SENIOR SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR

The Office of the General Counsel provides legal counsel to the Commissioners and Administrators of both the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), and to senior Agency officials. This office provides strategic guidance on legal matters that may have a significant programmatic or fiscal impact upon the Department of Social Services (DSS/HRA/DHS).

The General Counsel is responsible for the administration of the Office of Legal Affairs, the Fair Hearing Administration, the Office of Policy, Procedures and Training and oversees the Office of Contracts and Office of Advocacy. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advisement, litigation, and contract services to DSS, HRA, and DHS’s administrative and program areas to ensure the delivery of social services consistent with the federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Under the direction of the General Counsel, the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) provides legal counsel, litigation, contract and employment law services to DSS, HRA, and DHS’s administrative and program areas to ensure the delivery of social services consistent with the federal, state and local laws and regulations.

The Special Investigations Division (SID) is recruiting (2) two Investigator Discipline II's to function as Senior Special Investigator who will:

• Conduct investigations involving interviews, computer analysis, file retrieval and evidence gathering of alleged employee misconduct such as suspicious and/or fraudulent documents submitted by employees, employee arrests, and proper utilization of leave to attend court proceedings.
• Prepare, review, evaluate and acts on all investigative reports and disciplinary recommendations submitted to Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) Employment Law Division (ELD) for administrative action.
• Organize investigative folders into categorized and chronological evidentiary packages to support disciplinary recommendations submitted to OLA.
• Testify at agency disciplinary hearings to explain evidence obtained through the course of the investigation; testifies as a representative of HRA/DSS at Conflict of Interest hearings to explain evidence presented and to substantiate actions taken by the Agency; and represents HRA/DSS at NYS Unemployment Insurance hearings to prevent the unwarranted issuance of benefits to employees terminated for egregiously violating the Agency’s Code of Conduct.
• Interview subjects of investigation to present evidence obtained, to question actions taken by said employee and to allow for an explanation to be given. Interview case complainants to determine the validity of the complaint and to obtain further details on the events being reported and interview witnesses to obtain testimony that could be used to substantiate an allegation or support a defense given by the subject of the investigation.
• Conduct covert motor vehicle surveillances of employee residences, agency work locations and/or other areas of suspected misconduct utilizing photographic and video equipment to document observations; conducts additional field work to interview staff and witnesses and to obtain photographic and/or written evidence.
• Work in close coordination with other city investigatory agencies, e.g. the Department of Investigation, NYPD, the District Attorney’s office to assist with obtaining crucial evidence to support a criminal referral. Present agency files, forensic analysis of agency databases and any other evidence obtained through the course of an investigation, i.e. photographs, video or witness statements. May also be called upon to testify at criminal proceedings.

INVESTIGATOR(DISCP)(ONLY FOR P - 06316

• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and four years of satisfactory full-time experience in one or more of the fields of accounting, auditing, correction administration, criminal justice administration and planning, forensic science, inspection, investigation, law enforcement, personnel administration, police science, and security, or in a major operational area of the agency in which the appointment is to be made; or
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above.