The Investigator position provides direct support and assistance to higher level investigators and managers and conducts research on policy, program, and case related issues and questions, and gathers and evaluates data relevant to specific cases. Investigator's plan, direct, and administer a program of enforcement to ensure maximum compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and criminal provisions of the U.S. Code as they relate to employee benefit plans.
Summary
The Investigator position provides direct support and assistance to higher level investigators and managers and conducts research on policy, program, and case related issues and questions, and gathers and evaluates data relevant to specific cases. Investigator's plan, direct, and administer a program of enforcement to ensure maximum compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and criminal provisions of the U.S. Code as they relate to employee benefit plans.
Occasional travel - Investigations may involve travel. Travel will normally be within assigned geographic area; however, incumbent maybe assigned at any time to any state as defined in Section 3(10) of ERISA. The incumbent must be able to arrive at the assigned work location(s) timely.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates
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.
This is an appointment under the DOL Recent Graduate program. The program duration is one year; agency may then convert to a term or permanent position. This job is not 100% telework; it requires employees to report on a regular basis to their assigned office location.
Reviews and analyzes multiple types of documents and reports of investigation for legal and evidentiary sufficiency and conformity with national enforcement policy. Records this data in appropriate database, with supervisory/senior investigator assistance.
Researches policy, program issues, and questions that have been raised. Analyzes materials, discerns relationships and interrelationships, and reports findings. Develops and prepares reports or oral briefings to provide information/answers to issues and questions; with supervisory/senior investigator assistance.
Conducts or participates in conducting investigations. Includes thorough analysis and gathering of evidence, identification of violations and resolution of issues identified, with supervisory/senior investigator assistance.
Reviews and provides comments on proposed operating plans. Evaluates case activity on an ongoing basis for consistency with plan and policy. Identifies issues, analyzes problems and develops solutions; with supervisory/senior investigator assistance.
Conducts research, collects and develops data reports on enforcement program, administrative operations and accomplishments of the office; with supervisory/senior investigator assistance.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
Driver's license desirable but not required.
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.
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 must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service or meet the education requirement or have an equivalent combination of education and experience. Specialized experience is experience in or directly related to the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience for this position are listed below.
For the GS-9 level, Applicants must possess 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal Service.
Specialized experience:
Experience gained as a compliance inspector, analyst, planner or investigator whose work is related to the field of employee benefit plans and/or Federal and/or state financial regulatory statutes; directly involved in assessing or assuring finance-related regulatory compliance such as financial auditing, provided the experience clearly demonstrated the application of the laws, regulations and administrative procedures involved in assessing and assuring compliance. Professional auditing and accounting work that involved determining compliance with Federal and State laws governing health and pension plans, securities, banking, insurance, or corporations.
OR
2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree; in a related field of study that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work;
OR
LL.B. or J.D., if related.
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 institutionwithin 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
This job is not 100% telework; it requires employees to report on a regular basis to their assigned office location.
Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflect the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and model a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered.
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.
This position is inside the Bargaining Unit. Additional selections may be made using this announcement if more vacancies are approved to fill.
Oral/Written Communication: Clearly, effectively, and persuasively conveys information (orally/in writing) to individuals and groups, taking into account the audience and nature of the information; actively listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately; expresses facts and ideas in writing in a concise and organized manner; and persuades others to accept recommendations.
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.
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; 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; 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; demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:
Application of Employee Benefit Plan Law: Knowledge and application of laws, regulations, court proceedings, precedents, interpretations, and exemptions governing the employee benefit plan community.
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgement to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. Identifies rules and principles of relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
Technology Application: Uses computers and computer software applications.
Individual Effectiveness: Organizes work and sets realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; is motivated to achieve; and, demonstrates responsible behavior.
Investigations: Knowledge of investigative principles and techniques; ability to investigate and analyze plan operations and practices, financial transactions, business arrangements, background information and other evidentiary materials; ability to draft clear and comprehensive reports, including investigative findings and recommendations for corrective action.
Additional competency listed under "Additional Information" field.
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, volunteer, and other lived experience, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, OHR 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 pm (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:
- 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.
- Proof of Eligibility: Academic transcript or other official documentation from the qualifying educational institution showing that you meet the eligibility requirements for a Recent Graduate appointment, as described in the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section of this announcement. If you are claiming extended eligibility due to military service performed during the two-year period following graduation, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing the dates of such service. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty)
- Proof of Qualifications: Academic transcripts sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, as described in this announcement, where you are seeking to qualify, at least in part, on the basis of your education. See "Qualifications and Evaluations."
Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - If you are using education as a basis for qualifying for this position, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, Ph.D., etc.). If specific coursework is required to qualify, you must supply an unofficial transcript from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your unofficial transcript(s) as one document with a maximum size limit of 5 MB.
NOTE: The OFFICIAL Transcript(s) MUST BE RECEIVED, if you are selected, and prior to receiving the firm offer with a start date.
Reference the “Education Section” for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
Effective December 17, 2022, applicants will no longer have the ability to submit supporting documents via FAX. Applicants will continue to submit supporting documents with the more commonly used methods below:
Transfer from USAJobs
Upload directly from a computer
Submit a picture from a mobile device
If you are unable to use any of the methods listed above, please reach out to the HR Specialist shown in the contact information section of the vacancy.
The following documents are required if applicable:
- Veterans’ Preference Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty) Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
- 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, Employee Benefits Security Administration
Chicago Staffing Service Center
San Francisco, California 94103
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 pm (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:
- 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.
- Proof of Eligibility: Academic transcript or other official documentation from the qualifying educational institution showing that you meet the eligibility requirements for a Recent Graduate appointment, as described in the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section of this announcement. If you are claiming extended eligibility due to military service performed during the two-year period following graduation, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing the dates of such service. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty)
- Proof of Qualifications: Academic transcripts sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, as described in this announcement, where you are seeking to qualify, at least in part, on the basis of your education. See "Qualifications and Evaluations."
Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - If you are using education as a basis for qualifying for this position, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, Ph.D., etc.). If specific coursework is required to qualify, you must supply an unofficial transcript from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your unofficial transcript(s) as one document with a maximum size limit of 5 MB.
NOTE: The OFFICIAL Transcript(s) MUST BE RECEIVED, if you are selected, and prior to receiving the firm offer with a start date.
Reference the “Education Section” for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
Effective December 17, 2022, applicants will no longer have the ability to submit supporting documents via FAX. Applicants will continue to submit supporting documents with the more commonly used methods below:
Transfer from USAJobs
Upload directly from a computer
Submit a picture from a mobile device
If you are unable to use any of the methods listed above, please reach out to the HR Specialist shown in the contact information section of the vacancy.
The following documents are required if applicable:
- Veterans’ Preference Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty) Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
- 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, Employee Benefits Security Administration
Chicago Staffing Service Center
San Francisco, California 94103
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.
