Director, Employment Law

Overview

This role is a remote, U.S.-based employment attorney position with a base salary range of $170,000–$200,000 per year, plus an annual bonus. The employer is seeking an experienced employment attorney to lead employment law strategy across a multi-state workforce.

Reporting to the General Counsel, the Director of Employment Law will manage employment litigation, advise HR and business leaders, lead proactive compliance efforts, and oversee the Senior Manager of HR Compliance. This is a hands-on leadership role in a fast-paced, multi-location organization.

Responsibilities

Employment Litigation and Risk Management

• Lead strategy for employment litigation, including wage-and-hour class actions, PAGA matters, single-plaintiff claims, and arbitrations.
• Manage outside counsel, legal budgets, billing guidelines, and case outcomes.
• Oversee responses to EEOC and state agency charges, investigations, and information requests.
• Provide oversight for workplace investigations and workers’ compensation litigation.
• Identify litigation trends and translate them into practical risk-reduction strategies.

California and Multi-State Employment Counsel

• Serve as the organization’s primary subject-matter expert on California employment law while supporting compliance across additional states.
• Advise HR and Operations on terminations, performance management, severance, restrictive covenants, employee relations, and workplace safety.
• Track federal, state, and local legal developments and guide required policy and process changes.
• Support labor relations strategy as needed.

Wage, Hour, and Pay Compliance

• Lead proactive wage-and-hour audits and responses to government inquiries.
• Advise on California requirements involving overtime, double time, meal and rest periods, premium pay, commissions, bonuses, and multiple rates of pay.
• Maintain legally sound worker classifications, including exempt/non-exempt and employee/independent contractor classifications.
• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and IT to improve timekeeping, pay statements, payroll calculations, and incentive-plan design.

Leave and Accommodation Compliance

• Counsel Benefits and Leave Administration teams on complex FMLA, state and local leave, and workers’ compensation matters.
• Establish legal standards for ADA and California FEHA interactive-process and accommodation requirements.
• Advise on return-to-work plans, light-duty assignments, fitness-for-duty evaluations, and leave exhaustion.
• Standardize leave documentation, medical certification processes, and employee communications.

Compliance Leadership

• Manage and develop the Senior Manager of HR Compliance.
• Oversee employment policies, handbooks, state addenda, compliance procedures, and the employee hotline.
• Partner with senior leaders to resolve high-risk employment matters efficiently and consistently.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• 8–12+ years of labor and employment law experience, including law firm training and in-house leadership.
• Deep, current, and practical knowledge of California employment law is required.
• Experience supporting a multi-state, multi-location workforce; healthcare, retail, hospitality, or a similar environment is preferred.
• Expertise in wage-and-hour compliance, PAGA, leave administration, ADA/FEHA accommodations, worker classification, and technical pay calculations.
• Experience managing employment litigation, outside counsel, and legal spend.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leaders and translate legal requirements into workable business solutions.
• People-management experience and familiarity with HRIS, payroll, and leave-management systems.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range: $170,000–$200,000 per year
• Annual bonus
• Actual compensation will depend on relevant experience, qualifications, skills, and geographic market.
• Benefits include medical coverage, a 401(k), paid time off, and employee discounts.

Location

Remote position that is U.S.-based. Limited travel may be required for investigations, hearings, agency proceedings, or company meetings.

Equal Opportunity

The employer is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Applicants are considered without regard to legally protected characteristics.