The Employee Relations Division (ERD) of the Department of Human Resources is responsible for negotiating with labor organizations that represent employees of the City and County of San Francisco. These negotiations include bargaining over successor collective bargaining agreements, as well as changes to working conditions within the scope of representation pursuant to state and local law. ERD administers the provisions of all labor contracts, including economic and non-economic items; provides contract interpretation and advice to department heads and managers; investigates and attempts to resolve employee and union grievances; and conducts basic labor transactions, such as implementing agency shop provisions, determining bargaining unit assignments, and advising on unfair labor practice charges.    

Under supervision, Employee Relations Representatives in ERD perform entry-level through journey-level professional employee relations staff duties. This includes reviewing and analyzing grievances, conducting research and analysis to support collective bargaining, and participating in dispute resolution and other employee relations activities. Examples of duties of the position include:

• Assists in the negotiation process by providing information for the Chief Negotiator and serving as note-taker as assigned.   
• Under direction, prepares written summaries in narrative, outline or graphic form, and a variety of other employee relations data, including benefits, salaries, unit facts, and grievance experience information.
• Under direction, gathers, prepares and analyzes technical and statistical data for use in negotiation of labor agreements, grievance processing, mediation, arbitration, fact finding, and other employee relations activities.
• With guidance, explains provisions of the memoranda of understanding, City and County resolutions, and policies related to Employee Relations, to personnel staff and departmental management and supervisory employees.
• Prepares routine correspondence and reports.
• Assists in the preparation of memoranda of understanding and other documents.
• Responds to routine inquiries related to City and County salaries, benefits and memoranda of understanding.
• Provides information on employee relations policies and procedures to departmental personnel.
• Assists with investigations related to salaries and benefits, including conducting salary and benefit surveys.
• Assists in preparation of resolutions, memoranda of understanding and other documents for submission to the Board of Supervisors.   
• Assists in implementation of negotiated memoranda of understanding, including coordination with representatives of personnel, payroll, Information Services and departmental management.
• Gains increasing knowledge of labor law and current trends and developments in the employee relations field.
• With supervision, may conduct meet and confer sessions with labor organization.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities, as assigned. 

This position will require some late nights and work on the weekends for a few weeks towards the end of the negotiating process in the Spring.  Labor negotiations can sometimes get quite heated so an ability to handle stressful situations is needed.

Positions to be filled this September and continue through at least June of 2022.  Many that have filled these positions in the past have remained with DHR or obtained other employment with the City and County of San Francisco.

Education:  Possession of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university. Course work in the social/behavioral sciences or in public/business administration is preferred.

Substitution: Professional personnel experience performing duties equivalent to those of City class 1280 Employee Relations Representative must substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.  (One year of experience will be considered equivalent to 30 semester or 45 quarter units of college coursework.) Experience in City classes other than 1280 must be documented in accordance with Civil Service Commission Rule 109 in order to be treated as qualifying.

Desirable Qualifications: 

• A law degree (J.D.) OR Master's degree in public or business administration, management, business law, contract law, public policy, urban studies, economics, statistical analysis, finance, accounting or other closely related fields.
• Experience working and negotiating with labor unions.
• Proven writing and verbal communication abilities.

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

In line with the Official Public Health Order to slow the spread of COVID-19, “shelter-in-place” has been issued for all San Francisco residents that is expected to be in effect until further notice. As a result, Department of Human Resources (DHR)’s office (located at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103) is currently closed to the general public. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the Human Resources Analyst listed on this announcement.

Application Deadline - Continuous, first review cutoff will be Sunday, August 29, 2021.

Compensation Range: $95,394 – $115,934

Conviction History

Benefits Overview  

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Disaster Service Workers

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

Carol Isen - Human Resources Director