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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 50468007 |
Description Activated On: 2/4/2026 3:54:23 PM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. This is responsible specialist work in the field of employee relations, performed with minimal supervision by the application of general principles and concepts of employee relations. The incumbent is expected to be involved in, and to discharge, the full range of LR functions for agencies served by the Department of Human Services HR Office. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. Consultative Responsibilities Under general supervision, the incumbent is responsible for providing guidance and consultation to all levels of management at assigned sites and units regarding contract interpretation and administration; disciplinary actions; subcontracting and preservation of bargaining unit work issues; meet and discuss obligations and local agreements; the Governor's Code of Conduct; and all other facets of the employee relations function. An ongoing awareness of the state of the employee relations program at each assigned site is maintained, with areas of need and shortcomings identified and addressed via the provision of training and/or other remedial measures. Specific responsibilities with respect to contract interpretation include assisting management in the proper application and administration of the provisions of all contracts and memoranda of understanding that cover the Department's represented employees, as well as the associated side letters and any local agreements that may exist at each site. Specific responsibilities with respect to disciplinary actions include responding to assigned work sites’ requests for approval of actions in accordance with prevailing departmental policy, and providing guidance and direction as necessary to ensure that the tenets of just cause and due process are satisfied in carrying out a disciplinary program that is consistent with department and commonwealth policies and objectives. This entails analyzing proposed disciplinary actions; recommending approval/denial of discharge, certain suspensions or disciplinary demotion to superiors; and critiquing lesser disciplinary actions as requested by field personnel. Grievance Administration Under general supervision, the incumbent in this position is responsible for reviewing, investigating, analyzing, and responding to all assigned grievances in both the Standard Grievance Procedure (SGP) and Accelerated Grievance Procedure (AGP). In the SGP, this entails gathering, reviewing, and analyzing relevant facts and information in order to determine the appropriate stance to be taken by the Department concerning the issues involved. The incumbent is responsible for determining the method by which all required information is gathered, the necessity of hearings at the appropriate step of the applicable grievance process, and conducting those hearings when required. Technical assistance regarding all aspects of standard grievance processing is also provided to local management. In the AGP, this entails: maintaining familiarity with grievances that are to be, and have been, discussed at the Step 1 (local) meeting; providing technical assistance to local management to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities in the AGP; assisting local management in the development and formulation of strategies to be utilized in presentation of the grievance at the various steps of the process; and reviewing grievance packages and local outcomes to ensure adherence to sound and essential employee relations concepts and principles. In both the SGP and AGP, the incumbent recognizes issues and developments that represent potential areas of difficulty for the worksite, the department, and/or the commonwealth; discusses grievances and associated issues with program offices and other representatives; negotiates settlements and generates all necessary correspondence related to the grievance process. The incumbent is responsible for attending the Joint Area and/or Joint State Committee grievance hearings and assisting with the presentation of cases; and assisting with preparing the commonwealth's case for arbitration. Coordination of the efforts between the Bureau of Employee Relations with those of the section/division, program offices, and local management is an integral part of overall responsibility. Contracting/Transfer of Bargaining Unit Work Issues Under general supervision, incumbent is responsible for providing guidance and assistance to managers in administering the contract provisions concerning contracting and/or the transfer of bargaining unit work, and serves, as necessary, as the agency representative on the appeal committees established by these contract provisions. In this regard, incumbent coordinates all Department activities and ensures effective communications are maintained at all times. As assigned, assists in the preparation/presentation of the Commonwealth's case at arbitration. Incumbent ensures any follow-up action resulting from the arbitration decision is implemented timely. Special Projects Under general supervision, the incumbent participates in special projects and investigations, and carries out associated functions as assigned. As assigned, the incumbent represents the Department in appeal forums, meetings with other agencies, and other contexts. Training Under general supervision, incumbent is responsible for developing, coordinating, and participating in the presentation of the agency's employee relations training programs. Incumbent conducts training/briefing sessions for agency managers regarding the interpretation and application of new provisions when new collective bargaining agreements are negotiated. Meet and Discuss Sessions Under general supervision, the incumbent chairs and/or participates in the various meet and discuss sessions involving the unions and program offices. Incumbent coordinates the issues to be discussed and the positions that will be taken by DHS officials in those meetings. Policy Review, Analysis, and Development Under general supervision, incumbent reviews, analyzes, and critiques employee relations policy proposals presented by assigned work sites and Department organizational units. Recommendations for appropriate action/disposition are then provided to superiors. Incumbent also assists in the development and promulgation of agency employee relations' policies. Local Agreements Under general supervision, incumbent is responsible for reviewing the proposed local agreements of his/her sites and recommending their approval/denial to superiors. Additionally, it is the incumbent's responsibility to provide advice and assistance to local managers during their negotiation of these agreements with union officials. As assigned, the incumbent carries out responsibilities associated with alternate work schedules, including representing the HHSDC on appeal panels. Unfair Labor Practice Charges (UFLPs) Under general supervision, the incumbent is responsible for the investigation of UFLPs involving assigned work sites, and coordinates the efforts of the Office of Administration’s Legal Office, the Section/Division, and affected Program Offices to develop appropriate settlement proposals and/or assist in the preparation/presentation of the Commonwealth's case before the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. The status of the UFLP is monitored to ensure that effective communications are maintained between, and among, the involved parties. The incumbent recommends actions aimed at preventing recurrences of the instant issue and the commission of UFLPs in general. Contract Negotiations As assigned, incumbent serves as an agency representative on the commonwealth's collective bargaining teams responsible for negotiating contracts/developing memoranda of understanding with various unions. Incumbent is responsible for understanding the department's position on all issues, communicating the same to the bargaining team, and apprising section/division/department officials of the status of talks and associated issues. Incumbent also reviews, analyzes, and critiques commonwealth and union contract proposals and offers suggestions, through the section/division, to the department. Incumbent conducts and participates in meetings with department officials and others, as necessary, on matters related to negotiations. Other Duties Searches records and history pertaining to precedent setting contractual agreements, arbitration awards, court decisions, technological changes, accreditation/certification, and legal requirements, as appropriate, affecting the Department. Analyzes and evaluates information; compares data for consistency with established standards; maintains appropriate documentation of information; prepares records of technical findings, conclusions, and recommendations; considers options and determines cost-effective alternatives; and writes and submits technical documents, plans, recommendations, and comprehensive reports supporting or advocating appropriate action plans for necessary approvals and implementation. Coordinates, monitors, and/or finalizes implementation procedures for approved actions, such as grievance settlements, briefings, agreements, policies, etc., with affected offices, agencies, organizations, unions, and/or employees as appropriate. Performs and coordinates various administrative functions and other related duties as assigned. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. For all issues other than contract negotiations, the incumbent receives inquiries/questions, researches them, makes all necessary collateral contacts, and verbally responds to the person(s) who made the inquiry or posed the question. All written correspondence confirming the incumbent’s verbal response is prepared for the signature of the supervisor or Section Chief. In contract negotiations, the incumbent receives direction from the supervisor or Section Chief regarding the interests of the Department as well as other goals in bargaining. The incumbent is then responsible for taking actions necessary to ensure the department’s interests are represented in interactions with the commonwealth bargaining team and the union. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. N/A 5. N/A 6. N/A |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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