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Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations)

Department of Labor
Office of Inspector General
Division of Human Resources Management - Office of Management and Policy

Summary

This position is in the Office of Management and Policy, Division of Human Resources Management (DHRM). As the senior Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations) you are responsible for providing leadership, advice, and guidance for the day-to-day activities and operations of the OIG's employee relations and performance management programs in accordance with applicable Federal laws, regulations, standards, procedures, and policies.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/12/2026 to 02/20/2026
Salary
$133,007 to - $192,694 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
West Covina, CA
Washington, DC
Sunrise, FL
Atlanta, GA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
MS-26-OIG-OMAP-12882434-LAD
Control number
857625600

Duties

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The Major Duties Include:

  • Serve as the leading expert in employee relations and performance management, encompassing areas such as conduct, performance and discipline, work schedules, hours-of-work, adverse actions, grievances, and appeals. Oversee the Office of Inspector General (OIG) program related to employee performance appraisal.
  • Create and deliver training sessions for supervisors and OIG employees on related issues in employee relations and performance management to enhance understanding and compliance.
  • Inform employees who may face adverse actions due to unacceptable performance or conduct regarding their rights and options to utilize grievance, complaint, or appeal procedures.
  • Provide prompt advice, guidance, and clarification on employee relations inquiries, utilizing an in-depth understanding of relevant policies, employment law, and applicable regulations. Adapt approaches to meet the unique needs of the employee relations environment by leveraging familiarity with federal and agency-specific policies, procedures, and precedent cases.
  • Develop comprehensive communication strategies and counseling measures to foster effective relationships between management and the workforce, including both collective and individual communications.
  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of OIG's Performance Management and employee relations programs by developing and implementing actions, projects, and evaluation criteria. Ensure secure documentation of cases, including intake notes, investigative records, supporting documents, and final reports.
  • Formulate and revise OIG policies and procedures that establish standards of conduct for employees and equitable disciplinary protocols for employment-related infractions. Provide guidance on potential charges and penalties for misconduct offenses.
  • Maintain liaison with other federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to stay informed about techniques, procedures, and policies that effectively enhance employee relations programs. Evaluate available alternatives based on knowledge of existing legal and regulatory requirements alongside the specific needs of OIG.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must be at least 16 years old.
  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.

Qualifications

You must meet the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Requirements section and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations), as described below.

For the GS-14 : Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-13 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.

Qualifying specialized experience for Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations): Experience handling the full range of employee relations matters to include advising management regarding complex disciplinary and adverse actions and grievances; reviewing and drafting proposals and decisions of disciplinary and performance-based actions; and developing and delivering employee Relations training; experience with a full life-cycle performance management program.

  • No Relocation Incentives will be offered.
  • No Permanent Change of Station Incentives will be offered.
  • This position is outside the Bargaining Unit.
  • This position will not be filled until the Department's Placement Assistance Programs have been fully utilized.

Education

There is no substitution of education for the required specialized experience at the GS-14 level.

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 coursework requirements for this position.

Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

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.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

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

For more information, click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click here for Additional Information.

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.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • HR Program Knowledge and Application
  • Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

USA Hire: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • HR Program Knowledge and Application
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

You may preview application questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12882434

Clickhere for Evaluation details.The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, and volunteer, 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.).

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) will be considered well-qualified if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

When Office of Inspector General completes its hiring, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional sub-agencies in the Department. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional sub-agencies at DOL. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

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