The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is seeking applicants to provide supervision to Workers Compensation judges and to serve as a Workers Compensation Judge.

OAH is Minnesota’s centralized administrative court. Created by the legislature within the executive branch, OAH provides fair and impartial trial-level hearings involving challenges to government action and workers’ compensation benefits.

Decisions in our Workers’ Compensation Division are subject to review only by appeal to the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals and by the Minnesota Supreme Court by writ of certiorari.

Core Responsibilities:

• Perform all supervisory functions related to workers’ compensation judges.
• Work cooperatively with OAH leadership to continuously improve and maintain efficiency and quality across court operations.
• Serve as a workers’ compensation judge. Fairly and impartially resolve disputed claims and issues by conducting settlement conferences, administrative conferences and hearings.
• Rule on procedural and evidentiary issues, determine admissibility of evidence and credibility of witnesses, interpret questions of law and fact, and issue decisions determining entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits in accordance with applicable law.
• Maintain expertise in workers’ compensation law, rules of evidence and judicial procedures.
• Maintain license to practice law in the State of Minnesota.

Minimum Qualifications

IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSTING: Applicants MUST submit via email to Jill.S.Melzarek@state.mn.us, fax at 651-539-0306 or mail to Jill Melzarek, Human Resources Director, Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O. Box 64620, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0620 a legal writing sample of no more than eight (8) pages in length. All documents required MUST be received no later than the close of this posting.

LICENSURE:

• Current licensure in good standing to practice law in the State of Minnesota.
• Must have a Juris Doctorate (J.D.).

EXPERIENCE:

• At least five (5) years of full-time experience as a judge, mediator or attorney with at least three (3) years of that experience devoted to workers’ compensation.

ABILITY TO:

• Supervise, plan, motivate and provide leadership to judges within the work unit.
• Work collaboratively across diverse teams.
• Act in accordance with the Code of Judicial Conduct and applicable statutory codes of ethics.
• Reseach, understand, interpret, apply and explain relevant law in complex legal and factual settings.
• Conduct fair and impartial hearings in complex, adversarial cases in accordance with governing laws and rules.
• Resolve issues of law and fact based upon the application of sound, supported legal reasoning to facts based upon evidence in the hearing record.
• Engage in clear, respectful oral communication.
• Prepare clear, conside and easily understandable written decisions and orders.
• Establish and maintain effective and respectful relationships with diverse people, including OAH employees, members of the judiciary and legal professions, employees, employers, insurers, medical providers and third-party administrators.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) years of supervisory experience. Supervisory experience should cover multiple areas such as: selecting, orienting and training employees; coaching, counseling and performance managing employees; planning, monitoring and appraising job results.
• Arbitration or mediation training and certification.

Additional Requirements

It is the policy of the Office of Administrative Hearings that all employees submit to a background investigation prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components:

• SEMA4 Records Check (applies to current and past state employees only)
• Criminal History Check
• Employment Reference Check
• Court Records Check

How to Apply

Click “Apply” at the bottom of the following page, https://careers.mn.gov/psp/hcm92apc/MNCAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1001&JobOpeningId=36723&PostingSeq=1&languageCd=ENG. If you have questions about applying for jobs, contact the job information line at 651-259-3637.

For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.