Labor Relations and Risk Management

Raquel Elejabarrieta , Esq.
Director of Labor Relations and Risk Management

Ms. Elejabarrieta is the City of Coral Gables’ Director of Labor Relations and Risk Management where she is responsible for: employee relations; labor relations; negotiating, administering and interpreting the City’s collective bargaining agreements with the City’s three unions; risk management; and workers compensation. She also serves as the City Attorney’s Special Counsel for labor issues and the City’s ADA Coordinator. With more than 15 years in the profession, Ms. Elejabarrieta brings to the City tremendous expertise and knowledge in these areas.

Prior to joining the City beautiful, Ms. Elejabarrieta was the Director of Labor Relations & Risk Management for the City of Hollywood where she was responsible for all matters concerning labor relations and risk management, including negotiating and interpreting Hollywood’s collective bargaining agreements with three unions and five bargaining units. She also worked for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius as a Labor and Employment Attorney and then with Weiss Serota Helfman Cole& Bierman for 11 years. At Weiss Serota, she successfully represented several cities on complex employment matters, collective bargaining negotiations, labor impasse hearings, unfair labor practice proceedings and labor arbitrations.

Ms. Elejabarrieta received her Bachelor of Business Administration from FIU’s College of Business Administration and her Law Degree magma cum laude from the University of Miami.

Labor Relations Responsibilities and Services

The mission of Labor Relations is to create and promote a work environment that fosters a positive and effective relationship between labor and management. This Office serves as the City’s point office on all matters concerning labor relations and is responsible for:

• Negotiating, administering and interpreting the City’s collective bargaining agreements with the City’s three recognized employee organizations covering approximately 600 employees:

  • Fraternal Order of Police, Coral Gables, Lodge Number 7, who represents the City’s police officers ;
  • International Associations of Firefighters, Local 1210, who represents the City's firefighters
  • Teamsters, Local Union 769, who represents the City’s general employees.

• Providing advice and counsel to management on labor matters, including performance management, progressive discipline and grievance and dispute resolution procedures.

• Settling disputes that arise through the misapplication of work rules, policies and procedures.

• Promoting goodwill, co-operation, and the general wellbeing of all employees.

Risk Management Responsibilities and Services

The mission of Risk Management is to provide a safe environment for its employees and the public it serves. This Office is responsible for mitigating the City's exposure to risk by managing the city's self-insurance program, purchasing insurance to protect its assets, actively managing liability and workers' compensation claims filed against the City, and implementing safety and loss control programs. To that end, this Office:

• Administers property, general liability and workers' compensation claims;
• Promotes safety programs for City Employees, which helps minimize injury claims and ensure public safety by regularly conducting safety inspections, safety committee meetings, and training sessions;
• Assist City departments with matters relating to insurance and risk analysis; and
• Ensures that all vendors who provide services for the City have appropriate insurance coverage.

Contact us:
Phone: 305-722-8686
City of Coral Gables
Office Labor Relations & Risk Management
2801 Salzedo Street
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Email: laborrelations@coralgables.com

Hours of Operation:
Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed holidays and weekends.