Assistant Director - Employee Relations

Job Description

Job Title

Position Title: Assistant Director, Employee Relations

Location: Central Office, Office of Human Resources

Salary: $81,929 - $111,190

Reports to: Executive Director, Employee Relations, Employee Health Services, and Benefits

Bargaining Unit: N/A

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Hours: Pursuant to policies and administrative guidelines. Must observe regular working hours for Central Office.

Telecommuting Eligibility: Eligible for up to 40% telecommuting (i.e., up to 2 days per week remote work)

Position Summary

Implements employee-related policies and serves the district by promoting and ensuring the existence of a work environment free of illegal discrimination and retaliation and compliance with work rules and related policies. Handles all facets of investigations concerning employee civil rights complaints and employee misconduct issues, from intake through to completion of the investigations, including evaluating and analyzing facts, data, and evidence, making findings, and facilitating resolutions. Provides preventative training. Provides review and administration of Detroit Public Schools Community District's work rules and policies pertaining to employee conduct. Provides consultation and support to principals and other worksite administrators with respect to the handling of employee civil rights complaints and employee disciplinary matters.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Coursework or degree in human resources, pre-law or related field preferred.
• Juris Doctorate degree or graduate degree in Labor or Management Relations or related degree preferred.
• 3-5 years progressively more responsible related experience, including a minimum of 2 years experience in the practice of law, or in human resources disciplines of labor, or employee relations.
• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Candidates will be asked to complete a hiring exercise prior to being selected for an interview.
  
  

Key Competencies

• Thorough and comprehensive knowledge of federal and state employment laws relating to illegal discrimination, including sexual harassment, and retaliation.
• Extensive comprehension of employment laws and statutes related to employee discipline, including understanding of due process matters.
• Ability to conduct thorough investigations to completion and analyze facts in accordance with related laws and applicable district policies, including applicable collective bargaining agreements, including Title VII, Title IX, Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, ADA, and ADEA complaints.
• Ability to handle Agency Complaints, including those from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), including Agency Resolution and Settlement Conferences.
• Ability to deliver training on sexual harassment and other civil rights issues, and employee discipline issues.
• Understanding of state and federal labor relations and employment law (Michigan Teacher Tenure Act, Michigan Revised School Code, FMLA).
• Ability to conduct investigations of and employee administrative review on charges of work rule violations.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Ability to effectively communicate, verbally and in writing with a varied audience, including internal and external stakeholders and community.
• Ability to develop and implement policies.
  
  

Essential Functions

• Collaborate/provide consultation to district staff, including but not limited to, senior leaders, administrators, managerial staff, and Human Resources staff; including field/investigative complaint assistance to effectively monitor and resolve civil rights complaints, advise with respect to disciplinary issues, and assist with conflict resolution.
• Receive, process and manage investigation of internal employee civil rights complaints, including complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and complaints regarding work rule/policy infractions, including but not limited to, interviewing witnesses, gathering facts, taking statements, obtaining and analyzing evidence, and doing all other things necessary to investigate and resolve the complaints.
• Conduct disciplinary hearings/investigations and meetings.
• Conduct mediations to resolve employee conflicts.
• Maintain appropriate files in a confidential manner consistent with federal and state regulations.
• Handle discrimination, harassment, and retaliation complaints filed with Michigan Department of Civil Rights, U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U. S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, and other agencies with jurisdiction over such matters.
• Review, on an on-going basis, state and federal law (including, but not limited to, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, and ADEA), district policy, work rules and labor contract agreements to reach findings on discrimination, harassment, retaliation and misconduct issues, and monitor compliance to ensure a positive, productive, equitable work environment and to prevent discriminatory workplace practices.
• Develop and provide in-service training to staff on employee civil rights and disciplinary issues.
• Assist administrators/supervisors in the interpretation of school district work rules, regulations, policies and procedures as they relate to employee conduct.
• Prepare written hearing/investigation summaries and written recommendations for discipline.
• Attend grievance, arbitration, tenure appeal hearings, and other legal proceedings, as required.
• Prepare tenure charges for certificated teachers and implement statutory process.
• Administer disciplines, including suspensions without pay in coordination with worksite administrators/supervisors.
• Plan and execute projects and events adhering to stated timelines.
• Provide assistance in other human resources functions, as necessary.
• Fulfill other related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director, Employee Relations, Employee Health Services, and Benefits or designee.
  
  

Security Clearance

Internal Applicants

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.

External Applicants

In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at the point of hiring.

Method Of Application

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.

Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.

Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240-4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance.