Hearing Officer - Civil Service Commission

Baltimore City; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Part time

Job summary

Baltimore City is seeking a part-time contract Hearing Officer to preside over employee grievance appeals for the Civil Service Commission. Assignments rotate among three Hearing Officers, with independent appointment and no voting rights for the officer.

The Hearing Officer conducts hearings, rules on evidentiary and procedural questions, and drafts final decisions binding on all parties. This is an hourly, contract position with no benefits.

Qualifications

• Active Maryland license to practice law.
• At least three years as a neutral hearing officer/arbitrator in employer-employee disputes in the past five years.
• Or five years of full-time active law practice with significant experience presenting cases before courts or agencies.

Responsibilities

• Preside over employee grievance appeals and conduct hearings.
• Draft timely, binding decisions and submit findings to the Commission.
• Manage pre-hearing conferences, evidence, and discovery issues.
• Advise the panel on legal and procedural matters when parties are represented.

Skills

Court procedures

Evidence and due process

Judgment and decision making

Education

Maryland license to practice law

Job description

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

CITY OF BALTIMORE, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

HEARING OFFICER

Salary: This is a contractual position with no benefits. Salary is commensurate with education and experience, paid on an hourly basis.

Job Summary

The Civil Service Commission for Baltimore City Government is seeking a part-time contract Hearing Officer to preside over employee grievance appeals. Assignments are made on a rotating basis between three Hearing Officers.

Hearing Officers are independent attorneys retained by the Commission to conduct hearings on grievances and to advise the panel of the Commission hearing the appeal on legal and procedural matters when the parties are represented by counsel. The Hearing Officer does not vote but participates in deliberations only to the extent of advising the panel concerning legal and procedural matters.

The Hearing Officer is responsible for conducting hearings in an orderly and expeditious fashion; making rulings on evidentiary and procedural questions; and drafting final decisions.

Essential Duties

• Performs professional level work. Hears and evaluates testimony and evidence de novo to determine case facts, maintains order and decorum, disposes of objections expressed, permits questioning and crossexamination of witnesses and ensures due process.
• Manages pre-hearing conferences, exchanges information and evaluates proposed evidence, considers expert witness testimony, determines issues, rules on any matters in dispute related to discovery and rules on preliminary motions.
• Examines case records and official files and ensures that all documents and exhibits are fully documented in the record.
• Conducts legal research to fully address all legal arguments.
• May meet with appellants and appellees, or their representatives to explain rights and obligations and discuss hearing rules and procedures.
• Writes timely decisions which are binding on all parties.
• Submits written findings and decisions to the Civil Service Commission.

Minimum Qualifications

Currently have, and maintain through the contract, an active Maryland license to practice law.

Have served as a neutral Hearing Officer or arbitrator in employer-employee disputes for at least three (3) years out of the past five (5) years and have conducted at least nine (9) hearings in the last three (3) years.

OR

Have a minimum five (5) years’ experience in the full-time active practice of law, including two (2) years of experience practicing before federal or state courts or federal, state or local administrative agencies authorized to conduct evidentiary hearings; provided that the individual certifies that at least one-fourth (1/4) of his or her practice has involved the preparation and/or presentation of cases before federal or state courts involving employer-employee disputes, the National Labor Relations Board, state or local labor relations boards, state or local personnel or civil service or career service boards, or labor-management arbitrators.

Required Skills

• Knowledge of court procedures and rules of evidence sufficient to be able to provide due process in administrative hearings and render decisions.
• Skilled in applying general law and evaluating facts and evidence in relation to individual cases. Skilled in exercising initiative, judgment, and decision making in solving problems and meeting organizational objectives.
• Skilled in independently adapting, interpreting and applying written guidelines, precedents and standardized work practices to a variety of unprecedented or problematic situations.

Physical Demands

Sitting: remaining in the normal seated position. Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds by ear.

Baltimore City Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City of Baltimore prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodation during the hiring process should contact Human Resources directly. Do not attach your request for accommodation to the application.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER