Corporate Counsel -Labor & Employment

Corporate Counsel -Labor & Employment Req ID #:  167095 Location: 

US Wilmington, MA, US, 01887 For 70 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

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, Alternate Dispute Resolution, hearings (EEOC, etc.) and arbitrations. Anticipate and guard against labor and employment legal risks facing the company. Provide general legal support, when appropriate.  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. Anticipate and guard against legal risks facing the company. 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. Advise management on changes which may affect the business. 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. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  Must regularly operate a computer and occasionally operate other office productivity machinery such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.  Must regularly communicate with employees/customers; must be able to exchange accurate information.  Must occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:   Position may be remote or office-based. General office working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. 

COMMENTS:  This position requires occasional domestic and international travel.  Competencies Lead - We lead when we advocate our purpose and model our values, when we deliver innovation, when we embrace change, and when we appreciate and celebrate the great work of others.Care - We show we care when we respect each other, our animals and the communities where we work and live, when we create a positive healthy workplace, when we are mindful of our compliance standards, and when we choose to do the right thing.Collaborate -We collaborate when we partner with each other and promote teamwork, when we communicate clearly and effectively across the hall or around the globe, and when we welcome all forms of diversity and encourage inclusiveness.Own - We act like owners when we hold ourselves accountable for our actions, when we respond to internal and external client needs with speed and accuracy, when we set and achieve meaningful goals, and when we strive towards continuous improvement.

Vaccine Mandate

Charles River is a U.S. Federal Contractor.  As a result, we must follow the Presidential Executive Order to mandate vaccinations, and ensure our employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  Our main priority is the wellbeing, health, and safety of our people. We require proof of vaccination from all employees. 

Anyone with requests for disability-related and/or religious exemptions should contact Talent Acquisition (crrecruitment_US@crl.com) so that information can be provided about the accommodation process at Charles River.

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 18,000 employees within 100 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 supported the development of >80% of the drugs approved by the FDA for the past 3 years.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River Laboratories is an Equal Opportunity Employer - all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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.

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