What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Attorney position at California Department of Industrial Relations?
Job Description And Duties
Under supervision of the Attorney Supervisor to the Labor Commissioner’s Office, the successful candidate will represent the LCO and act as counsel, advising the Labor Commissioner and other public agencies, on Legislation. California often leads the way with First-in-the-Nation measures to protect workers and employers. In this dynamic arena, LCO team personnel are assigned a variety of tasks such as litigation, negotiation, legislative and community liaison work, hearings, legal research, legal opinion writing on policy, precedents and appeals. The ideal candidate possesses a strong motivation to work on and contribute to labor, employment rights-related matters. The ability to travel is required for this position.
This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR
https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1581
Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please click her e to visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .
Working Conditions
This job advertisement has also been listed in the following counties:
Sacramento: JC-515749
Los Angeles: JC-515744
San Francisco: JC-515777
San Diego: JC-515782
This position is located at:
1515 Clay St, Suite 801
Oakland, CA 94612
Please apply to the job advertisement of the county you are interested in working in.
Please note: Only one (1) position is available and will be filled in one of the locations listed above.
Active membership to the California State Bar.
Statement of Qualifications :
Type answers to the following inquiries in 12 point type, Times New Roman font. Each answer for questions #1-4 should be on a separate page and have your name and JC number at the top left corner. If your answer to an inquiry is “none,” please so indicate. Your Statement of Qualifications should not exceed (6) pages in total and should be submitted with your application, resume and writing sample. Applications received without the SOQ will not be considered.
____________ ______________________ __________________ _____ __________________
____________ ______________________ __________________ _____ __________________
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 5/5/2026
Who May Apply
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Mailing Address Sacramento
Attn: Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento , CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Drop Off Address Sacramento
Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento , CA 95814
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
- Please ensure application is complete with detailed job descriptions/tasks performed, employment beginning and ending date information, and hours worked per week. Failure to provide this information may disqualify your application.
Under supervision of the Attorney Supervisor to the Labor Commissioner’s Office, the successful candidate will represent the LCO and act as counsel, advising the Labor Commissioner and other public agencies, on Legislation. California often leads the way with First-in-the-Nation measures to protect workers and employers. In this dynamic arena, LCO team personnel are assigned a variety of tasks such as litigation, negotiation, legislative and community liaison work, hearings, legal research, legal opinion writing on policy, precedents and appeals. The ideal candidate possesses a strong motivation to work on and contribute to labor, employment rights-related matters. The ability to travel is required for this position.
This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR
- 249.3
https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1581
Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please click her e to visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .
Working Conditions
This job advertisement has also been listed in the following counties:
Sacramento: JC-515749
Los Angeles: JC-515744
San Francisco: JC-515777
San Diego: JC-515782
This position is located at:
1515 Clay St, Suite 801
Oakland, CA 94612
Please apply to the job advertisement of the county you are interested in working in.
Please note: Only one (1) position is available and will be filled in one of the locations listed above.
- May work in high-rise building in downtown locations.
- Must work in office. Workspace is a standard office in a smoke-free environment.
- Incumbent must be able to remain in a stationary position for long periods of time;
- As needed, an Attorney will also have contact with the general public, California State and outside legal, program, court and agency staff via phone, email, in person, via presentation, video and mail. Such contact may include general, confidential, sensitive, technical and informative materials.
- The Attorney is expected to travel via land and air (including overnight travel out of town) and arrange schedules to perform duties and meet the objectives of the program.
Active membership to the California State Bar.
Statement of Qualifications :
Type answers to the following inquiries in 12 point type, Times New Roman font. Each answer for questions #1-4 should be on a separate page and have your name and JC number at the top left corner. If your answer to an inquiry is “none,” please so indicate. Your Statement of Qualifications should not exceed (6) pages in total and should be submitted with your application, resume and writing sample. Applications received without the SOQ will not be considered.
- Identify up to five (5) matters in which you have served as lead trial counsel in a civil or criminal court trial, or as lead counsel in an administrative hearing that lasted more than one day (including both morning and afternoon sessions). Please format your response as follows:
____________ ______________________ __________________ _____ __________________
- Identify up to five (5) matters in which you have served as lead appellate counsel in any California appellate court (including the California Court of Appeal or California Supreme Court) or in any United States Court of Appeals. Please format your response as follows:
____________ ______________________ __________________ _____ __________________
- Describe your experience with regulatory interpretation or enforcement, legislative drafting or analysis, rulemaking, policy development, application of the California Labor Code, or interpretation of Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders. Explain how this experience prepares you to serve as a legislative attorney supporting labor law enforcement for the Labor Commissioner’s Office. (Limit answer to 2 pages with line spacing of 1.5.)
- Describe your personal mission and how it relates to the LCO’s mission and vision. (Limit answer to 2 pages with line spacing of 1.5.)
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 5/5/2026
Who May Apply
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Mailing Address Sacramento
Attn: Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento , CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Drop Off Address Sacramento
Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento , CA 95814
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is required and must be included.
- Statement of Qualifications - Please see Special Requirements section of the posting for instructions on the Statement of Qualifications.
- Other - Provide a writing sample no longer than five (5) pages in length that demonstrates legal analysis, reasoning, and clarity. Acceptable samples include legal memoranda, briefs, motions, opinions, or policy analyses.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
Salary : $11,993 - $16,096