Associate Employment Counsel

at  Waste Connections

JOB DESCRIPTION

Waste Connections has an immediate opening for a highly motivated, results-oriented Associate Employment Counsel in the Legal Department in The Woodlands, TX. This specialist in labor and employment law will provide a wide range of employment-related legal services and advice to various departments and business units throughout the organization. The Associate Employment Counsel will work closely with Waste Connections’ Associate General Counsel—Employment, as well as its corporate and regional Human Resources teams. This is a full-time, in-person role based in The Woodlands.

QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D., excellent academic credentials.
• Active license to practice law in at least one state and active membership in good standing of the bar of at least one state.
• 3+ years of experience practicing labor and employment law in a law firm or corporation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, dynamic and team oriented.
• Excellent analytical skills, with a strong ability to draft and review legal documents and analyze and apply legal advice in a practical manner.
• Hard working, well-organized and detail oriented. Must be able to manage numerous projects simultaneously under deadline pressure.
• Flexibility and willingness to work on a broad variety of legal matters.
• Willingness to learn and advise in other general law subject matter areas as needed, including OSHA, risk and workers’ compensation, government contract and administrative law, and compliance.

• Providing legal services to various departments and business units with respect to a variety of employment-related matters around the U.S., including aid in investigation and defense of existing claims (e.g., response to demand letters, administrative charges, audits and other actions involving government agencies, arbitration and/or litigation), analyzing the Company’s rights, duties and/or risks under various federal, state and local laws, and providing proactive advice to managers, Human Resources, and other personnel in the field. Specific legal issues commonly addressed include, but are not limited to:
• Federal, state and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity (e.g., Title VII, ADA, wrongful termination, retaliation and/or whistleblower claims);
• Pre-employment issues (e.g., FCRA compliance, ban-the-box and background checks);
• Disability, reasonable accommodation, and issues related to workers’ compensation;
• Interplay and practical application of various leave laws and entitlements, including FMLA, ADA, and local leave laws;
• Drug and alcohol testing issues, including requirements for DOT-regulated employees;
• Compliance with the FLSA and other wage laws, including wage payment and overtime calculation under various pay methods, living wage and prevailing wage issues;
• Immigration issues, including cross-border visa processes for employees in the U.S./Canada, and analyses related to authorization to work in the U.S. and the E-Verify system; and
• Best practices for communication and documentation.
• Answering subpoenas related to employment records.
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating various agreements, including employment agreements, commission or other compensation-related plans, consulting and/or independent contractor agreements, and agreements with employment-related vendors (e.g., temporary staffing agencies and/or recruiting agencies).
• Drafting restrictive covenants and other agreements for the protection of Company information and sending cease and desist letters to violators and/or assisting in legal action as necessary to pursue and enforce the Company’s rights regarding non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality.
• Developing and/or updating various employment policies and/or forms, to ensure compliance with evolving employment laws in the various states served by the Company.
• Assisting with employment-related presentations or training as needed.
• Supporting merger and acquisition transactions, including employment-related due diligence and required employment and/or restrictive covenant agreements.
• Assisting with managing relationships and services of outside attorneys, as well as correspondence and managing relationships with insurance adjusters.
• Completing special projects as requested.