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Recent Graduate - Workers' Compensation Claims Examiner

Department of Labor
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Academic transcript or other official documentation from the qualifying educational institution showing that you meet the eligibility requirements for a Recent Graduate appointment, is required before the close of this announcement. Please read the announcement in it's entirety to confirm the documentation needed.

Failure to submit a copy of all college transcripts, certificate(s) and/or any other eligibility documents will result in your application being rated ineligible/incomplete.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/31/2021 to 04/14/2021
Salary
$48,641 to - $80,263 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 09
Locations
MANY vacancies in the following locations:
Boston, MA
FEW vacancies
New York, NY
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - For training purposes, or outreach events.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor’s recommendation to the next grade.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PW-21-PHIL-OWCP-0003
Control number
596911300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Eligible recent graduates from qualifying educational institutions. Refer to "Qualifications and Evaluations" section for more information. *Note: Students who are expected to graduate within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement may apply. Also advertised as job #MS-21-PHIL-OWCP-0063 for status applicants; DE-21-PHIL-OWCP-0035 for non-status applicants; to be considered for each, apply to ALL jobs.

Duties

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These positions are located within the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), Division of Federal Employees’, Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation (DFELHWC) and can be filled in any of the following locations:

New York, New York

Boston, Massachusetts 

Applicants should apply to the location(s) they are able to regularly report to. Location will be determined once selection(s) is made. Salary posted reflects pay range for all locations. Once the selection has been made, the salary will be set in accordance with the selectee's location.

The Federal Employees' Compensation Program adjudicates new claims for benefits and manages ongoing cases; pays medical expenses and compensation benefits to injured workers and survivors; and helps injured employees return to work when they are medically able to do so. The district office is responsible for injury reports and claims processing functions leading to the amicable resolution of claims for compensation and medical benefits issues arising under the provision of the FECA and its extensions. 

This position is inside the bargaining unit.

Selections can be made at any advertised grade(s).

Additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement.

Relocation/PCS funds are not available.

Duties:

If selected for this position, you will be responsible for adjudicating and authorizing for payment the full range of disability and death claims under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. Claims are assigned on an unscreened basis, and the incumbent operates with considerable freedom from supervision.

Independently adjudicates and authorizes for payment the full range of disability and death cases under the FECA. Examines injury, disease and death cases for factual sufficiency and legal correctness. Identifies candidates for rehabilitation and work with rehabilitation specialist in efforts to return claimant to gainful employment. Arranges for examination of the claimant to obtain evidence as to whether the disfigurement is of a permanent nature. Receives and evaluates all medical evidence, reports and medical documents. Develop facts and evidence for evaluating conflicting statements or allegations.

Makes determination for cases involving highly controversial medical and factual issues. Determined the pay rate to be used for compensation purposes, authorizes payment, secures necessary documentation in instances involving dual benefits, periodically reviews earnings and makes appropriate adjustments of compensation, guards against false claims. Examines injury and disease claims to determine any wage earning capacity loss. Responsible for making determinations in cases involving an overpayment of compensation.

*At the GS-07 and GS-09 assignments are developmental; as the incumbent progresses, the assignments become more difficult and complex at the GS-11 and GS-12 full journeyman. 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Time spent in program constitutes a trial period
  • Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

This is an appointment under the DOL Recent Graduates program. The program duration is one year. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.

Appointee must sign a DOL Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement.

The entire duration of the Recent Graduate Appointment constitutes a trial period.

Appointee must be a U.S. citizen in order to be eligible for conversion to a permanent position in the competitive service upon completion of the program.

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements.  Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

Qualifications

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

GS-07: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, 05, in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include:

  1. Receiving and evaluating claims forms, evidence of employment, medical reports and supporting medical documents for completeness;
  2. Utilizing automated systems to enter claims, adjudication and compensation information and create payments;
  3. Writing correspondence of a business nature to claimants, doctors, employers, representatives, other government agencies, etc., seeking information.

Or

1 full year of graduate level education or Superior Academic Achievement (more information regarding S.A.A. can be found here under “Application of Qualification Standards/4;b;f)

Or

A combination of education and experience.

GS-09: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, 07, in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is demonstrating knowledge of medical terms and findings to evaluate pertinent medical facts and evidence from medical reports and diagnostic tests and studies, and to apply and interpret laws, regulations, policies, precedents, and other criteria for disability and death cases. Examples of specialized experience include:

  1. Adjudicating a broad range of disability and death claims;
  2. Determining the pay rate to be used for compensation purposes, authorizing and setting up monetary compensation payments;
  3. Making determinations on nonmedical and/or medical issues;
  4. Receiving and evaluating medical evidence, reports and medical documents for factual and legal correctness;
  5. Utilizing automated systems to enter, update and finalize claims, adjudication and compensation information and set up payments.

Or

Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related

Or

A combination of experience and related graduate education.

*The foregoing may have been gained from: (1) experience in a Federal or State disability, death, workers' compensation, pension, or other similar program; (2) practice of law which included cases related to such programs or (3) experience in an insurance company administering and adjudicating claims under similar programs.

Combining Education and Experience

An equivalent combination of successfully completed related undergraduate (GS-07) and graduate (GS-07, GS-09) level education and specialized experience as described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement, can be used to meet the total experience requirements for this position. For more information please click here (Application of Qualification Standard/Option 5).

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

Education

To be eligible for an appointment, you must meet the requirement A or B:

A. Completed all requirements for Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Professional, Doctorate, Vocational, or Technical Degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years;

or

B. Was released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years, where the applicant is a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying for a recent graduate position during any portion of the two-year eligibility period following completion of his/her degree or certificate requirements, provided that not more than six years have transpired since the applicant completed the requirements for a degree or certificate.

You must submit an academic transcript from your academic institution showing the date that you most recently completed the academic requirements described above. See the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. To use your education as a basis for meeting the Minimum Qualification Requirements (MQR) for this position, you must submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements. If specific course work is required to fulfill the MQR, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken to receive credit for that course work. See the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section of this announcement for more details.

If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation demonstrating that you meet the eligibility and MQR for this position, your application will be deemed incomplete & any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information or you will be ineligible for further consideration.

Additional information

DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) who are placed into Category B or higher will be considered "well-qualified." Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation. 

How you will be evaluated

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

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be evaluated against the evaluation factors below and will be placed into a category based on your vacancy question responses.

Categories

Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.

Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.

Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualifications requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

Technical - uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to independently receive, examine, and adjudicate complex and controversial claims cases and to authorize payments for the most complex disability and death cases.

Written Communication - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, fact, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Legal, Government and Jurisprudence - Knowledge and application of the laws, regulations, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, government organization and functions.

Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles or relationships that explain facts, data or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

The information you provide on your resume may be verified by a review of your work experience, employment start/end dates/hours worked and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the vacancy questions. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume. Your evaluation may also include a review by a Human Resources Specialist or panel and may include other assessments (ex. interview, panel review, written test, writing sample, etc.)

Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.


To preview questions please click here.

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