Employee Relations Specialist

Job Requirements

• At least three (3) years of functional expertise and analytical experience in supporting the Employee Relations (ER) functions.
• Individual shall be responsible for drafting conduct, performance, and attendance letters and maintain case files.
• Responsible for researching conduct, performance, and attendance case law.
• Work requires knowledge of investigative techniques and the laws, rules, regulations, and objectives of the employing agency; and skill in interviewing, following leads, researching records, reconstructing events, and preparing reports.
• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, laws, regulations, policies, and procedures sufficient to plan and conduct investigations or inquiries typically involving matters of personal conduct and situations associated with alleged waste, abuse, or mismanagement, or unequal application of laws, regulations, policies, or procedures involving Human Resources (HR); acquisition; procurement; contracting activities; training; management and leadership systems; and prudent and effective use of government resources.
• Knowledge of basic legislation, judicial rulings, and broad policy statements which are often ambiguous and require extensive interpretation; there are frequently no comparable precedents to use as a guide.
• Ability to use considerable judgment and ingenuity to interpret the intent of new or revised guidance and develops policy, guidelines, and practices for specific areas of work.
• Ability to perform complete assignments, requiring the use of a variety of analytical and fact-finding techniques, to solve problems or negotiate a settlement.
• Must be skillful in approaching the individual or group to obtain the desired effect, such as gaining compliance with established policies and regulations by persuasion or negotiation or gaining information by establishing rapport with a suspicious informant.

Job Description *

• Perform complex investigatory work requiring knowledge, skills, and abilities characteristic of two specialized investigations series.
• Has full technical responsibility for independently carrying out complex administrative investigations involving prohibited harassment allegations and Office of Inspector General (OIG) referrals.
• Perform work involving planning, conducting, or managing investigations not involving criminal violations of Federal laws.
• Serve as agency or bureau investigator; primarily investigates Federal employees for misconduct or fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Utilize the report of findings for general inquiries and investigations in order for management to make administrative judgments and consider sanctions or penalties; harassment and OIG referral inquiries and investigations may result in administrative action, civil penalties, judgments, sanctions, or decisions.
• Ensure reports of investigation or inquiry comply with applicable policy; contain thorough analyses; and adhere to regulatory guidance for findings, referrals, timely resolution, and closure.
• Coordinate with other investigative agencies designated to conduct follow-up investigations, as required.
• Determine the most appropriate avenues to pursue; decide the practices and methods to apply in all phases of assignments including the approach to take, and the depth and intensity needed; interpret policy and regulations and resolve most conflicts as they arise; coordinate projects or cases with others as necessary; and keep the Employee Relations (ER) Branch supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters.
• Gather facts from a variety of sources; corroborate facts to support allegations disputed by complainants, respondents, or witnesses; standard fact-finding techniques (e.g., on-site document reviews and interviews); multifaceted cases generally having more than one basis (e.g., race, sex, religion, national origin, age, color); and the need to analyze organizations’ policies or practices.Decide, at each step of the fact-finding, both informal and formal, the appropriate actions, depending on the facts and issues involved and the current standing of the case.
• Exercise judgment in considering interrelated facts; applying analytical techniques; and selecting the selecting the appropriate principles and precedents for making a recommendation, conclusion, or decision.
• Work involves investigating allegations of employment discrimination; negotiating settlements, when appropriate; and investigating questionable management practices or abuses which do not violate Federal civil rights laws but require corrective action.Work affects individual charging parties and complainants, respondents, and interested parties; the results of resolutions affect respondents’ employment policies and practices and the rights of individuals.
• Contact Agency employees at various levels within the agency and members of the general public, such as individuals or groups, in a moderately structured setting.Must explain the reason for the contact and the role and legal authority to the participants to influence, persuade, interrogate, or control people or groups.