Job Description

Recruitment Information

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This posting is for the State of Hawa'i, Legislative Reference Bureau.



The position is located on the Island of Oahu.



Salary: $62,000 to $72,000 per year.



If you have any questions regarding this non-civil service exempt position, please contact Lisa Santos by email at lrbresearch@capitol.hawaii.gov. No phone calls please.



The State Recruiting Office will refer all inquiries regarding this exempt position to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Duties Summary

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RESEARCH ATTORNEY / RESEARCHER - RESEARCH DIVISION

FULL TIME/PERMANENT

About Us:

The Legislative Reference Bureau is a non-partisan legislative service agency that provides a wide variety of services to Hawaii legislators, legislative committees, and in some cases, other government agencies and members of the public.



The Research Division assists the Legislature in its deliberations by conducting comprehensive research and compiling findings in memoranda and reports, providing consultative services, and drafting legislative documents, including bills, resolutions, and committee reports.



Attorneys and professional staff in the Research Division work in many different areas of law and public and fiscal policy, including state and county governmental operations and structure, criminal law and procedure, education, environmental protection, health and human services, insurance, labor, land use, and taxation.

Position Summary:

The LRB Research Division is seeking a qualified Research Attorney / Researcher to help provide high-quality legal and policy research and other support services to the Legislature. The Research Attorney / Researcher will prepare bill drafts and other legislative documents, committee reports, research memoranda, legislative studies, and other research assignments as needed. The position requires interaction with members of the legislative chambers, legislative staff, other government agency staff, and members of the public.

Reports to:

LRB Director, First Assistant Director

Essential Duties:

(1) Preparing legal and policy research and drafting bills, resolutions, and other legislative documents, committee reports, and research memoranda;

(2) Meeting with members of the legislature or other government officials, as needed, to respond to legislative requests for research information;

(3) Tracking bills through the legislative process, including viewing legislative committee hearings and floor sessions, as needed;

(4) In teams or alone, researching and writing legislative research reports or studies;

(5) Participating on legislative working groups to prepare research and write working group reports to the legislature, as needed;

(6) Maintaining confidentiality of information relating to legislative interactions and work product;

(7) Assisting staff from the Revision of Statutes Division with proofreading drafts of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and Session Laws of Hawaii, as needed;

(8) Being available during legislative sessions, including regular sessions (January - May) and any special sessions, to work on a sometimes unpredictable and flexible schedule that may require working some evenings, weekends, or state holidays; and

(9) Preparing other assignments as directed by the LRB Director or First Assistant Director, or their designee.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

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LEGAL AUTHORIZATION TO WORK REQUIREMENT:

The State of Hawai'i requires all persons seeking employment with the government of the State shall be citizens, nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States, or eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment in the United States.

Required Qualifications:

A successful candidate for this position must:

(1) Possess exceptional writing abilities and be skilled at communicating complicated, detailed, and technical subjects to a wide variety of audiences, including non-legal readers;

(2) Possess exceptional research and analytical skills, including the ability to use library resources, government databases, legal databases, case law, statute compilations, and other resources to identify relevant information;

(3) Be familiar with policy development and have a basic understanding of the organization of Hawaii state and county government;

(4) Possess exceptional interpersonal communication skills and be capable of working on teams and interacting professionally with legislative members, staff, and other government officials;

(5) Be detail-oriented and capable of critical thinking, self-motivation, and discretion;

(6) Be comfortable with having their written work product reviewed and edited - often heavily - by other LRB staff;

(7) Be able to prepare high quality work under stressful and time-sensitive circumstances;

(8) Maintain confidentiality of legislative interactions and work product, and maintain objectivity in their work and remain free from influence or bias;

(9) Be capable of working in teams in a vibrant office environment;

(10) Have experience and proficiency using Microsoft Word, and other common office software applications; and

(11) Be reliable, punctual, responsible, and available to work an unpredictable and flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends, and some state and federal holidays.

Because the Bureau's work involves a wide range of issues, we welcome applications from candidates who have broad areas of interest. A law degree or an advanced degree is required, preferably with a focus on public policy, economics, or government finance. Familiarity with the Hawaii state legislative process is preferred.

Compensation and Benefits Include:

Salary commensurate with experience; range $62,000 to $72,000 per year; Annual paid vacation and sick leave; Thirteen (13) paid holidays each year; Hawaii EUTF medical insurance benefits; Hawaii Employees' Retirement System retirement benefits; Opportunities for professional development and training; and Supportive, mission-driven work environment where your skills directly support the legislative process.

Other Information

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While this position is considered to be for a full-time, permanent employee, the position is exempt from the civil service and considered "at will" in nature. Therefore, if you are appointed to the position, you may be discharged from your employment at the prerogative of your department head or designee at any time for cause, which includes failure to meet performance or other standards and/or lack of funding for the position.

Benefits:

EXEMPT BENEFITS

This is a non-civil service position. Benefit information will be provided at time of offer by the Department Personnel Officer or Director of the hiring department.



Listed below is a summary of the benefits the State offers to exempt employees, which is based on full-time employment.

Paid Holidays

Eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year.

Paid Vacation

Eligible for 21 days per year.

Paid Sick Leave

Eligible for 21 days per year.

Other Leaves

Reasonable time off with pay may be provided for jury or witness duty, a death in the family, some military duty, and donation to the Blood Bank. Leave sharing donations may be granted to eligible employees who have serious personal illnesses or injuries or need to care for a seriously ill or injured family member. Various leaves without pay may also be granted with full re-employment rights.

Health Insurance

The State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Dental Plan. For more information, visit the Employer Union Trust Fund website www.eutf.hawaii.gov for coverage and options.

Group Life Insurance

The State provides a free life insurance policy for eligible exempt employees.

Retirement Plan

The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees under the Hybrid Plan with 10 years of credited service and who have reached 65 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and have reached 60 years of age may retire and receive benefits. To find out more about the options you have, go to http://ers.ehawaii.gov.

Premium Conversion Plan

Participating exempt employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Eligible exempt employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes by setting aside money from their paychecks to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis.

Transportation Benefits

Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct qualified transportation expenses (i.e. eligible parking fees, monthly bus passes for TheBus, fare coupons for The Handi-Van, Vanpool Hawaii participation fee, etc.) through pre-tax payroll deductions.

Deferred Compensation

The State offers exempt employees a tax-deferred retirement savings program. This program allows employees to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary, pre-tax payroll deductions. A broad range of investment options are available to select from.

Temporary Disability Insurance

Qualified exempt employees may be eligible to receive partial wage replacement, at no cost to the employee, for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program.

Social Security

As an employer, the State also contributes to an exempt employee's social security account.

The above information is solely intended as a summary of the benefits available to State of Hawaii employees and is subject to change. Whether or not you are entitled to a particular benefit will depend on your specific appointment and employment status (included, excluded, exempt, non-exempt). Nothing herein shall be deemed as creating an employment contract, promise of employment, promise of continued employment, or obligation of any kind on the part of the State of Hawaii.

The State of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer.



Interested applicants should respond with a letter of inquiry, resume, writing sample, and 3 references to

lrbresearch@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Selected applicants will also be asked to complete a brief, timed writing exercise evaluation. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Direct all inquiries regarding this position to

Matthew Coke
Legislative Reference Bureau - Research Division
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 446
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Email:

lrbresearch@capitol.hawaii.gov

Phone: No phone calls please

NOTE: The State Recruiting Office will refer you to the Legislative Reference Bureau regarding this exempt position.