Employment Counsel

Job Duties

Join the world's largest HVAC company, named by Forbes as one of America's Best-In-State Employers 2025!

The Employment Counsel will provide legal guidance and strategic support on employment law matters, including investigations, litigation, compliance, and workforce initiatives across the organization. With limited supervision, you will manage a diverse portfolio of employment law issues, assess legal risk, develop resolution strategies, oversee outside counsel, and partner closely with HR and business leaders to ensure consistent, compliant employment practices and mitigate organizational risk.

Location:Plymouth, MN - Hybrid

Your Responsibilities:

Legal Operations, Technology & System Administration, Data Management

Employee Relations Leadership- provide strategic counsel to HR and business leaders on performance management, discipline, accommodations, leave matters, and other sensitive employee-relation issues; conduct and oversee workplace investigations withappropriate escalation, documentation, and risk evaluation

Litigation and High-Risk Matter Oversight- Manage employment litigation, administrative agency matters, and pre-litigation disputes; manage outside counsel; develop settlement strategies; and guide escalation for issues with significant legal or business impact

Risk Insights and Analytics- Assess employment law risk,identifytrends in employee relations matters, and deliver proactive mitigation strategies; develop and analyze metrics on claims, investigations, and litigation to inform risk,resourcingand policy decisions

Compliance and Documentation Management- Monitor changes in employment and related regulatory requirements (including wage/hour, leave, accommodations, and immigration compliance where applicable) and ensuretimelyupdates to policies, practices, and documents tomaintainorganizational compliance

Workforce Strategy Support -Partner with HR and leadership on restructurings, RIFs, and organizational changes, ensuring legally compliant processes and consistent application of employment practices

Training and Preventive Compliance- Design and deliver targeted training programs for HR and business leaders on key employment law topics (e.g., investigations, accommodations, performance management, and risk mitigation); evaluate training effectiveness and adjust based on trends, claims, and investigation data

Policy Development and Standardization -Develop, harmonize, and implement employment policies, procedures, and templates across business units and entities to ensure consistency, scalability, and legal compliance

Investigations Governance- Establish and maintain investigation protocols, documentation standards, escalation frameworks, and quality controls to ensure consistent, defensible handling of employee relations matters

Outside Counsel and Legal Operations Management- Oversee outside counsel performance, budgeting, and matter strategy; leverage matter management and e-billing systems tomonitorspend, track outcomes, and improve efficiency

Cross-functional Responsibilities:Provide limited support to the litigation and disputes team

YourQualifications:

Juris Doctor, from an accredited law school and admission into the State Bar of Minnesota; Active bar membership in at least one USjurisdiction

6+years of experienceadvising on multi-state employment law matters

Deep knowledge of employment litigation, agency proceedings, and federal, state, and local employment laws

Proven ability to manage employment related litigation, oversee outside counsel, and control legal spend

Strong capability in issue spotting, evaluating legal risk, and delivering practical,business orientedsolutions

Skilled in conducting and overseeing sensitive workplace investigations with discretion and sound judgement

Proficient in drafting and reviewing agreements, policies, template, and other employment related documents

Communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-legal and senior stakeholders, exceptionalverbaland written communication skills

Manage multiple priorities, exercises independent decision making and leads high visibility or high-risk matters

Build strong, collaborative relationships with HR, business leaders, and cross functional team

Strong skills in Microsoft office 365 and Adobe, with familiarity in e-billing and matter management systems

Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment while providing practical, solution-oriented guidance

Experience supporting large, multi-state or national employers; manufacturing or industrial environment is a plus, with strong familiarity across high-riskjurisdictionssuch as California and Canada(preferred)

Background in advising in-house on employment matters, including M&A, restructurings, reduction in force, and other workforce transactions(preferred)

Skilled in using metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools toidentifytrends, guide strategy, and mitigate legal exposure(preferred)

Proven ability to advise senior leaders on sensitive, high-impact issues and to design, standardize, and implement employment policies and process across diverse business units(preferred)

Your Benefits:

Daikin Applied offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

Multiple medical insurance plan options + dental and vision insurance

401K retirement plan with employer match

Paid time off andcompany-paidholidays

Paid sick timein accordance withthe federal,stateand local law

Tuition Reimbursement after 6 months of continuous service

Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position

The typical annual base salary for this position ranges from $126,100 - $221,900+ 25%-30% bonus inMinnesota. The range displayedrepresentsthe pay range for all positions in the job grade in which this position falls. Individual base pay will depend on a wide range of factors,including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

If you're looking for an engaging career with growth opportunities in a supportive environment, you'll love a career at Daikin Applied!

Equal Opportunity Employment: It is the policy of Daikin Applied to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, gender identification, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, marital status, membership or activity in a local commission, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Minimum Education Required

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Minimum Experience Required

1 - 6 years

Shift

First (Day)

Number of Openings

1

Public Transportation Accessible

Yes

Veterans Encouraged to Apply

No

Physical Required

Yes

Drug Test Required

Yes

Compensation

$11.41 / Hourly

Postal Code

55441

Job Type

Full Time

Place of Work

On-site

Requisition ID

R003436

Job Benefits

Not specified