This position is located in the Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Division of Energy Employees' Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC).
College Graduate appointments are permanent competitive service appointments.
This position is inside the bargaining unit.
Additional selections may be made using this announcement.
Students expecting to graduate Spring of 2024 may be considered for these positions.
Summary
This position is located in the Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Division of Energy Employees' Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC).
College Graduate appointments are permanent competitive service appointments.
This position is inside the bargaining unit.
Additional selections may be made using this announcement.
Students expecting to graduate Spring of 2024 may be considered for these positions.
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$49,025 to - $97,034 per year
Salary posted from lowest to highest, salary will be set based on location of selectee.
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
14 vacancies in the following location:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
Remote job
Yes
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 5% of the time for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
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.
Open to individuals who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree within the previous two years or Veterans who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree and have an intervening period of obligated service of at least four years in the uniformed services. The two-year eligibility period begins on the date of discharge or release from the uniformed service. (See the Qualifications section for further details.)
The OWCP mission is to protect the interests of workers who are injured or become ill on the job or as a result of employment, their families, and their employers by making timely, appropriate, and accurate decisions on claims, providing prompt payment of benefits, and helping injured workers return to gainful work as early as is feasible.
Major duties of this position includes but are not limited to:
The incumbent applies knowledge of workers' compensation laws, regulations, and policies to develop and make determinations on the proper disposition of claims for assigned cases.
Conducts fact-finding to properly gather, assess, mediate and/or adjudicate a less difficult range of disability and death claims assigned. The incumbent develops and makes determinations on the proper disposition of claims for assigned cases.
The incumbent is familiar with the appropriate program statute, regulations, and policies so that they can perform specialized adjudicatory functions required by the appropriate program's procedure manual to determine the amount of compensation to be paid, the duration of periodic compensation, and/or reimbursement for medical or other expenses.
Properly examines medical and other factual evidence for claims for benefits involving work-place injuries and/or illnesses for factual sufficiency and legal correctness to determine if the compensation claim and/or medical benefit claim meets the criteria outlined in established policies, procedures, or other guidelines.
Applies agency policy and procedure manuals, regulations and guidance when developing claims or making determinations on benefits.
Prepares correspondence and maintains working relationships with claimants, witnesses, employers, physicians, medical providers, investigators, representatives, attorneys, and other sources to obtain missing or supplemental medical and employment documents, to clarify information, and to secure additional factual and medical information needed to adjudicate the claim.
Refers stakeholders to the supervisor or higher-graded specialists/claims examiners to address difficult problems or more complex issues.
Throughout the adjudication or claims management processes, the incumbent provides effective customer service, including answering incoming phone calls from claimants and other claim stakeholders, to provide technical assistance for a variety of related questions.
Throughout the adjudication or claims management processes, the incumbent provides effective customer service, including answering incoming phone calls from claimants and other claim stakeholders, to provide technical assistance for a variety of related questions.
The incumbent queries claimants about the nature of their questions to ascertain how to effectively address their concerns and advises on the proper course of action for that particular situation.
The incumbent communicates with customers, claimants, doctors, employers, representatives and/or government agencies in a succinct and organized manner.
The incumbent responds in writing and/or via telephone, as appropriate, to received written correspondence, telephone messages, or inquiries via automated system.
The incumbent writes grammatically correct correspondence of a business nature to claimants, doctors, employers, representatives, and/or other government agencies, etc., seeking information to develop claims or when making determinations on benefits.
*At the GS-09 assignments are developmental; as the incumbent progresses, the assignments become more difficult and complex at the GS-11 and GS-12 full journeyman.
Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Qualifications
Students expecting to graduate Spring of 2024 may be considered for these positions.
To be eligible for appointment under the College Graduate authority, applicants must meet requirement A or B.
A. Applicants who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years or within 30 days of the vacancy closing date (04/27/2024). OR B. Veterans who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree from a qualifying educational institution and have an intervening period of obligated service of at least four years in the uniformed services. The two-year eligibility period begins on the date of discharge or release from the uniformed service.
In addition to meeting the eligibility listed above, you must also meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.
For GS-07: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-05 in the Federal Service.
For GS-09: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-07 in the Federal Service.
Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
GS-7: Applicants may quality with education or specialized experience. If using experience, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-5, in the Federal Service. Examples of specialized experience consists of:
Receiving and evaluating forms and supporting evidence for completeness.
Experience with medical terms and findings and causes of diseases.
Writing correspondence of a business nature to internal and external customers seeking information and/or recommendations or decisions.
Communicating with customers, representing the organization to customers and others in person, by phone, or in writing.
OR
Have earned a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement*. Transcript(s) are required for verification.
*Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. (In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.)
1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of 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.
3. Honor Society Membership-- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.
OR
Have completed one full year of graduate level education,
OR
A combination of graduate education and experience.
For the GS-9: Applicants may quality with education or specialized experience. If using experience, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-7, in the Federal Service. Examples of specialized experience consists of:
Receiving and evaluating forms and supporting evidence for completeness and development of benefit claims.
Experience with medical terms and findings, causes of diseases, treatment methods and probable results and relationship to occupation.
Writing correspondence of a business nature to internal and external customers seeking information and/or recommendations or decisions.
Representing an organization to provide advice or guidance on technical or complex issues to customers.
OR
Have earned a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or completed 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related,
OR
A combination of graduate education and experience.
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.
This position is being filled through the Direct Hire Authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applications do NOT apply. The Veteran's preference does not apply.
This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.
DOL seeks to attract and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce in which employee 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 can participate and contribute to their full potential.
As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.
The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act.
Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.
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.
Under the authority of direct hire recruitment, evaluation factors are a tool to gauge one's proficiency in relevant competencies, but will not be used to determine who will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. All candidates who have provided a complete application, and meet the minimum qualification requirements will be referred for consideration. Please review evaluations details here.
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 the final determination concerning applicant ratings.
INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must meet the basic and minimum qualification requirements for this position to receive consideration. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.
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.
Resumes: Required: provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and 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.
Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point (TP) preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Your DD 214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point (CP/CPS, XP) 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 honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive the veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
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.
Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.
Reference the Education Section for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
Do not upload password-protected documents.
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.
Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration.
Application Limits: Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the date the application limit was reached or the vacancy closing date, whichever occurs first, 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.
Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system 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 job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the 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. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button.
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 progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button.
STEP 5 - Edit Application by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy then Update Application. If the vacancy closes on the date the application limit is reached, applicants will no longer be able to edit their applications.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Office of Workers Compensation Programs
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
US
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 interviews. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days of 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 alert 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's point of contact on the job announcement.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.
Resumes: Required: provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and 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.
Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point (TP) preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Your DD 214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point (CP/CPS, XP) 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 honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive the veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
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.
Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.
Reference the Education Section for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
Do not upload password-protected documents.
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.
Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration.
Application Limits: Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the date the application limit was reached or the vacancy closing date, whichever occurs first, 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.
Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system 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 job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the 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. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button.
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 progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button.
STEP 5 - Edit Application by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy then Update Application. If the vacancy closes on the date the application limit is reached, applicants will no longer be able to edit their applications.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Office of Workers Compensation Programs
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
US
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 interviews. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days of 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 alert 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's point of contact on the job announcement.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
