Employment Law Attorney

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is a global leader in protecting air quality, fighting climate change, and furthering environmental justice. The Executive Office of CARB plans, organizes, and directs the activities of staff to further the Board's mission to protect and preserve California's air quality while considering the effects on the State's economy. The Legal Office is part of the Executive Office. Its mission is to provide the highest quality legal advice and representation to the Board and staff to support programmatic efforts to improve air quality to protect public health and the environment and to ensure that all legal obligations of CARB are met in carrying out these efforts. The Legal Office provides legal support on a variety of complex topics, including, but not limited to: adoption, interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of State and federal environmental laws and regulations, litigation in conjunction with the Attorney General's Office, personnel matters, contracts, conflicts of interest, hearing procedures, and proposed legislation. The Legal Office maintains the primary responsibility for assisting CARB staff in the development of regulations and the documentation necessary to support their adoption.

Under the supervision of an Assistant Chief Counsel, and under the general direction of the Chief Counsel, the Employment Law Attorney is responsible for independently providing written and oral legal advice to CARB's executives, management, and staff on complex and sensitive legal issues related to employment law and personnel matters. The attorney will be responsible for providing legal support and advice regarding performance management and progressive discipline, labor issues, personnel transactions, whistleblower protection, workplace violence, reasonable accommodation, protected leaves, personnel investigations, and departmental policies; drafting and reviewing personnel actions and other documents; representing CARB in administrative proceedings before other agencies; responding to requests under the Public Records Act and civil discovery; and providing legal support and advice on matters related to CARB's mission, role, and responsibilities.

The attorney in this position, along with the Legal Office’s other lawyers in the Attorney IV classification, will exercise broad discretion and have primary responsibility for performing and overseeing the most technical and complex legal work.

This position will work closely with CARB management and staff, including but not limited to CARB’s Human Resources Branch, Health and Safety Services Section, and Division management, regarding complex and sensitive personnel related and employment law issues. The position may also work with CARB management and staff, and as needed officials from other federal and state government agencies, on issues related to the development, implementation, and enforcement of complex and highly technical regulations, plans, incentive programs, and on the legal support for administrative functions to support those programs. The attorney in this position, along with the Legal Office’s other lawyers in the Attorney IV classification, will exercise broad discretion and have primary responsibility for performing and overseeing the most technical and complex legal work; providing CARB management, staff, and the Chief Counsel with written and oral advice; drafting and reviewing legal correspondence; working closely with the Assistant Chief Counsels to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality legal services by team members; and performing a variety of related legal tasks. The attorney selected for this position may work closely with senior State officials, including those in the Executive Office of CARB, California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), and the Governor’s Office.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

The positions at the CARB may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California, subject to the candidate meeting telework eligibility criteria set forth in the CalEPA telework policy and/or future program need. Employees not residing in California are not eligible for telework. Regardless of hybrid telework eligibility, all employees may be required to report to the position’s designated headquarters location at their own expense, as indicated on their duty statement.

• Position located in a high-rise building. 
• Requires being in a stationary position, consistent with office work, for extended periods. 
• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone.
• Standard office environment (for example, artificial lighting, controlled temperature, etc.) 
• Additional working condition(s): Occasional travel between CARB headquarters (both Sacramento and Riverside locations), field offices, and other locations may be required.