Corporate Counsel - Labor & Employment (REMOTE)
Wilmington, MA, US, 01887 US
For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced individual for our Corporate Counsel - Labor & Employment position within our Legal Department.
Working with other members of the legal labor and employment team, provide analysis and counsel to management and HR on global labor and employment issues including recruitment and hiring, discipline, reorganizations, training, company policies, employee handbooks, compensation and benefits issues, etc. Draft, negotiate and review documents relating to executive employment, as well as general HR-related contracts including separation agreements. Develop and recommend company policy and position on worldwide labor and employment issues to ensure company compliance with local, state and federal regulations related to employment (Affirmative Action, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, EEOC, MCAD, NLRB, USERRA etc.) and related regulations in other jurisdictions where employees are situated. Handle employment –related litigation, mediations, hearings (EEOC, etc.), and arbitrations. Anticipate and guard against labor and employment legal risks facing the company. Provide general legal support, when appropriate.
**Position is remote and will require occasional domestic and international travel.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide analysis and counsel on labor and employment issues globally. Key areas include recruitment and hiring, discipline, reorganizations, training, company policies, employee handbooks, compensation and benefits issues.
- Assist with legal compliance initiatives (policies, trainings, processes, etc.) related to employment and labor areas for the global workforce, as well as in other areas requested from time-to-time, and otherwise provide support generally to members of the legal compliance function.
- Draft, negotiate and review documents related to senior executive employment and compensation, including benefits plan documents (including ERISA, COBRA and 409A issues), change-in-control agreements, and employment offer letters.
- Draft, negotiate and review both routine and complex HR-related contracts including separation agreements.
- Prepare and conduct training for HR and business partners on labor and employment issues and best practices.
- Provide counsel on employment disputes, including EEOC, NLRB, MCAD and other discrimination complaints.
- Recommend, advise and enforce company policy and position on worldwide labor and employment issues to ensure company compliance with local, state and federal regulations related to employment (Affirmative Action, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, EEOC, MCAD, USERRA etc.) and related regulations in other jurisdictions where employees are situated.
- Manage outside counsel on employment litigation matters.
- Review employment, labor and benefit issues as part of our acquisitions and divestiture teams, and provide related advice, counsel and risk assessments during the evaluation process.
- As requested, serve as Legal Department representative on acquisition integration processes.
- As requested, serve as Legal Department representative on Policy Management Committee.
- Provide legal counsel on issues arising from actual or anticipated employment-related lawsuits.
- Assist in the development and recommendation of company policy and position on employment-related legal issues.
- Monitor and analyze changes to employment-related laws and regulations to ensure continued company compliance. Proactively advise management on changes which may affect the business and recommend actionable guidance.
- Establish a strong partnership with HR and business teams, providing practical and sound labor and employment advice.
- Provide backup legal support for general corporate legal issues as required.
- Perform all other related duties as assigned. (Note: Position may be requested in the future to also serve as principal counsel to one or more businesses or functions, including coordinating the delivery of legal services to the businesses/functions and collaborating and establishing strong relationships with their respective leadership teams.)
Job Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) and Juris Doctor or equivalent from an accredited law school.
- Experience: Five or more years of related experience, preferably in a combination of a law firm and corporate setting.
- An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
- Certification/Licensure: Current license in any US State Bar as an attorney qualified to practice law.
- Other: Knowledge of labor/employment-related statutes and regulations. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Compensation Data
The pay range for this position is $180K - $210K USD annually. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, and location.
About Corporate Functions
The Corporate Functions provide operational support across Charles River in areas such as Human Resources, Finance, IT, Legal, Sales, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Corporate Development. They partner with their colleagues across the company to develop and drive strategies and to set global standards. The functions are essential to providing a bridge between strategic vision and operational readiness, to ensure ongoing functional innovation and capability improvement.
About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.
With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.
At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.
We’re committed to providing benefits that elevate your quality of life. Based on your position these may include: bonus/incentives based on performance, 401K, paid time off, stock purchase program, Health and wellness coverage, employee and family wellbeing support programs, and work life balance flexibility.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Charles River is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, family status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
It is unlawful in some states (including Massachusetts) to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
If you are interested in applying to Charles River Laboratories and need special assistance or an accommodation due to a disability to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the resume submission process, please contact a member of our Human Resources team by sending an e-mail message to crrecruitment_US@crl.com. This contact is for accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
For more information, please visit www.criver.com.
Nearest Major Market: Boston
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