Investigator - Worker Protection

CONSUMER AND WORKER PROTECTION; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is seeking an Investigator to examine potential violations of NYC worker protection laws. You will interview workers and employers, review documents, and apply the law to issue enforcement actions.

Responsibilities include drafting reports, negotiating resolutions, and testifying as needed, with opportunities for cross-team collaboration and growth within OLPS.

Qualifications

• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and four years of full-time, satisfactory experience conducting investigations or inspections for a consumer or worker protection agency.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college.
• A combination of education and/or experience, substituting 30 credits for each year of required experience.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong understanding of the laws OLPS enforces.
• Interview workers, employers, and witnesses by telephone and in-person.
• Obtain, document, and analyze documentary evidence such as policies, payroll records, schedules, and time records.
• Perform research using public sources, law enforcement databases, and other investigative tools.
• Apply the law to facts gathered to identify appropriate charges.
• Write investigation reports with findings and enforcement recommendations.
• Calculate money owed to employees and civil penalties owed to the City.
• Engage with businesses and attorneys to negotiate resolutions.
• Draft demands, findings letters, and settlement agreements.
• Testify at the Trial Division about investigation findings.
• Independently manage a high volume of cases and escalate complex issues.
• Collaborate with data scientists and attorneys on investigations.

Skills

Interviewing workers

Document analysis

Research & data analysis

Legal writing

Communication skills

Microsoft Office

Education

High School Diploma or Educational Equivalent

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

*DCWP is currently hiring for this position either on a provisional basis or through the 55a program. Permanent employees in the civil service title, and comparable title (under 6.1.9) are also eligible to apply.*

**This position may be eligible for remote work for up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Flexible Work Pilot Program. **

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCWP licenses nearly 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCWP also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCWP and its work, call 311 or visit DCWP at NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), sign up for its newsletter, or follow on its social media sites, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The Office of Labor Policy & Standards (“OLPS”) enforces the City’s worker protection laws, including the Protected Time Off Law, Fair Workweek scheduling laws that protect fast food and retail workers, Delivery Worker Laws that provide minimum pay and other protections for app delivery workers, and wrongful deactivation protections for Uber and Lyft drivers. We also administer the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA) program, which assists freelance workers who have experienced wage theft and other violations. We obtain monetary compensation for workers for violations and bring companies into compliance. More information about our office is available at nyc.gov/workers.

OLPS is seeking an Investigator to investigate potential violations of NYC worker protection laws. Key responsibilities include:

• Maintaining a strong understanding of the laws OLPS enforces


• Interviewing workers, employers, and witnesses by telephone and in-person


• Obtaining, documenting, and analyzing documentary evidence, including employer policies, payroll records, employee schedules, time records and other employment-related documents


• Performing research using public sources, law enforcement databases, and other investigative tools


• Applying the law to facts gathered during an investigation to identify appropriate charges


• Writing investigation reports identifying violations uncovered during an investigation and containing recommendations for enforcement action


• Calculating money owed to employees and civil penalties owed to the City


• Engaging directly with businesses and attorneys to negotiate a resolution of the charges


• Drafting document demands, findings letters, and settlement agreements


• Testifying at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings’ Trial Division about investigation findings


• Independently investigating and managing a high volume of cases, using appropriate judgment to elevate complex issues with a Supervising Investigator


• Investigating cases that are complex and/or broad in scope, in collaboration with investigation teams of data scientists and attorneys

INSPECTOR (CONSUMER AND WORKER - 33997

Minimum Qualifications

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and four years of full-time, satisfactory experience conducting investigations or inspections for a consumer or worker protection agency; or

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; or

3. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience, which is equivalent to "1" above. College education may be substituted for the required experience on the basis of 30 semester credits for each year of required experience. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.

License Requirement:

Possession of a Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York at the time of appointment. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge and experience in labor standards investigations or low-wage worker issues


• Analytic, research and writing skills


• The ability to gather detailed information from workers through interviews


• The ability to understand various laws, rules, and regulations sufficiently to analyze issues, identify evidence needed to evaluate compliance, and present findings and recommendations


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including the ability to analyze data in Excel


• Experience handling multiple assignments with competing deadlines with a high degree of detail and accuracy


• Strong written and verbal communication skills


• Fluency in a language other than English, especially Spanish, French, Bengali, or Mandarin Chinese

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.