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Legal Administrative Specialist (Benefit Authorizer)

Social Security Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Reduced to current permanent SSA employees in the Office of Central Operations, Wilkes-Barre Direct Operations Center, and employees filing under the SSA-4100 provision.

The SSA-4100 provision applies to employees whose permanent or temporary duty station is outside of the area of consideration listed above.

Employees who currently have an Availability for Assignment form (SSA-4100) on file will not be automatically considered for this position. Employees applying under the 4100 process must complete the electronic filing procedures listed in the How to Apply section.

Applications for noncompetitive consideration will be accepted from SSA employees in the area of consideration who are currently serving under the following types of appointments:

  • Schedule A, Reg. 213.3102 (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities;
  • Veterans Recruitment Appointments ; and
  • Employees serving under time limited appointments for veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement if you are interested in noncompetitive consideration under the above appointments.

Applicants serving under these provisions do not need to submit copies of your disability or Veteran's documentation. However, you must submit a current SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired. Otherwise, you will not receive non-competitive consideration.

NOTE:
Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration.

LOCATION: This position is located in the Office of Central Operations (OCO), Office of Disability Operations (ODO), Wilkes Barre Direct Operations Center (WBDOC), 1150 Mountain Dr., Wilkes Barre, PA 18702

TOUR OF DUTY: Full-time. Monday through Friday - 8 hours per day.
Note: There will be a fixed shift while in classroom training, 7:45 AM to 4:15 PM. Flextime and alternate work schedules may be available after classroom training is completed.

TRAINING: Candidates selected for this position will be required to attend classroom training that lasts approximately 10 months. During training, employees will be required to work a fixed shift.

TYPE OF POSITION: This position is being filled on a permanent basis.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/27/2017 to 12/18/2017
Salary
$40,684 to - $64,697 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
15 vacancies in the following location:
Wilkes Barre, PA
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
SW-18-10083950-WB-1388
Control number
485210700

This job is open to

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Duties

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The position description numbers for this position are 1E154A and 1E1540. A summary of the major duties are listed below. You may also view the full position description on the Agency intranet at the following link: PD Search

This is a developmental position leading to the full performance level of GS-9. Closer supervision and technical guidance and/or on-the-job training are provided. Duties are gradually broadened so the incumbent is eventually performing all of the duties of the full performance level, position description number 1E1540.

At the full performance level, the incumbent makes final determinations on the full range of post-adjudicative actions, entitlement and non-entitlement to benefits, continuing entitlement to benefits, and the payment amounts thereof. Adjusts established benefits and effectuates payments through the system or Single Payment System (SPS). Initiates and responds to written contacts and/or telephone contacts, to resolve issues or discrepancies and/or explain or obtain information pertaining to various aspects of the Titles II, XVI and XVIII of the Social Security Act.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • All application materials must be received by the closing date.
  • Applicants must be in good standing.
  • Applicants must have a fully successful rating of record.
  • Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
  • Requests for copies of application documents will not be accepted.
  • All application forms submitted become the property of SSA Human Resources.

Applicants will rated using a 100-point scale and evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Experience Assessment: 50 points
  • Performance Appraisal: 35 points
  • Awards: 10 points
  • Career Achievements: 5 points
The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to perform the duties of the position:
  • Ability to research and analyze data, draw conclusions and take appropriate action.
  • Ability to interpret and apply procedures.
  • Ability to organize and convey information in writing.
  • Ability to communicate orally and to obtain, provide and clarify information.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.Specialized experience is experience in or directly related to the work of the position to be filled which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledges, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience are:

For the GS-7: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include assisting individuals in filing applications for financial assistance, unemployment, Veterans benefits, insurance benefits, health benefits and/or social service programs; developing, processing, or authorizing claims; explaining benefit related programs to the general public and providing information through the media; or evaluating benefit program policies, procedures and guidelines.

For the GS-9: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-7 level. Examples of specialized experience include assisting individuals in establishing their entitlement to receive benefits; adjudicating or investigating claims; or evaluating benefit programs to assess the integrity and quality of operations.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

GS-7: Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-05.
GS-9: Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-07.

Time in grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

For GS-7: Successful completion of at least one academic year of graduate education in a field that is directly related to the position or superior academic achievement.

For GS-9: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successful completion of at least two academic years of progressively higher graduate education in a field that is directly related to the position, or LL.B. or J.D. in a field that is directly related to the position.

Combining Education and Experience: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements. Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at the GS-9 grade level.

Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school you attended has determined to represent one year of study. If this information cannot be obtained from your school, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time study. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.

Additional information

Position to be filled under the provisions of the SSA/AFGE Merit Promotion Plan. Additional selections may be made within 3 months of the date of the initial selection.

LOCALITY PAY: Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Candidates currently receiving a higher locality pay than the office applied for are advised that should they be selected, they will lose entitlement to the higher locality pay.

OTHER NOTES:

This position is a career ladder leading to GS-09.

TRAINING: Candidates selected for this position will be required to attend a training class.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will be assessed using the rating criteria listed in the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10083950

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