Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent VISN 5 Employees ONLY. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement applies to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents and How to Apply below.

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VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards
Network Reasonable Accommodation Program 100%

• Serves as the RA subject matter expert (SME) to advise employees, applicants for employment, supervisors, and members of management regarding laws, regulations and procedures for allowing employees with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities to fully participate in the application process, perform essential job functions and enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.
• Researches best practices in RA in federal government and stays abreast of changes, modifications, and revisions to laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008. Processes requests for accommodation to ensure that time frames are met, and procedures followed. Provides employees or applicants for employment with RA packages and advises them on the appropriate procedures for completing the package.
• Coordinates with other areas of Human Resources, including Retirement and Workers Compensation.
• Assists managers in determining the essential duties of a position and identifies barriers and possible modifications that would allow people with disabilities to perform said duties.
• Tracks and reports all requests for accommodation packages and the disposition of those requests by assisting management in completing required forms and checklists. In consultation with Office of General Counsel (OGC) and Occupational Health, assesses potential accommodations and the effect each would have in allowing the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Coordinates with EEO offices, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Information Technology, VA designated physicians, Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, or other resources to identify alternative effective accommodation options.
• Creates and maintains a system of records separate from the employee's personnel file for all requests for accommodation. Ensures that information in the files is kept confidential and revealed to others only on a need-to-know basis.
• Coordinates with appropriate staff or Agency Officials to provide adjustment to job duties or the work environment that assists an individual with a qualified disability to perform the essential functions of his/her position.
• Assists in securing funding for RA, to include accommodations that may be reimbursed through the Centralized Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
• Provides written notice to the employee/applicant, immediate supervisor, and Service Chief regarding all requests for accommodation.
• Creates and routes official forms documenting the decisions on requests for accommodation to the appropriate designated management official.
• Provides statistical reports with respect to processing requests for RA. Monitors, analyzes, and regularly reports qualitative and quantitative RA data. Submits annual reports, as prescribed in the VA Handbook 5975.1.
• Engages in an interactive process with the employee, or applicant for employment, and his/her representative regarding the nature of the disability and the types of accommodation available to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Consults with the individual to determine how the disability limits the job functions and whether such limitations can be overcome by accommodation.
• Once a complete RA package has been received, determines whether an individual is qualified under applicable disability law for purposes of considering accommodation in employment.
• Initiates and then facilitates an interactive process between the employee/applicant and the supervisor to identify possible RA that will allow the individual to perform the essential job functions of the position.
• If an accommodation request is declined, works closely with General Counsel and provides employee with appropriate guidance and timelines on filing appeals.

Other duties as assigned.

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 8am-4:30pm
Remote: This is a remote position. *Employee will remain working from their current duty location during the temporary promotion.*
Position Description/PD#: 99661S,99662S,99663S,99975S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing.

Conditions of employment

• RESUME REQUIREMENTS - Your resume must include the following information:
• Job Title (for each position)
• Description of duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2018 to April 2020) of employment
• Full-time or part-time status (include average hours worked per week)

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5.
• For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.
• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.
• For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11.

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.

The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you meet one of the following:
Specialized Experience:You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.
Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation. ~OR~
Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate level education or Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.). The S.A.A. provision is an educational achievement based on class standing, grade-point average or honor society membership. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
~OR~
Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a bachelors degree) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following:
Specialized Experience:You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.
Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.
~OR~
Education: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
~OR~
Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following:
Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.
~OR~
Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
~OR~
Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria:
Criteria 1-

Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

~OR~

Criteria 2-

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.
Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and/or humanities.

How you will be evaluated

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

"This announcement uses the Cut Score method under 5 CFR § 332.402. If set number/percentage: All applicants tied at the cut line will be referred. We will provide the selecting official a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group in accordance with our pre-announced supplement strategy and OPM policy."


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 for this position:

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.