Location: Rockville, MD
Job ID: IRC59459
Salary: $53,246 - $87,287
The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights is seeking to fill one (1) Investigator position that can be filled at the following levels and anticipated salaries:
- Investigator I (Grade 20) $53,246 - $76,624
- Investigator II (Grade 23) $61,189 - $87,287
The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights promotes fair treatment of county residents and ensures compliance with the referenced laws, policies, rules, regulations, and procedures governing the agency. The agency is responsible for enforcing Montgomery County Code, Chapter 27, fair workplace laws and anti-discrimination laws in employment, real estate & housing, public accommodations (services and transactions with the public), and intimidation (hate crimes). The agency also monitors incidents of hate/violence and administers the County's Partnership Fund, through which victims of hate/violence crimes can seek compensation for personal injury or damage to property.
The investigator position requires a talented individual to have the ability to conduct intake interviews, receive complaints, investigate the allegations, document the record, and resolve complaints regarding a variety of alleged violations of worker protection and anti-discrimination laws. The investigator must be adept at researching and interpreting anti-discrimination and worker protection laws, identifying core issues, and successfully communicating with diverse individuals. Complaints filed with this agency require resourceful investigations and resolutions.
The selected candidate will possess a bold and creative ability to analyze nuanced facts, minimize conflicts, and develop appropriate techniques for resolving disputes and enforcing laws regarding employment, housing, and business practices. Human Rights investigators are responsible for managing their caseload and working a case through various stages, from intake through and including writing the recommended determination. Investigators also are involved in outreach and education programs, public speaking, and working on special projects.
Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Interview individuals alleging violation(s) of civil rights, craft complaints and charging documents.
- Interview all parties associated with allegations of complaints and conduct fact finding interviews.
- Conduct site visits, analyze, and evaluate evidence, and issue civil citations.
- Inform complainants, respondents and other parties of the investigative process and legal rights and obligations, consistent with the programmatic area(s) and nature of the case.
- Perform informal and formal conferences and negotiations between respondent and complainant and their representatives.
- Prepare cases for administrative review, hearing, or court.
- Collaborate with other agencies and experts in public hearings and court proceedings related to case work.
- Review/draft regulations, operating procedures, proposed legislation, and/or public information materials.
- Make referrals to administrative and social service agencies, as appropriate, and may coordinate according to guidelines to ensure assistance.
- Apply methods and techniques of fact finding, and techniques for interviews, analysis, and resolution of complex problems.
- Manage division case load, collectively with other members of the enforcement team.
- Additional duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate will work independently, organize, prioritize, and accomplish assignments/tasks within deadlines. This position requires strong verbal and written communication skills.
This position requires the ability to attend meetings or to perform work at locations outside the office. Occasional weekend and/or evening work may be required.
Bilingual applicants in Spanish, French, Amharic, or Chinese language are encouraged to apply. If the candidate selected for this position possesses multilingual skills, he/she will be required to successfully pass an examination assessing oral communication, reading comprehension, and interpreting skills. For Advanced proficiency, the candidate must also pass an examination requiring translating text from language identified to English and vice versa.Additional Employment Information
OHR reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position/IRC.
Montgomery County Government is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email to OHR@montgomerycountymd.gov . Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
Montgomery County Government also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, please refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference .
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for interview.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code . Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Minimum QualificationsIf position is filled at the level Investigator II, Grade 23:
- Experience: Three (3) years of professional experience in an investigatory capacity directly related to resolution of complaints.
- Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.
- Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
If position is filled at the level Investigator I, Grade 20:
- Experience: Two years (2) of professional experience in an investigatory capacity directly related to resolution of complaints.
- Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.
- Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Medical Exam Protocol: Medical History Review
Preferred CriteriaThe applications of those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed to determine the extent, relevancy of training, and experience in the following areas:
- Written Communications.
- Conducting Investigations.
- Legal research and analysis.
- Interpreting Laws and Legal Documents.
- Resolving Complaints.
- Working with Diverse Customers.
- Using databases, software and technologies.
