Employment Attorney

1100 Baystate Administrative Svc.; United States; On-site; USD 211,000 - 286,000; Full time

Job summary

Baystate Health is seeking an experienced Employment Attorney to join its Legal Department in Springfield, MA. This role provides strategic, practical legal guidance on a broad range of employment and labor relations matters, partnering with leadership, HR, Risk Management and outside counsel.

The attorney will oversee litigation and government investigations, advise on complex workplace issues, and help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressively responsible employment law experience.
• Massachusetts licensure and good standing to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Demonstrated expertise in employment law, litigation strategy, administrative proceedings, government investigations, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong knowledge of ADA accommodations, FMLA leaves, terminations, reductions in force, performance management, workplace investigations, and employee relations.
• Experience providing practical, strategic legal advice in a business environment.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to evaluate complex situations and develop clear, concise, and effective legal solutions.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, and collaboration skills.
• Professional judgment, integrity, discretion, and ability to anticipate legal issues and organizational risks.
• Business and financial acumen, with an understanding of how legal decisions affect organizational operations and objectives.

Responsibilities

• Partner with organizational leadership, HR, Risk Management and stakeholders to identify and mitigate legal risk.
• Advise on employment and labor relations matters including hiring, recruitment, performance, discipline, termination, discrimination and workforce restructuring.
• Oversee employment-related litigation, government investigations, and disputes; coordinate strategy and settlements with internal and external counsel.
• Provide guidance on internal investigations and risk mitigation strategies.
• Serve as primary liaison with outside employment and labor counsel for litigation defense and negotiations.
• Evaluate and coordinate risk management with the captive insurance program to support appropriate resolutions.
• Advise on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws including OFCCP and wage/hour rules.
• Coordinate responses to investigations by agencies such as EEOC, MCAD, MA AGO, and DOL.
• Draft, review, and negotiate employment agreements, physician employment agreements, severance and settlement agreements.
• Collaborate with medical staff and operations to provide employment-related guidance to healthcare professionals.
• Develop and deliver trainings on employment law, regulatory compliance, and workplace practices.
• Stay informed of changes in employment law and healthcare regulations to guide strategy.
• Collaborate across the organization to address reputational, financial, operational, and legal risks.
• Maintain attorney-client privilege and confidentiality in all matters.

Skills

Employment law

Litigation strategy

Regulatory compliance

Workplace investigations

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Written & oral communication

Problem solving

Collaboration

Business acumen

Education

Juris Doctor

Massachusetts Bar admission

Job description

Employment Attorney

Baystate Health is seeking an experienced Employment Attorney to join its Legal Department in Springfield, MA. The Employment Attorney will provide strategic, practical legal guidance on a broad range of employment and labor relations matters.

Responsibilities

• Reporting within the Legal Department and working under the oversight of the Chief Legal Officer, this role partners closely with organizational leadership, Human Resources, Risk Management, and other stakeholders to proactively identify and mitigate legal risk. The Associate General Counsel will manage employment-related litigation and government investigations, advise on complex workplace matters, and help ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Provide Strategic Legal Counsel: Advise organizational leadership and Human Resources on employment and labor relations matters, including hiring, physician recruitment and contracting, performance management, discipline, termination, discrimination, harassment, accommodations, and workforce restructuring.
• Manage Litigation and Claims: Oversee employment-related litigation, administrative charges, disputes, and government investigations, coordinating case strategy, resolution, and settlement with internal stakeholders and outside counsel.
• Lead Workplace Investigation Support: Provide legal guidance on internal investigations, employment disputes, and strategies to prevent and mitigate employment-related risk.
• Partner with Outside Counsel: Serve as the primary liaison with outside employment and labor counsel, collaborating on litigation defense, case management, negotiations, and legal strategy.
• Coordinate Risk Management: Work with Risk Management and the captive insurance program to evaluate potential employment claims and lawsuits, manage defense strategies, and support appropriate resolutions.
• Navigate Regulatory Compliance: Advise on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including OFCCP requirements, affirmative action plans, wage and hour regulations, and other applicable legal obligations.
• Manage Government Agency Matters: Coordinate responses to investigations, audits, inquiries, and proceedings involving agencies such as the EEOC, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and U.S. Department of Labor.
• Draft and Negotiate Agreements: Prepare, review, and negotiate employment agreements, physician employment agreements, severance and separation agreements, settlement agreements, contracts, legal memoranda, and other legal documents.
• Support Healthcare Professionals: Provide employment-related legal guidance involving physicians and other healthcare professionals in collaboration with medical staff, Human Resources, and operational leaders.
• Develop Legal Education: Create and deliver training on employment law, regulatory compliance, emerging legal issues, and effective workplace practices.
• Monitor Legal Developments: Stay informed of changes in employment law, healthcare regulations, and industry trends to help ensure appropriate legal strategies and practices.
• Collaborate Across the Organization: Partner with leaders across functional areas to address reputational, financial, operational, and legal risks while advancing organizational priorities.
• Maintain Confidentiality: Protect attorney-client privilege and sensitive organizational information in accordance with applicable ethical and legal requirements.

Location

280 Chestnut St. Springfield, MA. Requires travel to all Baystate Health Entities.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressively responsible employment law experience, including substantial experience with employment litigation and advising organizations on employment-related legal risk.
• Current licensure and good standing to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including membership in good standing with the Massachusetts Bar.
• Demonstrated expertise in employment law, litigation strategy, administrative proceedings, government investigations, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong knowledge of employment matters involving ADA accommodations, FMLA and other leaves, terminations, reductions in force, performance management, workplace investigations, and employee relations.
• Experience providing practical, strategic legal advice in a business environment.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to evaluate complex situations and develop clear, concise, and effective legal solutions.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, and collaboration skills.
• Professional judgment, integrity, discretion, and the ability to anticipate legal issues and organizational risks.
• Business and financial acumen, with an understanding of how legal decisions affect organizational operations and objectives.

Education

Juris Doctor (Required)

Certifications

Compensation

Note

The compensation range(s) in the table below represent the base salaries for all positions at a given grade across the health system. Typically, a new hire can expect a starting salary somewhere in the lower part of the range. Actual salaries may vary by position and will be determined based on the candidate's relevant experience. No employee will be paid below the minimum of the range. Pay ranges are listed as hourly for non-exempt employees and based on assumed full time commitment for exempt employees.

• Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum $210,641.00 - $242,112.00 - $286,249.00

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Baystate Health is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

About Baystate Health

Baystate Health (BH) is one of New England’s leading and largest integrated health care organizations, serving a population of nearly one million people throughout western New England. With roots dating back to the founding of Springfield City Hospital in 1873, Baystate Health has been providing high-quality and compassionate health care in western Massachusetts for more than 145 years.

With more than 12,000 employees, a medical staff of nearly 3,100 physicians, and a net patient service revenue of more than $1.4 billion, the ever-growing health system includes five Massachusetts hospitals and the Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center in Ware:

• Baystate Medical Center in Springfield
• Baystate Children’s Hospital (located at Baystate Medical Center)
• Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield
• Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer
• Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield