The DOL's Office of the Solicitor is seeking a dynamic HR Specialist to join our team providing a full range of personnel services to SOL management and staff, focusing on benefits and pay, including retirement. The selectee will also support staffing, recruitment, labor-employee relations, classification, personnel processing, and other HR areas. This position offers an opportunity to work in a small HR Office, servicing both competitive and excepted service, with potential for advancement.
Summary
The DOL's Office of the Solicitor is seeking a dynamic HR Specialist to join our team providing a full range of personnel services to SOL management and staff, focusing on benefits and pay, including retirement. The selectee will also support staffing, recruitment, labor-employee relations, classification, personnel processing, and other HR areas. This position offers an opportunity to work in a small HR Office, servicing both competitive and excepted service, with potential for advancement.
13 - 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.
Current/former Federal employees w/ competitive/reinstatement eligibility; ICTAP/CTAP eligibles in local commuting area; Veterans' Employment Opportunity Act eligibles; individuals eligible for these non-competitive authorities 30% or > compensable disabled vets; individuals w/disabilities; present/former Peace Corps (PC) personnel & former PC volunteers.
Are you a Human Resources professional with strong technical, analytical and communication skills, coupled with a strong customer service orientation? If so, this may be the job for you.
The Office of the Solicitor is seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Human Resources Specialist to work in the Human Resources Office (HRO), Division of Management and Administrative Legal Services (MALS), Office of the Solicitor (SOL-HRO). The SOL-HRO provides a full range of personnel services to SOL management officials and staff in the national office and coordinates certain personnel management activities in the SOL regional offices throughout the United States. The person selected for this position will be part of a team with responsibilities for delivering services in Federal Staffing and Recruitment, Pay and Benefits administration (including retirement processing), Labor-Employee relations, Position Classification, Personnel Security and Processing Personnel Actions. This position offers an opportunity to work in a small HR Office, servicing positions in the competitive and excepted service, with the potential for advancement.
We are looking for candidates who can contribute to the work of the SOL-HRO by having:
- Excellent interpersonal communications, presentation, and customer service skills
- Experience managing and prioritizing multiple and varied assignments
- Experience working independently and as a member of a team
The following attributes are highly desired, but not required:
- Prior work experience in a legal environment serving attorneys
- Current or prior knowledge processing of HR actions in HR Connect.
- Works with managers and employees to advise and resolve issues regarding pay and benefits, including payroll, time & attendance, leave, benefits & retirements, performance and awards management.
This position has duties in four major areas – Benefits Administration, Payroll, Staffing, Classification and but may include duties in other functional areas.
Manages and implements the payroll and compensation functions for SOL. Enters payroll and personnel transactions, corrects transactions that have failed database edits, executes status and suspense reports, deletes and restores transactions, and views future and current payroll/personnel transactions to be processed.
Provide instruction, guidance, advice and assistance to management and employees throughout the Office of the Solicitor, concerning all phases of the employee benefits program, Thrifts Savings Plan, life insurance, and health benefits.
Provide assistance to SOL employees regarding password resets, access roles and identification of timesheet discrepancies. Reviews NFC suspense reports regarding HR actions on daily basis and recommends appropriate actions to the Human Resources Officer (HRO). Interpret HR information system requirements and changes as they impact payroll and civilian personnel policies and procedures. Assesses the impact of proposed regulations and policies on operations and evaluates human resources programs to ensure accuracy of system information.
Provides staffing services for positions in the National Office and for the GS-15 level in all SOL Regional Offices. Assists the Deputy HR Officer with actions of a more complex nature. Ensures that all actions fully comply with the policies and provisions of the Merit Staffing Plan, Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, OPM and DOL regulations, Executive Orders, negotiated labor agreements, and local office practices. Consults and partners with supervisors and managers in planning for all aspects of recruitment, staffing and placement. Advises on area of consideration for externally-advertised vacancies, prepares vacancy announcements, and performs qualifications analysis on all applicants. Issues and follows-up on selection certificates.
Drafts vacancy announcements in the Department of Labor’s On-Line Recruitment System (DOORS), performs initial qualification analysis, generates hiring certificates, and closes out case files. Initiates, corrects, and researches personnel actions in HR Connect and the National Finance Center (NFC) system. Initiates actions for security processing of new employees using the Electronic Questionnaire for Investigation Processing (e-QIP). Confirms employee eligibility for employment through e-verify. Conducts employee orientation sessions for newly hired and transferred employees. Drafts SOL-HRO Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and identifies areas for improvement in existing SOPs.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
This position is outside the bargaining unit.
Relocation expenses will not be paid
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
Applicants must meet time-in-grade, time-after-competitive-appointment and qualifications requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the vacancy to be eligible for consideration for selection.
Federal Employees Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflects your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases you may need to submit more than one SF-50.
Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.
Notification Concerning COVID-19 Vaccinations. As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal executive branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to submit documentation of proof of vaccination or to be in the process of requesting an exception to the vaccination requirement before appointment or onboarding with the agency. The agency will provide additional information regarding which forms of documentation can be accepted and how you can request to be considered for a legally required exception from this requirement.
Currently, implementation and enforcement of Executive Order 14043 has been suspended pursuant to an injunction pending further litigation.
Qualifications
Applicants for positions at the GS-11 level and above must have the amounts of education and/or experience required for the grade level shown below.
GS-11, Applicants who meet at least one of the following may qualify for positions at this grade level:
52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Specialized experience is defined as advising managers on federal civilian Human Resources laws and regulations related to one or more of the following functional areas: recruitment and placement, position classification, labor-employee relations and performance management, employee benefits, compensation and human resources development. Examples of specialized experience include: advising management on recruitment methods and strategies; generating vacancy announcements; issuing certificates of qualified candidates; coding and processing personnel actions; applying basic classification principles to review position descriptions; administering guidance on pay and leave; providing advice regarding employee benefits and retirement and conducting research to solve complex human resources situations.
OR
Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Human Resources): a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree (such as an LL.M.); OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
OR
Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years or 3 full years (equivalent to 54 semester hours) of graduate education leading to a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or LL.M. Qualifying education should be in a job-related field such as human resources, business, or law;
GS-12, Applicants who meet at least one of the following may qualify for positions at this grade level:
52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Specialized experience is defined as advising managers on federal civilian Human Resources laws and regulations related to one or more of the following functional areas: recruitment and placement, position classification, labor-employee relations and performance management, employee benefits, compensation and human resources development. Examples of specialized experience include: advising management on recruitment methods and strategies; generating vacancy announcements; issuing certificates of qualified candidates; coding and processing personnel actions; applying basic classification principles to review position descriptions; administering guidance on pay and leave; providing advice regarding employee benefits and retirement and conducting research to solve complex human resources situations.
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-12 position.
Education
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.
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.
Position Telework eligibility is determined by management based on position duties during the recruitment process. Employee participation in telework on a routine or situational basis is determined by management primarily based on business needs. Employees participating in telework are subject to the terms and conditions of the Department of Labor’s Telework Program.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Click here for Evaluation details. For Displaced Employees ONLY: if you meet the eligibility requirements for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered "well-qualified" if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 and 27 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP/CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of hiring, classification, benefits, labor relations, negotiation, and Federal, state, and local employment regulations.
Computer Skills - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
HR Information Systems - Knowledge of HR management concepts, principles, and practices related to identifying and analyzing HR processes, translating functional requirements into technical requirements, and delivering and maintaining HR information systems.
Employee Benefits - Knowledge of HR concepts, principles, and practices related to retirement, insurance, injury compensation, and other employee benefits programs.
Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
Employee Relations - Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles, and practices related to employee conduct, performance, and dispute resolution.
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). Your evaluation may also include a review by an HR Specialist or panel and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc). The examining Human Resources Office (HRO) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the HRO may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password-protected documents.
The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):
ARE YOU A CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEE? If applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service, please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action” which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your SF-50 must identify the highest grade you held on a permanent basis, Pay Plan/Pay Schedule, Series, and Grade/Pay Band, and career status. Multiple SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate your highest previous rate and eligibility.
*WARNING: An award SF-50 (ex. cash or time off award) may not indicate grade, step, and competitive status. For current DOL employees, an award SF-50 DOES NOT indicate grade and step.
- Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your computer and USAJOBS profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and the number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
- Most recent performance appraisal/evaluation signed and dated within 18 monthsis requested by the agency, but will not disqualify candidates if not submitted. If not submitted during the application process, one may/will be requested at the time of the interview if the opportunity is extended. Applies to current and former Federal employees.
The following documents are required if applicable:
- Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility.
- DD-214 - verifying military service, eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), and showing the character of discharge (ex. Member Copy 4 and 2 are acceptable vs. Copy 1 which is not acceptable to adjudicate veteran's preference)
- Land Management Eligible(s): a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) proving your eligibility for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. This service must have been performed in the competitive service, under a time-limited appointment in a Land Management Agency, as defined by P.L. 114-328. For more information, click here.
- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the "Apply" button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through the 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave, NW
Rm. N2419
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate.
For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to: USAJOBS Help Guide.
USAJOBS will no longer send status email notifications. You can check your application status in the TAS by logging into USAJOBS and in the Applicant Dashboard, click the hiring agency Talent Acquisition System (TAS). If the TAS does not provide application tracking information, contact the agency point of contact on the job announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password-protected documents.
The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):
ARE YOU A CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEE? If applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service, please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action” which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your SF-50 must identify the highest grade you held on a permanent basis, Pay Plan/Pay Schedule, Series, and Grade/Pay Band, and career status. Multiple SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate your highest previous rate and eligibility.
*WARNING: An award SF-50 (ex. cash or time off award) may not indicate grade, step, and competitive status. For current DOL employees, an award SF-50 DOES NOT indicate grade and step.
- Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your computer and USAJOBS profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and the number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
- Most recent performance appraisal/evaluation signed and dated within 18 monthsis requested by the agency, but will not disqualify candidates if not submitted. If not submitted during the application process, one may/will be requested at the time of the interview if the opportunity is extended. Applies to current and former Federal employees.
The following documents are required if applicable:
- Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility.
- DD-214 - verifying military service, eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), and showing the character of discharge (ex. Member Copy 4 and 2 are acceptable vs. Copy 1 which is not acceptable to adjudicate veteran's preference)
- Land Management Eligible(s): a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) proving your eligibility for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. This service must have been performed in the competitive service, under a time-limited appointment in a Land Management Agency, as defined by P.L. 114-328. For more information, click here.
- Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.
Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the "Apply" button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through the 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Office of the Solicitor
200 Constitution Ave, NW
Rm. N2419
Washington, District of Columbia 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate.
For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to: USAJOBS Help Guide.
USAJOBS will no longer send status email notifications. You can check your application status in the TAS by logging into USAJOBS and in the Applicant Dashboard, click the hiring agency Talent Acquisition System (TAS). If the TAS does not provide application tracking information, contact the agency point of contact on the job announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
