LOCATION: This position is located in the Robert M. Ball Building, 6401 Woodlawn MD, 21207.
Benefit Authorizers (BAs) determine eligibility to receive or continue receiving benefits and/or payments for various Social Security programs. Resolve issues or discrepancies and explain Social Security program information to the public. Make final determinations on benefit entitlement decisions
First Cut-Off Date to receive applications: August 15, 2022
Summary
LOCATION: This position is located in the Robert M. Ball Building, 6401 Woodlawn MD, 21207.
Benefit Authorizers (BAs) determine eligibility to receive or continue receiving benefits and/or payments for various Social Security programs. Resolve issues or discrepancies and explain Social Security program information to the public. Make final determinations on benefit entitlement decisions
First Cut-Off Date to receive applications: August 15, 2022
Once selected as a Benefit Authorizer in SSA, you will make final determinations on benefit entitlement decisions. This includes having direct telephone contact with the public to resolve issues or discrepancies and provide them with their rights under Social Security laws. You will be responsible for adjusting established benefits and effectuating payments and using state-of-the-art computer technology to access and update information about claims.
Benefit Authorizers (BAs) determine if applicants are eligible to receive or continue receiving benefits and/or payments for various Social Security programs. They answer questions from callers to Social Security's 800 number telephone network, resolve issues or discrepancies and explain Social Security program information to the public.
Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation required
Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results
Selectees are required to serve a 1 year probationary period
Relocation expenses will not be paid
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. See Additional Information section.
Selectees are required to complete a 14 month technical training class.
Qualifications
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are using experience to qualify, you must have:
GS-5: If you are using experience to qualify, you must have three years of general experience that demonstrates the ability to 1) analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; 2) plan and organize work; and 3) communicate effectively orally and in writing. Examples of qualifying experience include analyzing, explaining, applying or interpreting laws, rules, regulation or policies.
GS-7: If you are using experience to qualify, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience assisting individuals in establishing their entitlement to receive benefits; or adjudicating, authorizing or reconsidering claims; representing benefit programs before the general public and providing information through the media; or evaluating benefit program operations to assess the integrity and quality; or interpreting program requirements and formulating policies, procedures and guidelines.
Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period), you will be credited with 6 months of experience.
Education
SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION: If you are qualifying for this position based on completed education at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other educational institution, you must provide a copy of your transcripts or other proof of education prior to being appointed. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.
GS-5: Completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree OR a combination of post-high school education and the general experience described above. One year of study is defined as 30 earned semester hours or 45 earned quarter hours. GS-7: One full year of graduate level education in any field. One year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 earned semester hours or 27 earned quarter hours. A combination of graduate level education and the specialized experience as described above OR a Bachelor's degree and superior academic achievement in any field can be applied as a substitution. Superior academic achievement is based on:
Graduated in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision; OR
Graduated with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher out of 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
Graduated with a 3.5 GPA or higher based on the average of all the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society that meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies (except for freshman honor societies).
COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
GS-5: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
GS-7: Experience and graduate level 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.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees must 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 no later than November 22, 2021 and submit documentation of vaccination by November 23, 2021 OR shortly after appointment or onboarding with SSA, if this occurs after November 22, 2021. At the time of selection, SSA will provide additional information regarding what documentation you must provide and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.
UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIRMENT
To ensure compliance with an applicable nationwide preliminary injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
Selections are contingent on the availability of funding.
This bargaining unit position is covered by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1923
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.
The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position.
Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11584665
Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:
1 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.
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.
You must submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. 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.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 4 copy) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15). Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF 15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. For more information visit the Vet Guide.
Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO VETERANS: The Office of Personnel Management has published the end date for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as August 31, 2010. To receive veterans' preference for service during the Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom era, you must have served for more than 180 days between September 11, 2001 and August 31, 2010 OR be in receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal. The updated CFR language is available here. Other qualifying eligibility for preference (e.g., disability) remains unchanged.
Military Spouse Appointing Authority. You may be eligible for an appointment under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority if you are a spouse of: 1) an active duty member of the armed forces; 2) a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury; or 3) a deceased service member of the armed forces. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met. Individuals applying for consideration under this authority MUST provide the applicable supporting documentation (e.g., documentation verifying marriage, copy of your spouse's active military orders, DD-214, copy of a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a branch of the military certifying the service member's service-connected disability rating, DD-1300, etc.). You are no longer eligible if you remarry.
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 provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume
2. The Occupational Questionnaire
3. Transcripts (if using education to qualify - unofficial copies accepted)
4. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)
IMPORTANT: Cut-Off Date Will Be Used For This Announcement.
Applicant consideration will begin for applications received by 11:59 PM (ET) on August 15, 2022.
Any application received after August 15, 2022 will be considered, if needed.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Brandon Cheung at Brandon.Cheung@ssa.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided.
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Office of Disability Operations
1500 Woodlawn Drive
Baltimore, MD 21241
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must submit ALL supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. 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.
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:
proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 4 copy) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15). Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF 15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. For more information visit the Vet Guide.
Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO VETERANS: The Office of Personnel Management has published the end date for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as August 31, 2010. To receive veterans' preference for service during the Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom era, you must have served for more than 180 days between September 11, 2001 and August 31, 2010 OR be in receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal. The updated CFR language is available here. Other qualifying eligibility for preference (e.g., disability) remains unchanged.
Military Spouse Appointing Authority. You may be eligible for an appointment under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority if you are a spouse of: 1) an active duty member of the armed forces; 2) a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury; or 3) a deceased service member of the armed forces. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met. Individuals applying for consideration under this authority MUST provide the applicable supporting documentation (e.g., documentation verifying marriage, copy of your spouse's active military orders, DD-214, copy of a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a branch of the military certifying the service member's service-connected disability rating, DD-1300, etc.). You are no longer eligible if you remarry.
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 provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume
2. The Occupational Questionnaire
3. Transcripts (if using education to qualify - unofficial copies accepted)
4. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)
IMPORTANT: Cut-Off Date Will Be Used For This Announcement.
Applicant consideration will begin for applications received by 11:59 PM (ET) on August 15, 2022.
Any application received after August 15, 2022 will be considered, if needed.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Brandon Cheung at Brandon.Cheung@ssa.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may also call us via Federal Relay using the (voice) contact telephone provided.
Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
Office of Disability Operations
1500 Woodlawn Drive
Baltimore, MD 21241
US
Next steps
Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
