Director of Employee Services

Cook County Sheriff Job Code: 7804 Job Title: Director of Employee Services Salary Grade: 24 Department: Department of Human Resources Bargaining Unit: Not Applicable Position Details: Civilian (non-sworn) / non-merit ranked / internal & external candidates FLSA Status: Exempt Probation Period: 12 months Direct Appointment Characteristics of the Position General Overview Under the direction of the Assistant Executive Director of HR, the Director of Employee Services manages the Cook County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) employee services team, collaborates with payroll, overseas, advises, and collaborates with payroll on certain CCSO benefits programs, including leaves of absence, worker's compensation, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), bereavement, unemployment insurance, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, and return to work procedures.

The Director shall be available after hours, including weekends to facilitate Employee Services functions.

The Director of Employee Services also ensures compliance with, and contributes to the development of, related CCSO policies.

Key Responsibilities and Duties Provide leadership, planning, implementation, and execution of agency-wide HR employee services functions and programs, including referrals for fitness for duty and independent medical evaluations, drug/alcohol testing, and other CCSO employee wellness and support programs.

Collaborate with HR-related units within CCSO and Cook County government to ensure compliance with all policies and procedures to decrease overall agency liability risks and costs.

Manage a team that serves as an expert resource to staff on leave-related matters.

Assists employees in the implementation of a leave status and provides full-cycle support, transitioning employees through applicable leave programs.

Provides advice on leave matters and resolves leave complaints and issues.

Ensure procedures are created and maintained to monitor authorized leaves of absence and to provide employees with sufficient notice, information and feedback to ensure productive and efficient returns to work.

Establish monitoring operations to establish, track and update all temporary transitional, modified or light duty positions within the CCSO and to ensure that employees who hold those positions are qualified and approved to remain in those positions pursuant to policy and collective bargaining agreements.

Develop and manage processes for accommodating qualified employees with disabilities in the workplace and meeting federal law requirements.

Responsible for operations related to receiving, processing and evaluating information regarding an employee's fitness for duty including assessing the need for fitness related evaluations and generating complete referrals to independent and approved evaluators.

Coordinate compensation for all entitlement programs.

Provide assistance and resources to employees on all benefit programs offered as described in CCSO policy (SEAM Article T). Responsible for after hour calls including, but not limited to, facilitating drug testing for incidents involving an officer involved shooting, reasonable drug suspicious or any other need to drug test an employee.

Manage applicable vendor relationships and provides advice and oversight regarding leave and disability management processes in coordination with CCSO Legal, Benefits, and other units within HR.

Work collaboratively with payroll to account for benefit time used.

Coordinate with CCSO leadership to develop annual HR personnel and non-personnel budgetary requests.

Monitor the internal equity and external competitiveness of leave programs by participating in and analyzing results.

Provide a variety of reports on leave activities, such as eligibility and participation, for CCSO leadership, Legal, and other applicable parties.

Design and produce leave communications and materials.

Maintains and updates program descriptions and agency intranet and internet content.

Contribute to the development of content for the CCSO Learning Management System (LMS) system to educate employees and ensure compliance with policies and procedures.

Work cooperatively with CCSO Legal and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office with respect to legal issues, claims or judicial rulings impacting HR and employee services.

Maintain confidentiality, as necessary and required by law.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Ability to prepare a variety of reports, reviews, memorandums or other correspondence, as required, to achieve the programs goals and objectives; familiarity with computer/word processing programs.

Excellent oral and written communication skills; possess the capability to provide public and instructional presentations.

Maintains knowledge on health and safety regulations.

Knowledge and familiarity with the structure, functions and interrelationships of the CCSO and other Cook County agencies.

Ability to organize multiple tasks and maintain a large number and wide range of files and documents.

Knowledge and familiarity with the ADA, FMLA, and other state and federal leave entitlement programs.

Ability to develop policy revisions in collaboration with other CCSO departments and outside agencies.

Ability to evaluate difficult situations and exercise good judgment in making decisions.

Skill in exercising discretion and tact relative to problems or situations.

Thorough working knowledge of, or ability to quickly and effectively grasp and utilize, the policies, systems, procedures, and technical vernacular of the agency, department and County, as they are applicable to assigned duties and responsibilities.

Ability to effectively participate in staff meetings or other forums aimed at developing constructive ideas, observations, findings and recommendations.

Ability to effectively perform and/or coordinate any administrative tasks within the jurisdiction or area of authority designated.

A high level of skill and proficiency in maintaining work-related records and evaluating the work activities and records of other staff engaged in related activities.

Skill in interacting with others to investigate, gather and review confidential materials, information and incidents of record.

Knowledge of statistics, data collection and analysis.

Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university supplemented by at least five (5) years of supervisory experience and at least seven to eight (7-8) years full-time professional experience in human resources management involving payroll and employee records administration, benefits administration, worker's compensation, disability management, and legal and policy compliance with a large and diverse workforce.

Must be able to work independently and work well on internal and external teams.

Must have excellent communication skills including written and verbal.

Must be self-directed and able to handle large, complex workloads with minimal supervision.

Must demonstrate flexibility, including reachability during non-business hours to address time-sensitive tasks, and have experience working with different types of organizations including vendors, consultants, providers, stakeholders, etc.

Advanced knowledge of federal and state employment and leave laws, including FMLA, the ADA, and worker's compensation.

Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office and related software to manage and generate information, reports, letters, etc.

as may be required.

The duties listed are not set forth for purposes of limiting the assignment of work.

They are not to be construed as a complete list of the many duties normally to be performed under a job title or those to be performed temporarily outside an employee's normal line of work.

Article EE, Civilian Recruitment and Selection Process, of the Sheriff's Employment Action Manual (SEAM), applies to this employment process and can be found at the following link: Please note that there are no remote job opportunities, all positions are located onsite.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office prohibits all unlawful discrimination in its hiring and promotional process.

All Cook County Sheriff's Office employees must apply on the internal employment page to be considered; the application may be accessed via the SheriffNet site.

* Note: All Internal Applicants are subject to Cook County Promotional salary rules if selected.

I Certify that no Political Reasons or Factors were considered in any decision I made or action I took related to this Employment Action.

Further, I do not know of or have any reason to believe that anyone else considered or took action based on Political Reasons or Factors with respect to this Employment Action.

EEO Statement At the Cook County Sheriff's Office, we value and embrace you.

It's our belief that diversity and inclusion is an essential component to our success as an organization.

Accordingly, we are committed to provide a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office policy applies throughout the employment relationship-including recruitment, hiring, training, advancement, separation, and day-to-day practices.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office employment decisions will not be based on race, color and ancestry, religion, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or parental status, disability, medical history, genetic information, or any basis prohibited by applicable law.

Employment decisions will be based on an applicant's merit and qualifications, the position requirements, and our business needs.

Benefits Health Insurance Program - Health insurance coverage includes medical, dental and vision care and is available for an employee and his/her eligible dependents.

Holidays - Thirteen (13) Holidays are granted in each Fiscal Year Sick Leave - Granted sick leave is earned and accrued at the rate of one (1) day for each month of service and may be accumulated up to one hundred and seventy-five (175) working days.

Vacation Leave - Granted Vacation leave is earned and accrued, with employees having the opportunity to accrue fifteen (15) days within the Fiscal Year; Vacation leave accruals increase based on an employee's anniversary date of employment.

Life Insurance - Basic term life insurance, equal to one (1) time the employee's annual salary, is offered to every employee at no cost and the employee may elect to purchase supplemental coverage.

Pension Plan - Employees contribute into the Cook County Pension Fund and earn a prescribed percentage for each year of service; employees may be eligible for an annual annuity after ten (10) years of service and upon reaching a certain age based on when the employee started employment.

Deferred Compensation Program - Employees may elect to enroll in a deferred compensation plan, a tax deferred plan which may be used as a supplemental retirement option.

The 2025 Cook County Employee Benefits Overview can be viewed at Benefits Overview_FINAL..pdf Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace It is the policy of the Cook County Sheriff's Office to provide a drug- and alcohol-free workplace for all members.

It is imperative that all Sheriff's Office members are capable of devoting constant and uninterrupted attention to the performance of all assigned duties without risk to safety and security for themselves, other members, or the public.

To ensure the goals of this policy are met, all Sheriff's Office members shall be subject to drug and alcohol testing, whether mandatory, random, or based on reasonable suspicion.

INCLUSION We welcome you-the whole you.

Your background, your culture, your ethnicity, your unique experiences, your way of looking at the world.

We truly believe that your individuality helps us create a diverse, inclusive, and inspired workplace in which every ethnicity, nationality, religion, elder status, family structure and gender identity is embraced and valued.

We also welcome your passion for making the lives of children, your co-workers, and our organization better.

Because as different as we are, that's the common theme that will always keep us moving forward together.

*Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.* This position requires successful completion of post-offer tests, which may include a background check, drug screen and/or medical examination.

Falsification of any information in the application process will result in disqualification and ineligible for appointment to, or employment in, a position in the County service for a period of five years.

For current Cook County Sheriff's employees, such falsification may result in discipline, up to and including termination, and ineligible for appointment to or employment in a position in the County service for a period of five years.

See Cook County Code of Ordinances, Article II, Sections 44-54 Unlawful Practices Relating to Employees and Employment - Penalty, 44-56 Political Discrimination; Cook County Employment Plan, Section V.N.

Pre-Interview License and Certification Verification; Supplemental Policy No.

2014-2.13 Ineligible for Rehire List; and Cook County Personnel Rules 3.3(b) (7) (8) (18). THE COOK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER NOTE As an internal candidate, should you be offered the position, salary allocations shall abide by the Cook County Personnel Rules.

"The Cook County Sheriff's Office hiring process is governed by the Sheriff's Employment Action Manual (SEAM) which prohibits employment actions from being influenced by any Political Reasons or Factors for Non-Exempt Positions.

The advertisement of this position by any individual does not constitute an offer or promise of employment, promotion, or any other employment action and shall not influence the Cook County Sheriff's Office hiring decision.

Cook County Sheriff's officials and employees who become aware of or receive a complaint that involves an allegation of Political Reasons or Factors being considered in the hiring process of Non-Exempt positions are obligated to refer the complaint to the Cook County Compliance Officer.

If the Cook County Compliance Officer sustains allegations of Political Reasons or Factors being considered, the Cook County Sheriff's Office will disqualify the Applicant or Candidate from consideration for employment and disciplinary action will be imposed on any involved Cook County employees, if applicable."