Legal/Contract Secretary

Requirements

MOS Code: None

Education and Experience : A High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED), or higher and five (5) years of progressively responsible office support experience.

Licenses and Certificates : Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent from another state.

General Purpose

Under general supervision, perform various responsible legal secretarial duties or coordination of citywide contractual services and provide administrative support, depending on area of assignment.

Typical Duties

Perform a variety of legal secretarial duties. Involves: Compose and type memoranda, correspondence, contracts, subpoenas, motions, reports and related legal materials from rough copy, sound/transcription recordings or other sources for review, approval, use or signature by attorneys. Take and transcribe dictation and minutes. Prepare a variety of general, legal and technical documents of a highly confidential or critical nature, including legal instruments and court pleadings. Research information and gather materials from diverse sources, including those for litigation, agenda items, articles, speeches and reports, as requested. Prepare ordinances and resolutions for City Council. Compile, verify and prepare reports, and file documents and pleadings with courts. Establish and maintain filing systems. Maintain confidentiality of sensitive documents and records. Notarize documents as required. Screen callers and visitors and respond in a courteous manner. Schedule and maintain appointments for supervisors. Make travel arrangements and prepare itineraries. Operate standard and specialized equipment as necessary.

Process, advise and coordinate City-wide service contracts and process information requests. Involves: Advise and consult with department heads, Legal department, City Manager, Mayor and Council and City management staff on the criteria for contracts and recommend alternative forms for obtaining personnel as necessary. Receive and review contractual requests for personal, professional, independent and cooperative education/internship services. Ensure all relevant information is included, request missing information, prepare contract request forms, obtain signatures and disseminate to appropriate parties for placement on Civil Service Commission and Council agenda. Ensure placement of items on Council agenda in accordance with timelines. Review resolutions and ordinances and compose language for placement on Council agenda.

Perform responsible department administrative duties to assist in ensuring requests for action or information are met. Involves: Log incoming and outgoing correspondence, and sort and distribute mail. Respond and follow up on public inquiries, litigation matters, open record requests or complaints, or refer them to the appropriate person. Contact staff, officials, other City employees and outside organizations to obtain and provide information. Provide information concerning department policies, practices, procedures and activities. Calculate and provide costs for assembly and duplication of requested documents. Arrange time and place for board, committee, staff meetings or conferences. Notify members of upcoming meetings. Prepare, post and distribute agenda and related materials. Take and transcribe minutes of board, committee and staff meetings. Maintain attendance logs. Prepare and submit invoices as assigned.

Perform related incidental duties contributing to realization of unit or team objectives as required. Includes: Substitute for coworkers, as qualified, to maintain continuity of ordinary operation, if delegated. Provide designated support for projects or activities of others, as instructed. Explain and demonstrate work performed to assist supervisor in training less knowledgeable employees. Comply with safety regulations and maintain materials and supplies.

General Information

For complete job specification, click here .

Important Note: The required Supplemental Questions and answers are considered an examination component and will generate a score.

Applicants are being tested on a conditional basis pending a review of minimum qualifications. Applications will be reviewed for applicants who pass the Supplemental Questions exam.

Per CSC Rules & Regulations, after review of the minimum qualifications for applicants that pass the Supplemental Questions exam, a passing score, combined with applicable seniority points and veteran points, will be used to create a list of candidates.

Note: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. This position will close when a preset number of qualified applications have been received.

Note: Some positions require the ability to type at least 50 words per minute (wpm).

If the position requires the ability to type at least 50 wpm, candidates must provide an official typing test verifying the ability to type at least 50 wpm within three (3) working days of being contacted with a job offer. Typing tests completed within two (2) years from the date of the job offer will be accepted.

The City of El Paso Human Resources Department located at City Hall, 300 North Campbell, offers typing tests by appointment. Appointments are given in thirty-minute intervals. Candidates must present a picture ID to take the typing test. Candidates may schedule an appointment by calling (915) 212-0045.

Candidates may also contact the Ysleta Independent School District, El Paso Community College, Texas Workforce Commission, and Workforce Solutions Borderplex directly to arrange for a typing test. The typing test must be on official company letterhead and state the gross words per minute, accuracy and net words per minute.

A résumé and/or other documents will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Comments such as “See résumé” are not acceptable and will result in the application being considered incomplete.

To qualify for this position, required education, experience, knowledge and skills must be clearly stated on your application’s employment history. We do not use any information on your resume to review if you meet the minimum qualifications for this position.

Failure to fully detail all experience and job duties in the application, or copying/pasting directly from the job specification, or responses referring to your résumé will eliminate you from consideration for the position.

Benefits

LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE

The City of El Paso is a self-insured entity with a third-party administrator for Medical and Pharmacy benefits. Basic Life Insurance Coverage is available at no cost to eligible employees. Additional Life Insurance and coverage for your dependents are also available.

Employees can select optional Dental, Vision, and Short Term Disability coverage. Employees also have the option to participate in a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account (healthcare and/or dependent care for daycare expenses). All of these insurance and coverage options can be configured within a month of your new employee orientation date.

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with access to mental health sessions, therapy, and more is available at no cost. A trained counselors are also available to help you and your dependents cope with life’s stressors so that you can live a happy productive lifestyle.

The City’s Wellness Program seeks to promote better health and wellness amongst the workforce through various programs and incentives in which employees may choose to participate in, to include wellness education, fitness tests, biometric screenings, group fitness, health coaching and so much more!

Keep Learning, Growing & Reinventing Yourself! The City of El Paso's Tuition Assistance Program encourages employee personal and professional development by sharing educational costs with those employees who have successfully completed their original probation, and in turn retain a skillful workforce. Each year, employees can obtain Tuition Assistance for Degree, Certifications, Continuing Education, and Books & Equipment.

ELIGIBILITY FOR VACATION LEAVE

All regular employees who are regularly scheduled to work on an average, a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, who have held a position in the City Service for a period of six months from date of employment, shall be eligible for vacation allowance as hereinafter set forth. Part-time employees shall accrue vacation leave at a pro-rated amount of full-time entitlement based on the number of hours that they are scheduled to work. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements shall accrue vacation as provided in the applicable agreement.

For 0 - 5 Years Of Service (12 Days)

Regular employees in the City Service shall accrue vacation credit at the following rates per pay period, calculated from the date of employment of each employee:

40 hour per week employees - 3.70 hours per biweekly pay period

For >5 to 15 years of service (17 days):

40 hour per week employees - 5.24 hours per biweekly pay period

For >15 or more years of service (20 days):

40 hour per week employees - 6.16 hours per biweekly pay period

SICK LEAVE WITH PAY

Employees shall be entitled to accrue sick leave with pay in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Service Commission.

ACCIDENT WITH PAY LEAVE

The Amended Section 4.4 of the Ordinance shall become effective upon adoption and shall apply to occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring on and after date of adoption. Occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring before such date will be governed by the Ordinance in effect at the time of the date of injury or disease.

PREGNANCY LEAVE

• Pregnancy shall be treated the same as any other temporary physical disability.
• An employee on pregnancy leave shall use accumulated and unused regular sick leave time and then (unless granted use of special sick leave) shall be on leave without pay, unless the employee chooses to use any accumulated and unused annual leave.
• An employee going on pregnancy leave shall give written notice to her department head with appropriate medical verification. Before returning to work from pregnancy leave, the individual will provide appropriate medical documentation releasing the employee to return to work, as is required for any individual who has been on leave for a temporary physical disability.
  
  

LEGAL HOLIDAYS

The following days are hereby declared legal holidays for all the City departments, provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to members of the Fire Department whose duties are to prevent or extinguish fires, or to members of the Police Department whose duties are those of law enforcement: (Amended 10/03/95)

• First day of January (New Year's Day)
• Third Monday in January (Martin Luther King Holiday)
• Thirty-first day in March (Cesar Chavez Day)
• Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
• June 19 (Juneteenth)
• Fourth day of July (Independence Day)
• First Monday in September (Labor Day)
• Eleventh Day in November (Veteran's Day)
• Fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day)
• The Friday following the fourth Thursday in November (Day after Thanksgiving)
• Twenty-fifth Day in December (Christmas Day)
• Employee's Birthday
  
  

In addition to the above days, the following days are also declared to be legal holidays: 1. Any day designated as a holiday by City Council. 2. When any legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be considered a legal holiday. 3. When any legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the following business day shall be considered a legal holiday.

Closing Date/Time: 12/6/2024 5:00 PM Mountain