Labor Relations Administrator

Overview
In October 2021, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a Collective Bargaining Ordinance, amending Chapter 3 of the Code of the County of Fairfax, Virginia by adding Article 10, Collective Bargaining, Sections 3-10-1 through 3-10-8. The ordinance requires that a Labor Relations Administrator be appointed (4-year term) to implement the provisions established by the ordinance. Counties, cities and towns in Virginia were granted the authority to undertake collective bargaining as a result of Virginia General Assembly-approved legislation that became effective on May 1, 2021. Exclusive bargaining agents include the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA).

The Opportunity

• Hold and conduct elections for certification or decertification pursuant to the provisions of the ordinance and issue the certification or decertification or cause these actions to occur. The Labor Relations Administrator will also be responsible for establishing and publishing written procedures for holding and conducting such elections.
• Request any relevant assistance, service, and data from the County or an employee organization, and the County or such organization shall provide any relevant assistance, service, and data that will enable the administrator to properly carry out duties under this article.
• Hold hearings and make inquiries, administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and documents, take testimony, and receive evidence, and compel by issuance of subpoenas the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant documents, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in proceedings within the responsibility of the administrator under this Article.
• Investigate and attempt to resolve or settle, as provided in Section 3-10-14 - Mediation and Arbitration, charges of either the County or an employee organization engaging in prohibited practices as defined in this Article. However, if the County and a certified representative have negotiated a labor-management dispute resolution procedure, the administrator must defer to that procedure to resolve any dispute that properly must be submitted to the procedure, absent a showing that the deferral results in the application of principles contrary to this Article. The administrator must defer to state procedures in any matter governed by the Law Enforcement Officers' or Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians' Bill of Rights set forth in the Virginia Code.
• Determine disputed issues of employee inclusion in or exclusion from the bargaining units permitted under this article.
• Obtain any necessary support services and make necessary expenditures in the performance of duties, subject to appropriation.
• Determine any issue regarding the negotiability of any collective bargaining proposal as a subject of bargaining permitted under this Article.
• Exercise any other powers and perform any other duties and functions specified in this Article of an administrative nature.

Ideal Candidate
The administrator must be experienced as a neutral in the field of labor relations, and must not be a person who, because of vocation, employment, or affiliation, can be categorized as a representative of the interest of the county or any employee organization, including an exclusive bargaining agent for a bargaining unit permitted under the Collective Bargaining Ordinance.

Thorough understanding of laws, regulations, and guidelines related to labor relations and contract negotiations is required; experience in public sector labor law is preferred. Applicants with related experience who bring unique qualifications may be considered.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for this position, attach a resume or CV.

The appointee to this position must submit to a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview; may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.