EMPLOYEE RELATIONS OFFICER (BOCES)
04780
Non-Competitive
2 positions only
The work involves responsibility for assisting the Director of Employee Relations (BOCES) in conducting a comprehensive Labor Relations Program for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services and their participating school districts. An employee in this class, acting as chief spokesperson for BOCES management, is responsible for contract negotiations and contract administrations including grievances and arbitration. This position differs from the Director of Employee Relations (BOCES) in that the Employee Relations Officer is not responsible for administrative tasks such as budget preparation. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Director of Employee Relations (BOCES) with considerable leeway allowed for the exercise of independent judgement in representing management in a variety of employee relations areas. Does related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES
Assists the Director of Employee Relations (BOCES) in labor relations activities for the component school districts for the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES by performing the following:
Acts as chief spokesperson for contract negotiations.
Consults with school district Superintendents to determine appropriate responses to contractual demands based upon the bargaining table.
Presents responses to employee demands at negotiation sessions in a logical and convincing manner
Presents management demands verbally or in writing in a logical and convincing manner.
Makes agreements with employee organizations within the framework of either school district or BOCES policy direction
Directs and coordinates the proper administration of terms and conditions for employment as stipulated in the varied labor agreements by performing the following:
Provides information and assistance both verbally and in writing to school district management/confidential and supervisory personnel to ensure proper administration of negotiated agreements.
Interprets terms and conditions to school district management/confidential and supervisory personnel
Confers with school districts supervisory employees for purposes of training and contract administration; to ensure uniform administration; to obtain feedback and problems resulting from the varied contract languages; and avoids misunderstandings that may cause grievance or dissatisfactions.
Represents the school districts in disciplinary and grievance matters and in matters before PERB under policy direction and within terms of contractual agreements.
Provides assistance in the processing of cases and the guidance of school district management/confidential and supervisory personnel with respect to discipline and grievance.
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of personnel administration and employee relations as practiced under applicable state and federal civil service and labor laws.
Good knowledge of contractual agreements covering employees in school districts.
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Good knowledge of laws rules policies, etc. governing school district relationships with other public agencies.
Good knowledge of the principles and practice of public administration inclusive of organizational principles, management principles, fiscal processes, and personnel administration.
Ability to conduct negotiations sessions and hearings often with an argumentative and stressful atmosphere.
Ability to orally present clear and logical arguments on a wide variety of issues at negotiating sessions.
Ability to analyze information gathered for the purposes of developing recommendations and/or making decisions.
Ability to prepare detailed and complex correspondence for the purposes of explaining and supporting the school district's decisions and recommendations.
Ability to supervise a small number of professional, paraprofessional, and clerical employees.
Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a baccalaureate degree supplemented by eighteen (18) semester credit hours in personnel/industrial relations and two (2) years of work experience in the conduct of collective negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures; or,
B) Six (6) years of paraprofessional or professional level work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in labor management relations, two (2) years of which must have been in the conduct of collective negotiations, labor contract administration, and discipline and grievance procedures, or,
C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).
5/05 - REVISED