Hearing Officer - Civil Service Commission

Mayor and City Council of Baltimore; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Part time

Job summary

The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore is seeking a part-time contract Hearing Officer to preside over employee grievance appeals. Independent attorney retained by the Civil Service Commission handles hearings, advises panel on legal matters, and drafts final decisions.

The Hearing Officer must conduct hearings with due process, manage pre-hearing conferences, and issue timely, binding rulings. Licensure in Maryland and substantial hearing experience are required.

Qualifications

• Active Maryland license to practice law is required.
• Must have neutral hearing officer/arbitrator experience in employer-employee disputes.
• At least three years of hearing experience in past five years; or five years of full-time law practice with relevant cases.

Responsibilities

• Hear and evaluate testimony de novo and determine case facts.
• Manage pre-hearing conferences and discovery-related issues.
• Draft timely, binding decisions and submit findings to the Civil Service Commission.
• Ensure due process and orderly hearings.

Skills

Legal analysis

Evidence rules

Administrative hearings

Decision making

Education

Maryland bar admission

Tools

None

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.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

The City of Baltimore Job Opportunities Baltimore City Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER In the City of Baltimore we hire great people and provide them with the skills and opportunities to grow toward their career aspirations.