Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current, permeant, 487 (HR) department employees at the Northern, Indiana facility.

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Employee Relations (50%)

• Provides technical guidance, advice and counseling to management officials and supervisors to address issues with workforce-related conduct and performance.
• Develops strategies to respond to employee-related issues.
• Prepares appropriate agency responses to employee relations matters.
• Provides consultation on associated program areas, such as reasonable accommodation and leave management.
• Prepares a variety of correspondence to address complex employee relations matters including, disciplinary and adverse actions, settlement agreements, and congressional correspondence.
• Provides services to an integrated healthcare network, ensuring strict adherence to all contractual and regulatory timeframes.
• Advises management officials at all levels of the network about appropriate disciplinary or other corrective techniques in response to a range of conduct and performance problems.
• Explains rules and procedures to employees and management to help them understand rights and obligations while maintaining and encouraging objectivity in situations that may be charged with emotion and involve assumptions.
• Resolves disputes and evaluates events and/or identifies aggravating or mitigating factors relevant to the case.
• Conducts extensive analysis to identify obscure or underlying causes of misconduct or poor performance.
• Helps managers and supervisors focus on performance management processes, including planning, monitoring, developing, rating, and rewarding performance.
• Advises managers about appropriate disciplinary or other corrective techniques in response to a range of conduct and performance problems; explains rules and procedures to employees and helps them understand their rights and obligations.
• Determines appropriate FLSA and BUS codes for all positions. Responsible for submission of properly coded personnel actions in collaboration with the Technical Reviewer.
• Reviews requests and submits justification for those ER/LR actions requiring approval by Network Director, VHA, VA, or higher authority, then takes appropriate action, and prepares necessary correspondence.

Labor Relations (50%)

• Provides services to an integrated healthcare network, ensuring strict adherence to all contractual and regulatory timeframes.
• Prepares appropriate agency responses to labor-related matters.
• Offers technical guidance, information and assistance on sensitive, serious, and controversial labor relations issues regarding employees in a wide variety of administrative and clinical occupations with substantial differences in working conditions, entitlement, and occupational practices and policies.
• Provides technical and consultative guidance, including actions of a disciplinary or adverse nature, grievances, demands to bargain, impasse proceedings, local bargaining, unfair labor practices, performance management and recognition, employee counseling, appeals, complaints, drug testing and related functions.
• Researches and interprets legal and regulatory program guidance, including case law, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, and VA Handbooks and Directives.
• Serves as subject matter expert regarding policies and procedures pertaining to Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and Federal Services Impasses Panel (FSIP).
• Analyzes changes to regulations and policies to determine the impact on the labor relations program; determines need for impact and implementation or full bargaining at the appropriate level (local, network, or national bargaining).
• Plans and implements actions to satisfy obligations to bargain in good faith, performs thorough analysis of policies and practices, and ensures that policies and practices promote partnering to prevent unfair labor practices.
• Reviews third-party involvement in negotiations and represents the network in appropriate cases, serves as a point of contact on third ­party proceedings arising from the labor management programs, such as unfair labor practice charges.
• May perform other duties as needed

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, Tour of duty is negotiable with the Supervisor
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: HR. Spec. (ER/LR)/ 99976S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/02/2022.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. For a GS-11 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. For a GS-09 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09:
Specialized Experience: Must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-201-07 (Developmental Performance Level) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization? Specialized Experience: experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Example of specialized experience would typically include, but not limited:

• Prepares appropriate agency responses to employee relations matters.
• Prepares a variety of correspondence on behalf of the agency to address simple employee relations matters including, disciplinary and adverse actions, settlement agreements, and congressional correspondence.
• Prepares appropriate agency responses to labor-related matters.
• Offers assistance to management and senior leadership officials on labor relations issues regarding employees.
• Provides management with interpretation of policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Researches and interprets legal and regulatory program guidance, including case law, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, and VA Handbooks and Directives.

OR
Education: You must have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or J.D., if related to the work of this position.

OR
Combination: You must have a combination of education and experience listed above.

GS-11:
Specialized Experience: Must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-201-09 (Developmental Performance Level) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization? Specialized Experience: experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Example of specialized experience would typically include, but not limited:

• Develops strategies to respond to employee-related issues.
• Prepares appropriate agency responses to employee relations matters.
• Prepares a variety of correspondence on behalf of the agency to address complex employee relations matters including, disciplinary and adverse actions, settlement agreements, and congressional correspondence.
• Prepares appropriate agency responses to labor-related matters.
• Offers technical guidance, information and assistance to management and senior leadership officials on sensitive, serious, and controversial labor relations issues regarding employees in a wide variety of administrative and clinical occupations with substantial differences in working conditions, entitlement, and occupational practices and policies. Incumbent provides technical and consultative guidance, including actions of a disciplinary or adverse nature, grievances, demands to bargain, impasse proceedings, local bargaining, unfair labor practices, performance management and recognition, employee counseling, appeals, complaints, drug testing and related functions.
• Provides management with interpretation of policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Researches and interprets legal and regulatory program guidance, including case law, United States Code, Code of Federal Regulations, and VA Handbooks and Directives.

OR
Education: You must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to the work of the position.

OR
Combination: You must have a combination of education and experience listed above.

GS-12:
Specialized Experience: Must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-201-11 (Developmental Performance Level) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization? Specialized Experience: experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Example of specialized experience would typically include, but not limited:

• Applying, laws, Executive orders, regulations, policies, collective bargaining agreements, concepts, and various HR policies, practices, procedures, and management controls of the labor and employee relations to provide comprehensive employee and labor relations services onsite; coordinate with and advise supervisors and managers on technical issues involving disciplinary, adverse and all other relevant corrective actions.
• Knowledge of, and skill in applying, collective bargaining agreements and related principles, concepts, laws, regulations, techniques, and guidelines sufficient to support an organization's employee and labor relations program, including negotiation with labor representatives; deploying research and analytical techniques to gather, document, and analyze information to develop strategies and action plans.

* There is no substitute for education.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Scope and Effect
Employee Relations
Labor Relations
Job Knowledge

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while
sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to activity work sites. Though some work may require periods of standing.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.