Sabahete (Saba) Kraja, JD

San Jose, California 95128 ad38gt@r.postjobfree.com 408-***-****

Summary

Labor Relations Summary

Results-driven, trusted executive who directed a best practice labor relations program as a liaison to department heads and associations/unions. Employment law expert who delivered superior services and training solutions for large workforces concerning compliance with state/federal labor laws and rulings that affect labor-management relations and employment rules. Talented chief negotiator who took on complex labor contract negotiations for 27 bargaining units. Responded to grievances and presented during hearings, grievances and arbitrations. Updated policies and training, led and coached up to 30 staff and developed and administered multimillion dollar union contract budgets.

Proven Skills: Culture Change Management; Risk Management; Conflict Resolution, Labor Bargaining, Negotiation, Mediation & Arbitration; Interest Based Bargaining Techniques; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

Talent Relations Summary

Talented Employee Relations executive who delivered employee relations services to 22K employees as an employment law expert. Advised department managers how to revise the recruitment process to ensure HR compliance and support DEI. Created and conducted or retained vendors to give high caliber in person and online employee and manager training. Prevented, investigated and remediated workplace complaints, allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation; and enforced reasonable accommodation (RA) and (ADA) laws and policies. Founded a Conflict Resolution Office, administered a multimillion dollar budget and directed and developed 30 staff.

Experience

County of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, CA

Equal Opportunity Department (EOD) Director 09/14 to Present

Managed a department that furnishes comprehensive labor relations, employee relations and EEO services to 22K employees in compliance with federal and state Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws and County policies.

Operated a discrimination/harassment complaint process for employees and employment applicants.

Investigated EEO claims and provided training, coaching, facilitated conflict-resolution sessions, healing circles, team building, staff coaching, management consulting and ongoing assistance for departments experiencing high levels of interpersonal conflict.

Hired, trained and governed the performance of 30 staff with eight direct reports and administered a $4M budget.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA), Legal Compliance, EEO, Conflict Resolution (CRS), Recruitment & Surveys

Oversaw the Reasonable Accommodation (RA) program and procedures stipulated by the ADA and Fair Employment and Housing Act. Offered expert RA advice to departments and conducted manager and staff training covering sexual harassment and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation prevention; diversity; and RA.

Garnered compliance with the County’s Policy Against Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation and RA policies and procedures.

Collaborated with County Counsel, Employment Services Agency, Labor Relations and executive leadership to ensure legal compliance and minimize litigation risk.

Produced the biannual federal EEO Plan with the County’s Employee Services Agency, adhering to Department of Justice reporting requirements. Evaluated civil rights, EEO federal and state legislation and policy and procedure impact on department services, formulating data-driven recommendations.

Established the County’s EOD Conflict Resolution Office to: 1) de-escalate complaints; 2) decrease retaliation complaints through streamlined investigations and coaching, training, and facilitated discussion between the parties; and 3) educate managers and staff how to prevent workplace conflicts; and made available a forum to rebuild complainant and respondent relationships.

Realigned job descriptions and the HR recruitment approach for departments to access a broader pool of qualified candidates, fostering DEI. Outlined a career path for employee advancement.

Rolled out pre/post customer experience/service use surveys to assess services.

Key Results

Develops and delivers select training content and contracts with leading experts to prepare and give trainings and generate programs that address discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying, conflict resolution, implicit bias, reasonable accommodation and unharmonious work environments.

Assures sexual harassment prevention training compliance for 22K employees and conflict resolution and implicit bias training for 4K employees either in person or via webinar due to COVID-19.

Authored and provides implicit bias training to executive leadership, the Public Defender’s Office, Department of Child Support Services, medical staff and other key departments or work groups.

Spearheaded the County’s partnership with GARE (The Government Alliance on Race and Equity), serving as a steering committee founding member. Implemented an equity training academy for County staff, training more than 100 employees how to dismantle policies and procedures that perpetuate inequity.

Enhanced complainant experience by offering conflict resolution services for complainants and respondents to forge alternative dispute resolution.

Working with the Technology Services and Solutions (TSS) department, created and updated a CRM that allowed EOD to track, manage, and centralize case data. Prepared a user’s manual and trained staff to help ensure data uniformity. Added Microsoft Power BI to efficiently generate data reports and visualizations.

Carried out 2022 audit requirements including: 1) authoring and making Implicit Bias Training and the County’s On-Line Reasonable Accommodation supervisor available, online and interactive; 2) writing and launching the Educational Intervention Procedure to expediently resolve low-level complaints.

Improved investigation timeliness and elevated the case closure rate 40.4% despite a higher case volume by: changing the job specifications, allowing a wider range of applicants; utilizing data to justify additional hiring; modifying investigation templates; and assembling a case tracking system using MS Dynamics.

Principal Labor Relations Representative (Supervisor), Office of Labor Relations 04/10 to 09/14

Labor Relations Representative, Office of Labor Relations 05/00 to 04/10

Governing the Labor Relations program, served as a liaison to department heads and associations/unions. Hired and led up to seven staff; and developed multimillion dollar union contract budgets.

Introduced Interest Based Bargaining techniques supplementing traditional and concession bargaining.

Made certain that the County adhered with federal and state employment laws, California Public Employment Relations Board rulings and court rulings that affect labor-management relations and employment rules.

Representing the County as a chief negotiator, took on the most complex, sensitive labor contract negotiations, administering and enforcing contracts for 27 bargaining units.

Authored written responses to grievances. Representing the County, presented during disciplinary appeal hearings, grievances and arbitrations.

Directed and rolled out a multimillion dollar training program, providing new career opportunities.

Updated FMLA policy and training; and complied with FMLA laws when disciplining employees for attendance. Wrote disciplinary letters for managers, documenting discipline to assure fairness and contract compliance.

Oversaw the County's employee/employer relations ordinance, the Fit-for-Duty Program and U.S. Department of Transportation Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.

Key Results

Designed and gave four well-received County trainings, Public Peace Officer Bill of Rights Act, Firefighter Bill of Rights, How to Conduct an Investigation and Progressive Discipline.

Serving on a team, saved the County $75M by garnering union agreement for pay cuts.

Co-chaired SEIU Local 521 master contract negotiations for approximately 9K employees. Drafted the majority of the contract language including first-ever contract language for furloughs.

Reached an agreement with correctional officers that eliminated a duplicate paid leave provision, saving the County millions of dollars.

Carried out the effort to convince the first union to contribute to member health care premiums.

Commended by an Assistant County Counsel for conducting a confidential investigation into a politically sensitive grievance at the District Attorney’s Office.

Created and launched the County’s first telecommuting and alternate work schedule policies and agreements.

Prepared an efficient process and templates for production of layoff letters that HR still uses.

Education, Training & Certification

Education: Juris Doctorate degree, Lincoln Law School, San Jose, California, 2008. Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a Minor in Speech Communications, San Jose State University.

Training: Race Forward and The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), 2019. Reasonable Accommodation and Leaves Training, Shaw Law Group, 2019. Corporate Leadership and Diversity, Museum of Tolerance, 2017. NELI: ADA, FMLA, Employment Discrimination Law, California Disability Law, 2015.

Certification: Circle Keeper Process, The National Compadres Network, 2019. Mediation Training, County of Santa Clara, 2017. Advanced Internal Investigations, Cornell University, 2016. Managing Collective Bargaining Agreements, CALPELRA Core Labor Relations Academy, 2008.

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