Honors program

The National Labor Relations Board is now accepting applications for its 2010 Honors Program.  The application period is from August 15 through October 15, 2009.  Consideration of applicants is limited to graduates [J.D. or L.L.M.] from a law school's Fall 2009/10 or Spring 2010 sessions, as well as individuals who have recently completed a post-graduate judicial clerkship.  If you are hired for this position, you will be assigned to challenging assignments offering valuable legal and professional experience and substantial individual responsibility. In addition, you will receive extensive mentoring and training to ensure your proficiency and expertise in the area of labor law.

 

NLRB Attorney Brochure

 

The program is highly competitive and candidates are selected on the basis of merit. Selection is based on the consideration of many factors including academic achievement (G.P.A. of 3.0 or greater); law journal or other relevant writing experience; relevant labor relations and/or law courses; moot court competition, legal aid, and legal clinic experience; and summer and/or part-time employment, particularly experience dealing with labor and employment matters. Some Regional offices have special needs where specific skills, such as bilingual skills, may be a factor in selecting the candidate.

 

Please note that the National Labor Relations Board maintains three completely separate Honors Programs, one for offices on the General Counsel side, one for offices on the Board side, and one for specific Regional Offices. Application to and acceptance by or rejection from any one of the three programs has no reflection on consideration by the other two programs. Consequently, on the application form individuals must indicate to which program or programs he or she is applying.

 

We anticipate making offers of employment in December 2009 for appointments beginning in the late summer of 2010. Positions are available in the following offices (to learn more about the specifics of each Office's program click on the Office's link):

 

1. Board Offices. Washington, DC. Attorney Positions.
Assignments will include rotations of work on one or more Board Members staffs, in the Office of Representation Appeals, the Office of the Solicitor, and/or the Office of the Executive Secretary. (Board Description)

 

2. General Counsel Headquarters. Washington, DC. Attorney Positions. Assignments will include rotations of work in the Division of Enforcement Litigation and the Division of Advice. (GC Description)

 

3. Regional Offices. Various Locations including: ( Field Attorney and for Field Examiner ) [1]

 

Region 1, Boston, MA

Region 2, New York, NY

Region 20, San Francisco, CA

Region 31, Los Angeles, CA

Region 32, Oakland, CA

 

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Candidates must submit applications for consideration beginning on August 15 and no later than October 15, 2009. For application instructions and to apply, click the following link: ( Honors Program Application ).

 

LENGTH OF APPOINTMENT

 

Candidates hired for permanent attorney positions are subject to a two-year probationary period. In addition, all J.D. graduates are required to pass a Bar examination and be duly licensed to practice as an attorney in any state, territory, or the District of Columbia within 14 months of appointment. Field Examiners are subject to a one-year probationary period.

 

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

 

Prior to finalizing your appointment, the Agency requires satisfactory completion of a Security investigation.

 

Veterans' Preference and Attorney Hiring: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the National Labor Relations Board considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Attorney appointments within the National Labor Relations Board are positions in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. The online application system for the Honors Program permits applicants eligible for veterans' preference to include that information on a voluntary basis. Preference eligible veterans responding to vacancy announcements may claim preference in a cover letter or resume. Submission of a DD Form 214 is required to confirm veterans' preference eligibility.

 

STARTING SALARIES

 

Attorneys with J.D. -   GS-11

Attorneys with LLM or judicial clerkship - The Agency has some discretion for starting those with judicial clerkship experience or an L.L.M. at a higher GS level in Headquarters.

 

 

Field Examiners -   GS-7

Field Examiners with Masters Degree -   GS-9

 

 

The annual starting salary for a General Schedule (GS) grade and step may be reviewed at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website http://www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/. This website provides salary tables for all NLRB duty locations.

 

NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? PLEASE CHECK:

 

The Agency home page (http://www.nlrb.gov/) contains detailed information about the Agency and each of its offices. If you are interested in employment with the Agency, we urge you to consult our home page for the most current information.

 

The National Labor Relations Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for appointment without regard to race, religion, national origin, color, sex, political affiliation, handicap, age, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factor.

 

The National Labor Relations Board provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you have further questions, please call the Human Resources Branch at (202) 273-3940.

 

[1] Applicants for Field Examiner positions in Regional Offices will be considered for this Program.

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