Requisition No: 795633
Agency: Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle
Working Title: ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL - 76004711
Position Number: 76004711
Salary: $70,000.00 to $80,000.00 Annually
Posting Closing Date: 04/12/2023
Office of Executive Director
Office of General Counsel
*Open Competitive Advertisement*
To be considered for this position, applicant responses to qualifying questions must be clearly stated within the employment history. Software systems, actual work experience, and years of employment must be clearly defined, or the application may not be considered for the position.
Contact Person: Christie Utt, email: ChristieUtt@flhsmv.gov
Total Compensation Statement
Your Benefits are a significant part of your state compensation. The total compensation package could be anywhere from $96,019.00 to $107,971.00 annually. The total compensation package includes annual salary, insurance, retirement, leave and holidays.
The Organization
At the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), our vision is: A Safer Florida. We impact the lives of nearly every Floridian as well as many visitors to our state. Our mission is to provide highway safety and security to all of these individuals through excellence in service, education and enforcement.
The Office of General Counsel provides legal representation and counsel to Department members statewide. The cases vary from civil forfeitures to defense of departmental orders and civil actions, injunctions, appeals of traffic cases involving state troopers, personnel actions, bid protests, and consumer protection, before the Division of Administrative Hearings, every county and circuit court in the state, up to the district courts of appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and even the United States Supreme Court.
Our Benefits include
- Annual and Sick Leave Package
- Nine Paid Holidays
- State Health and Life Insurance
- Educational Benefits
- Contributory Retirement Plan
To learn more about FLHSMV and why it’s a great place to work, visit our website at: flhsmv.gov/careers.
What Will I be Doing?
This Assistant General Counsel position reports directly to the General Counsel. As an Assistant General Counsel, you will represent the Department in every aspect of personnel-related litigation in various venues, including, but not limited to, the Division of Administrative Hearings and the Public Employees Relations Commission and in grievance, arbitration and pre-determination hearings. Duties and responsibilities include:
- Reviewing personnel-related documents (investigation reports, disciplinary actions, etc.) for legal sufficiency and compliance with administrative rules and regulations.
- Gathering and analyzing legal research and data to prepare legal opinions and bulletins.
- Preparing legal pleadings and documents, including appellate briefs and responses before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
- Rendering legal advice in developing various Department programs, policies, rules and regulations.
What Do I Need to Succeed in This Job?
- Knowledge of employment law, labor law, and State of Florida personnel laws and rules (Career Service Appeals process, grievance process).
- Proficiency in civil, appellate, and administrative litigation.
- Excellent writing and communication skills.
- Knowledge of Florida Statutes, Florida Administrative Code, and Federal laws, rules, and regulations.
- Ability to research and interpret complex provisions of the law as it relates to powers, duties and functions of the Department.
- Independent decision-making skills and a strong work ethic.
What are the Preferred Qualifications?
Preference will be given to applicants with the following:
- At least seven (7) years of combined litigation and appellate experience, with at least five (5) years of focus in labor/employment law and/or personnel-related litigation.
- Extensive knowledge of State of Florida personnel laws and rules (specifically Rule 60L-36.005, F.A.C., Sections 110.107 & 110.227, F.S., Career Service Appeals process, grievance process).
- Knowledge of the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights.
- Assistant State Attorneys and Assistant Public Defenders are encouraged to apply.
What are the Job-Related Requirements?
- Must be a member of The Florida Bar in good standing.
- Occasional overnight travel is required.
- Selected applicant must possess a valid Class E driver’s license. A driver’s license history review will be conducted on all candidates in consideration for the position.
- The position you are applying is subject to a Level 2 background check, along with Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) clearance, to include a fingerprint-based check of the criminal records of the FBI, as a condition of employment pursuant to Chapter 110.1127, 435 and 943, Florida Statutes. Please note that, since this position requires CJIS clearance, the Department will have access to all an applicant’s criminal and juvenile delinquency records, even those that have been sealed or expunged.
General Information
- The elements of the selection process may include a skill assessment and/or oral interview.
- Applicants being considered for employment will be required to submit to a fingerprint-based background investigation, which will include a check of the criminal history records of the FBI. Fingerprints and associated information/biometrics will be retained in the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system and fingerprints may continue to be compared against fingerprints submitted to or retained by NGI.
- The process for selecting applicant(s) for this position could take up to six months. Following the six-month period, a new application must be submitted to an open advertisement to be considered for that vacancy.
- FLHSMV employees are paid once a month on the last workday of each month. All state employees are required to participate in the direct deposit program pursuant to s. 110.113 Florida Statutes.
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.