Associate Senior Counsel - Employment Law

Cigna Group; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 157,000 - 262,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Long-term incentive

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

The Cigna Group is seeking an Associate Senior Counsel - Employment Law to serve as a trusted advisor on a broad range of employment law matters. You will partner with Human Resources, Employee Relations, Compliance, and business leaders to identify legal risk and ensure compliance while delivering practical, business-focused guidance.

You will independently manage moderately to significantly complex matters, escalate higher-risk issues to senior colleagues, and contribute to process

Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction and in good standing.
• Minimum of 8+ years of legal experience with substantial employment law focus.
• Experience advising organizations on a broad range of moderately complex to complex employment law matters.
• Experience managing or supporting administrative claims, employment litigation, and outside counsel relationships.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Advise HR, Employee Relations, business leaders, and stakeholders on a broad range of employment law matters.
• Provide risk-based guidance on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Advise on investigations, accommodations, leaves of absence, discrimination/harassment, reductions in force, discipline, terminations, and wage/hour issues.
• Partner with leaders on workforce initiatives and organizational changes, identifying legal considerations.
• Develop and execute strategy for administrative charges, demand letters, pre-litigation disputes, and employment litigation.
• Manage responses to claims before EEOC, DOL, and other agencies; coordinate with outside counsel.
• Draft and negotiate employment-related agreements and policies; share knowledge with junior team members.

Skills

Legal judgment

Employment law

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

Position Overview

The Associate Senior Counsel - Employment Law serves as a trusted legal advisor, providing experienced, practical counsel across a broad range of employment law matters. This role partners closely with Human Resources, Employee Relations, Compliance, business leaders, and Legal colleagues to support organizational objectives, identify and address legal risk, and promote compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The Associate Senior Counsel independently manages assigned employment law matters of moderate to significant complexity, applying sound judgment and delivering clear, business-focused guidance. This individual collaborates with and escalates higher-risk, novel, sensitive, or precedent-setting matters to more senior employment counsel as appropriate. The role also contributes to team effectiveness through knowledge sharing, process improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and guidance to legal professionals and business partners.

Core Responsibilities

• Serve as a legal advisor to Human Resources, Employee Relations, business leaders, and other stakeholders on a broad range of employment law matters.
• Provide practical, risk-based legal guidance regarding compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including the ADA, ADEA, Title VII, FMLA, FLSA, FCRA, and other applicable employment and labor requirements.
• Advise on employee relations matters, including investigations, accommodations, leaves of absence, discrimination and harassment claims, reductions in force, discipline, terminations, and wage and hour issues.
• Partner with business and HR leaders on workforce initiatives, organizational changes, restructurings, and employment programs, identifying legal considerations and supporting effective implementation.
• Develop and execute legal strategy for assigned administrative charges, demand letters, pre-litigation disputes, and employment litigation, consulting with more senior employment counsel on higher-risk or precedent-setting matters.
• Manage and support responses to claims filed before federal, state, and local agencies, including the EEOC, DOL, and comparable regulatory bodies.
• Manage outside counsel on assigned employment matters, overseeing work product, aligning external advice with internal strategy, and promoting cost-effective representation.
• Monitor and assess legislative, regulatory, and judicial developments affecting employment practices; identify legal risks and recommend practical compliance or mitigation measures.
• Draft, review, and revise employment-related policies, procedures, guidelines, handbooks, legal memoranda, and communications.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on employment-related agreements, including arbitration agreements, separation and release agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, retention agreements, and executive employment arrangements.
• Provide legal guidance regarding restrictive covenants, confidentiality obligations, employee mobility issues, and emerging legal developments affecting post-employment restrictions.
• Share knowledge and provide guidance to paralegals, junior legal professionals, and business partners on employment law matters and effective legal processes.
• Participate in and, as appropriate, lead defined workstreams within cross-functional working groups and enterprise initiatives involving employment law considerations.
• Develop and deliver training for Human Resources professionals, Employee Relations teams, managers, and business leaders on employment law developments, organizational policies, and risk mitigation.
• Contribute to Legal department priorities through collaboration, knowledge sharing, professional engagement, and continuous improvement of employment law processes and resources.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction and in good standing. Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Minimum of 8+ of legal experience, with substantial experience focused on employment law.
• Demonstrated experience advising organizations on a broad range of moderately complex to complex employment law matters.
• Experience managing or supporting administrative claims, employment litigation, and outside counsel relationships.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written, verbal, analytical, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships, communicate with stakeholders at varying levels, work independently within assigned areas, recognize when escalation is appropriate, and manage competing priorities across multiple matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• In-house employment law experience within a large, complex, highly regulated organization.
• Experience supporting national employers operating across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience participating in cross-functional initiatives and supporting employment law compliance programs across a complex organization.
• Experience providing guidance, coaching, or knowledge sharing to legal professionals and business partners.

*This role is Hybrid, in office 3 days a week.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 157,100 - 261,800 USD / yearly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.

This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus and long term incentive plan.

At The Cigna Group, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you’ll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k), company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year, paid holidays, and leaves of absence. For more details on our employee benefits programs, click here.

About The Cigna Group

Doing something meaningful starts with a simple decision, a commitment to changing lives. At The Cigna Group, we’re dedicated to improving the health and vitality of those we serve. Through our divisions Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services, we are committed to enhancing the lives of our clients, customers and patients. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the online application process, please email [e-mail] for assistance. Please note that this email inbox is dedicated to accommodation requests only and cannot provide application updates or accept resumes.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.