in court or at administrative hearings.
Incumbent reviews assigned cases to determine whether to recommend litigation. Prepares legal analyses and litigation recommendations for the Regional Solicitor or other supervising attorney, evaluating cases in terms of the factual evidence, the legal and procedural issues involved, and other considerations that bear on the propriety of litigation. If the Regional Solicitor authorizes litigation, Incumbent is expected to handle the case with some supervision and instruction. May also be assigned to work on cases involving delicate matters in which the government has assumed a heavy burden of proof and/or cases where there has been media attention or interest from members of Congress. Many of the cases are vigorously opposed by senior legal counsel employed by labor law sections of national law firms or otherwise highly qualified and very experienced litigation counsel. May be assigned to work on a team and may be given responsibility for overseeing certain tasks for the team.
<p>Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.</p>
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Requires a trial period if the requirement has not been met
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.
Qualifications
This position has a positive education requirement. Applicants must meet the basic requirements of this position in order to qualify for appointment to an Attorney position.
To qualify for an attorney position, applicants 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.
GS-12: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of (post law school experience) progressively responsible legal experience of a professional nature which demonstrates the ability perform work at this level.
Specialized experience is defined as experience conducting federal, state, or administrative litigation (involving federal laws), which includes the following aspects of litigation: developing case strategy; drafting initial pleadings and motions; conducting written discovery and depositions; preparing for trial; and trial.
Education
This position requires a first professional law degree-Juris Doctor (J.D or LL.M). Please refer to the required documents section for more information.
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 against the following evaluation factors. Current and/or past supervisors may be contacted unless specified otherwise. A panel and/or the selecting official or his/her designee may interview applicants.
Evaluation Factors:
1. Demonstrated skill in researching and preparing well-written, organized and persuasive legal documents.
2. Ability to make effective oral presentations in a clear and concise manner.
3. Ability to plan and organize litigation brought in federal district court and/or administrative tribunals on behalf of the Department under the statutes enforced by the Department. Litigation experience involving these specific statutes is not required but is a plus.
4. Ability to establish and maintain effective liaison with high level departmental officials, regional program officials, supervisors, agency staff and the general public.
5. Ability to multi-task in a complex and fast-paced inter-disciplinary legal environment, entailing timely collections of facts, identification and resolution of issues, enumeration of options, and formulation of recommendations.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply sufficient information to provide a basis for rating each of the evaluation factors 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.
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview).
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.
- Bar Certification: Should you be selected for this 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.
- Transcripts: Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you have completed your first professional law degree. Applicants who claim substitution of education for experience with an LL.M must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
- 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.
- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
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
The Curtis Center
170 S. Independence Mall West
Suite 600
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
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. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate.
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.
- Bar Certification: Should you be selected for this 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.
- Transcripts: Should you be selected for this position, you will be required to submit documentation verifying that you have completed your first professional law degree. Applicants who claim substitution of education for experience with an LL.M must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
- 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.
- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
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
The Curtis Center
170 S. Independence Mall West
Suite 600
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
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. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate.
