Company Description

At H&M, our purpose is to liberate fashion for the many. We want to shape a new world in Fashion. A world with one ultimate goal: to unleash your self-expression. As an H&M colleague, you’re encouraged to be yourself & more. You’ll take on new responsibilities from day one, learn skills for life, and find new ways to make your big dreams come true. 

 

Our company is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging, and we actively seek colleagues who share our commitment. 

Job Description

As a Labor Relations Counsel, USA-CA-PR in the HR function, your main focus will be to navigate the complex and ever-evolving landscape of employment law and labor relations. You provide legal counsel and guidance that ensures compliance within the USA-CA-PR Sales Market and Logistics. You act as a speaking partner for local Union dialogue and/or works council. Equip HR Business Line and Business Leaders with the appropriate training, tools, and access to relevant information to be proactive in managing risk and People Relation related topics/cases.​ 

This hybrid role reports into our Head of People Relations, USA-CA-PR and is based out of the New Jersey Support Office and New York City Support Office.  

A Day in the Life 

Working at H&M means no two days are ever the same, but a typical day will include the following responsibilities* 

In this role, you are responsible for leading Labor Relations and together you play a key role in managing relationships between the organization and labor unions or employee representatives  

Responsible for interpreting and applying labor laws, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, resolving disputes, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements 

Set implementation plan of new and/or updated H&M Group social policies, guidelines or framework 

Decide on local people relations plans and prios aligned with global strategy and prios and decide on local legally needed adaptations of policies and standards 

Give strategic and operational advice to local management and HR team 

Stay current with federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations 

Ensure organizational practices are in compliance with legal requirements and collective bargaining agreements 

Govern and follow up on compliance and proactively address identified risks through strategic planning and mitigation efforts, minimizing the organization's exposure to compliance-related challenges 

Secure that Managers are fully aware of their responsibilities and have a proactive internal dialogue  

Ensure local grievance process that is in line with the Global grievance policy and handle grievance investigations 

Assist with the management of outside labor counsel and relevant vendor relationships  

Ensure the respect for freedom of associations for all colleagues connected to our business 

Create a trustful relationship with employee representatives 

Expectation to contribute to the People Relations Network​ 

Domestic and occasional international travel required 

 

Qualifications

Who You Are:  

Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school preferred 

Previous first chair or extensive second chair experience 

At least 5 years of experience in labor law, collective bargaining, and employment law 

Strong negotiation skills 

In-depth knowledge of labor laws, regulations, and collective bargaining principles 

 

Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

Additional Information

Why You’ll Love Working at H&M 

We value diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, and disability 

We pride ourselves on being a values-driven organization, guided by our 7 unique values that have been part of our success story for over 75 years 

You’ll have access to our Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs) to find community and networking opportunities among colleagues 

We are an inclusive company where you’re encouraged to be yourself at work 

You will have access to a large global talent community, where career growth and aspirations have no limits 

We believe in supporting your overall wellbeing and offer comprehensive benefits inclusive of health insurance, wellness and family support programs, company match  401k, paid leave programs, and paid time off, including a community day to serve your local community 

You’ll be able to express your personal style with our employee discount at H&M, & Other Stories, and COS 

 

Compensation: salary range is $ 145,954 - $ 190,000 annually** 

*This job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, and responsibilities assigned for this job at the company’s discretion. 

**H&M, in good faith, has assessed this posted range of compensation as the accurate range for this role and location at the time of this posting. H&M may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range depending on candidate qualifications. This range may be modified in the future. 

EEOC Code: PRO