Exam Bulletin - Labor Relations Manager I

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1822

Examination Plans Included:

  • LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I: $8,215.00 - $9,331.00 per Month

View the LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed examination. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation, your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the examination until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1822

For LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01822

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00109537 - LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I

Either 1

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties equivalent to those of a Labor Relations Specialist.

Or 2

Four years of responsible analytical experience in one or a combination of the following types of employer-employee relations work:

1. Resolution of grievances arising under labor agreements; or

2. Negotiation or preparation of labor agreements; or

3. Conciliation, mediation, or arbitration of labor disputes; or

4. Consultation, meet and confer, and resolution of conflict in public sector employer-employee relations; or

5. Administration or investigation and settlement of violation complaints in regard to State or Federal labor management relations laws.

And

Education: Equivalent to graduation from a recognized four-year accredited college or university. (Qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

(Either 18 quarter units or 12 semester units from an accredited college level labor relations curriculum, or 45 quarter units or 30 semester units of graduate work in public administration, industrial relations, psychology, law, political science, or a closely related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.)

Position Description

00109537 - LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I

This is the full supervisory level over technical staff performing labor relations work. Positions at the Manager I level have supervisory/managerial responsibility for very complex labor relations programs, working under conditions of very high independence. Incumbents normally supervise a small technical staff within a highly complex labor relations office. Positions may be allocated in departments with labor relations programs that are equivalent in complexity and responsibility of a large department.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. General principles, practices, and trends of labor-management relations, public administration, human resources, or business administration
  2. Research and data collection techniques
  3. Communication techniques for gathering, evaluating, and transmitting information
  4. English language such as proper punctuation, grammar, the meaning and spelling of words, pronunciation of words, and rules of composition in order to effectively communicate in writing and verbally to others
  5. The collective bargaining process in the private or public sectors
  6. Principles of management rights, representation rights, and unfair practices
  7. State and Federal labor law applicable to the public sector
  8. The principles and scope of collective bargaining
  9. Standard negotiating strategies, tactics, and impasse procedures
  10. Grievance handling procedures
  11. Data sources pertaining to public sector employer-employee relations
  12. The personnel management system of the State
  13. Patterns in public negotiations and arbitration decisions
  14. Administrative procedures and practices for processing grievances up to and including arbitration
  15. The principles of supervision and training
  16. A manager’s/supervisor’s responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment which is free of discrimination and harassment
Ability to:
  1. Work effectively with all levels of management
  2. Interpret and apply labor law and labor agreement provisions
  3. Develop training programs in employer-employee relations for management
  4. Obtain, analyze, evaluate, and apply data such as labor statistics and cost figures
  5. Research and write reports
  6. Communicate effectively
  7. Use good judgment and make sound decisions in critical situations
  8. Handle stressful or sensitive situations with tact and labor-management diplomacy
  9. Supervise, train, and evaluate staff, maintain consistency and obtain program objectives
  10. Coordinate employer-employee relations activities between departments, employee organizations, and the management team
  11. Address large groups clearly and concisely
  12. Work cooperatively and maintain control when meeting with organizations, sometimes under severe emotional pressure and after long hours of negotiations
  13. Effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the LABOR RELATIONS MANAGER I Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Labor Relations Manager I Training and Experience Examination Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. Possession of specific education is not required to be successful in this examination; however, such achievements may substitute for desirable levels of experience. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

Tasks
  1. Providing recommendations, advice, and direction to relevant parties regarding employee labor complaints/grievances, responses, interpretation, and application of the provisions within Memorandum of Understanding/labor agreements.
  2. Providing advice to stakeholders regarding the development of policies that impact the labor force in order to avoid legal complications.
  3. Reviewing, researching, and analyzing employee labor complaints/grievances to determine merit, and to offer resolution and/or potential settlement.
  4. Preparing written employee labor complaints/grievances and/or responses to such complaints/grievances in compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding/labor agreement.
  5. Facilitating meetings with management teams to communicate an understanding or reach a consensus regarding labor issues.
  6. Determining when to issue notices to employee organizations regarding impact of program changes on wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
  7. Researching, interpreting, and applying regulations and policies in State law to ensure appropriate compliance.
  8. Serving as a negotiator to resolve labor relations issues for management, employees, and union representatives.
  9. Facilitating labor management meetings to discuss and/or resolve labor issues.
  10. Serve as a representative in various settings (e.g., contract negotiations, impact negotiations, unfair labor practice hearings, arbitrations, mediations, civil service hearings, grievance conferences, meetings) to protect employer or employee interests, and to resolve confidential and sensitive employment issues.
  11. Training managers, supervisors, and confidential employees on areas of labor relations (e.g., contract administration, grievance handling, arbitration, unfair labor practices, impact bargaining, working with job stewards, basic/advanced supervision) to provide consistency in the application of labor agreement provisions and labor relations policy.
  12. Evaluating staff job performance, identifying training needs, and providing guidance that promotes professional development.

Testing Departments

  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

State of California
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

State of California reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)