Employment Attorney

Role Overview

• Be a trusted advisor to the Executive Leadership Team, HR/People Team, and business leads across the company on the people decisions that matter most
• Lead a modern approach to employment risk management, investigations, and governance
• Help design and scale policies, training, and tools that make it easier to do the right thing, the right way
• Translate complex employment law concepts into clear, actionable guidance for HR/People leaders and managers across performance management, discipline, terminations, accommodations, leaves, wage and hour, remote work, and other employment issues
• Act as a thought partner on program and policy design (e.g., performance, hiring, RIFs/restructuring), ensuring decisions are both compliant and aligned to business strategy and culture
• Provide risk-calibrated options, clearly framing legal risk, business impact, and trade-offs instead of simple “yes/no” answers
• Oversee or conduct internal workplace investigations (harassment, discrimination, retaliation, ethics, and other complex matters), ensuring thorough, timely, and balanced fact-finding with clear recommendations and documentation
• Manage demand letters, and pre-litigation matters in partnership with external counsel, balancing legal strategy, business objectives, and employee experience
• Develop and maintain frameworks, playbooks, and escalation paths that help HR/People and leaders proactively identify, assess, and manage employment risk
• Draft, review, and update employee handbooks, policies, and agreements (e.g., arbitration, severance, restrictive covenants) to align with evolving federal, state, and local requirements
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments (e.g., pay transparency, leaves, wage and hour, AI in employment decisions, privacy) and translate them into practical changes to policies, processes, and tools
• Help define a scalable, modern governance model that balances business needs, employee experience, and legal compliance with the right level of rigor, consistency, and documentation
• Design and deliver training for HR/People, managers, and leaders on investigations, documentation, performance management, accommodations/leave, anti-harassment, and other employment topics
• Build self-service tools and guidance (FAQs, playbooks, templates) so HR/People and business partners can handle routine issues confidently and escalate the right issues at the right time
• Use case trends and insights from HRIS and case management systems to inform training, policy updates, and leadership behavior
• Partner closely with HR/People, Legal, Compliance, Internal Audit, IT, Security, and external counsel to ensure decisions are coordinated, informed, efficient, and business-aligned
• Contribute to People and enterprise initiatives (e.g., AI in HR, modern work practices, remote/hybrid strategies) by advising on employment law, privacy, and ethical implications
• Model a team-first, low-ego, high-judgment way of working that builds trust across functions

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Active license in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar (California preferred or ability to register as in-house counsel, depending on jurisdiction)
• 10+ years of employment law experience
• Demonstrated experience counseling HR/People teams and business leaders in a corporate environment; insurance, financial services, or other highly regulated, multi-state environments is a plus
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to connect legal guidance to company performance, culture, and operational realities
• Experience advising leaders on performance management, org changes, RIFs/restructuring, compensation processes, and other people decisions
• Deep experience with workplace investigations, including planning, interviewing, credibility assessment, findings, and remediation
• Proven ability to manage demand letters, and pre-litigation matters as part of a broader business and people strategy
• Strong grounding in federal and state employment laws, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, NLRA, EEOC guidance, and key state laws (especially California wage and hour, Unruh Act, leaves, pay transparency, and PAGA where applicable)
• Comfortable using HRIS, case data, and external benchmarks to spot trends, inform recommendations, and measure impact
• High integrity, with a strong sense of confidentiality and professional responsibility, especially around privileged communications and sensitive investigations
• A collaborative, low-ego partner who can coach, challenge, and support leaders and HR/People peers in equal measure

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions
• Paid time off (vacation time, sick time, 9 paid Company holidays, volunteer hours)
• Incentive bonus programs (potential for holiday bonus, referral bonus, and performance-based bonus)
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance
• 401 (k) retirement savings plan with company match
• Engaging work environment
• Promotional opportunities
• Education assistance
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Company recognition program
• Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellbeing therapy/coaching sessions, child and eldercare resources, and more