Department Information

• This position is not covered by the Partnership Agreement between the State of Colorado and Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions (COWins).
• New employees to the State will be paid biweekly. There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year.

Description of Job

About the Work Unit
The Division of Human Resources (DHR) provides all human resources (HR) functions at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), which includes performance management, compensation and benefits, the employee relations programs, labor relations, HR compliance, organizational & employee development, recruitment, selection, and HR Information Systems. DHR is the point of contact for all HR related activities and ensures that department policies and procedures, state personnel rules and procedures, state and federal employment laws, and HR best practices are appropriately implemented at CDOT.
About the Position
There are two positions available. One position will be CDOT’s litigation specialist for State Personnel Board or Director appeals or other employment litigation. One position will be CDOT’s POWR Act specialist for statewide complaints of harassment, discrimination or unfair employment practices.
These positions provide CDOT employees and managers with strategic consultation, advice, counseling, and guidance on issues that relate to the rules of the Colorado Personnel system; CDOT policies and procedures; local, state and federal employment laws; Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) guidance; and Governor Executive orders. Recommend resolutions to management with focus to minimize legal risk and to meet the business needs of the organization. Ensure employees are provided their rights as a State employee. Conduct complex workplace investigations that focus primarily on allegations of CDOT policy violations, Title VII, and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). Author position statements to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and ColoradoCivil Rights Division (CCRD) on behalf of CDOT Headquarters Divisions. Recommend policy and procedure changes to management to ensure that legal and professional best practices are implemented.
Your duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide consultation and technical guidance on workplace concerns and on issues and questions related to the State of Colorado Personnel Rules and Regulations (mostly Chapters 6-12), Colorado constitution, state and federal laws and regulations, as well as CDOT policies and procedures.
• Ensure consistent application of all laws and rules across CDOT, e.g., Title VII, ADA, USERRA, etc.
• Apprise and guide CDOT managers in best practices related to employment, civil rights, and professional HR management issues.
• Serve as consultant to both management and employees regarding appropriate implementation of performance management techniques, including corrective and disciplinary actions.
• Counsel employees on options in solving workplace concerns.
• Create, maintain, and ensure consistency with Employee Relations case files.
• Conduct complex workplace investigations, for example workplace violence, policy violations, and as needed, allegations of Title VII and CADA. Consult with the Appointing Authority on investigation findings and observations. Ensure confidentiality and the integrity of the investigation and investigation report.
• Author position statements to EEOC and CCRD on behalf of the Department.
• Recommend policy and procedure changes to management to ensure that legal and professional best practices are implemented.
• Perform intake of complaints from supervisors and employees concerning performance and conduct issues, rules violations, allegations of discrimination, harassment including sexual harassment, retaliation, workplace violence, anonymous complaints from the public, whistleblower complaints, inappropriate cyber activities, and unfair employment practices.
• Conduct statewide investigations of harassment claims or unfair employment practices. Support CDOT Regions in investigating harassment claims, e.g. when the Regions have an investigator neutrality concern and/or need additional support due to internal civil rights staff workloads.
• Manage the POWR Act program administration, including maintaining a central repository for complaints and ensuring records compliance, providing quantitative and qualitative data on the program, providing mediation and conflict resolution, determining action plans, ensuring training compliance, etc.
• Manage employment litigation for CDOT, including managing changes to rules, initiating litigation and preservation hold notices, maintaining case files, explaining responsibilities required per rules, maintaining confidential settlement agreement files and possibly assisting in execution of agreement, tracking cases and keeping Regional Civil Rights Managers informed on their cases, etc.
• Teach the Progressive Discipline and Defensible Documentation course, which is a mandatory supervisor training.
• Prepare and deliver monthly Administrative Leave usage reports to DPA.
• Serve as a backup to other Employee Relations functions, such as ADA, Unemployment, Litigation, and/or the POWR Act.
• Other job duties as assigned.

• Your schedule will primarily be 8:00 am – 5:00 pm work hours, Monday-Friday, but we are flexible to meet your work/life balance needs while ensuring CDOT business needs are met.
• You will likely work a hybrid schedule with a combination of in-office and remote work. The current expectation is to be in the office at least one day per week, which is subject to change.
• Occasional travel throughout the state for meetings, training, and investigations.
• Politically sensitive environment requiring confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications
Experience Only:

• At least 7 years of human resources experience or investigations experience which included at least 3 years of professional-level employee relations experience.

• A combination of related education and experience equal to 7 years:
  • College-level education in human resources, industrial/organizational psychology, law, management, business administration, or another field of study closely related to the duties of this position.
  • Professional-level employee relations experience.

• Must pass a pre-employment screening which may include social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records check, educational records, and driving records checks. More information in the supplemental information section.

• Demonstrated success with the duties listed in the Description of the Job section;
• Years of State service experience related to the duties of this position;
• Highest work/personal ethics and integrity;
• Experience resolving complex employee relations issues;
• Experience conducting internal employee investigations and preparing reports, including discrimination and harassment;
• Experience working with legal counsel;
• Experience ensuring comprehensive and compliant documentation of workplace issues;
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience with workplace issues and state and federal rules, laws, and regulations (e.g., Title VII, FMLA, ADA, FLSA, affirmative action, employee leave, sexual harassment, POWR Act, State Personnel Rules, etc.);
• Experience delivering HR-related training;
• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential, SPHR, or PHR;
• Proven investigative, interviewing, and research skills;
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to develop official correspondence and reports;
• Ability to verbally communicate clearly, diplomatically, and in a manner easily understood by the recipient;
• Excellent conflict resolution skills;
• Ability to work with and relate to employees at all levels within an organization;
• Ability to operate in a politically sensitive environment and maintain confidentiality;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing assignments;
• Ability to take initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner;
• Ability to work with a variety of stakeholders with sensitivity to their needs, priorities, promises made and commitments;
• Effective interpersonal and relationship-building skills;
• Strong time and project management skills, including prioritization and multi-tasking ability;
• Excellent reasoning, investigative, analytical, and problem-solving ability;
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, and communication skills, both written and oral;
• Strong attention to technical detail and accuracy;
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Gmail and Google Applications, SAP (or other HRIS system), and the ability to quickly learn other software systems.

Supplemental Information

Applicant Checklist
Complete Applications must include the following documents:

• A complete CDOT Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)
• A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)
• A cover letter that describes your interest in this position, how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application. Cover letters will not be accepted after the closing date and time of the announcement.
• A detailed chronological resume. Resumes must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application.
• If you are using education to qualify, a copy of your official or unofficial transcript showing that your degree has been conferred and the name of your school, or your NACES accreditation. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.
• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.

• Part, or all, of the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
• Be sure your application materials specifically address your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the Major Duties, Minimum Qualifications, and Preferred Qualifications sections as listed above. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the deadline for application may result in your application not being accepted for this position and may affect your inclusion as a qualified candidate in any step of the selection process and placement on the eligible list.

• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.