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Benefits Advisor

Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration

Summary

EBSA plays a vital role in protecting the retirement, health, and other job-based benefits of America's workers, retirees, and their families. We issue effective regulations, offer comprehensive education and assistance to workers, plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers, and rigorously enforce the law. We serve workers, families, and the broader employee benefits community by protecting the security and integrity of the nation's benefit systems.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/14/2026 to 05/21/2026
Salary
$62,729 - $145,468 per year

The salary includes the minimum and maximum pay for the listed locations. Upon selection, your salary will be set based on the duty location assigned.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Pasadena, CA
San Francisco, CA
Plantation, FL
Atlanta, GA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—This is not a remote 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.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
MS-26-CHI-EBSA-12957837-LAC
Control number
869199400

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Duties

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The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and be eligible for telework as determined by agency policy. This is not a remote position. Offices are located in Boston, MA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Silver Spring, MD; Atlanta, GA; Plantation, FL; Dallas, TX; Fort Wright, KY; Kansas City, MO; Chicago, IL; Pasadena, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Seattle, WA. For specific locations, please see: DOL offices. The advertised salary reflects the minimum and maximum pay for the listed locations. Upon selection, the salary will be set in accordance with the selectee's assigned duty location.

Benefits Advisors respond to participant and beneficiary inquiries and complaints and provide technical assistance on the obligations of employers, plan sponsors, and service providers under ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, MHPAEA, etc. They resolve valid complaints through informal dispute resolution, refer complaints to enforcement involving potential criminal activity or plan wide issues that cannot be resolved informally, and serve as the focal point of the DOL liaison with the general public.

The duties and responsibilities at the GS-09, GS-11, and GS-12 levels are generally comparable; however, as you advance, the degree of supervision and guidance will decrease and the duties and responsibilities will increase.

Major duties for this position include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Provide information and guidance to plan administrators, service providers, participants, beneficiaries, the public, and other agencies about ERISA and related laws.
  • Assist participants and beneficiaries in obtaining benefits they are entitled to but have not been able to secure, following EBSA procedures and resolving issues informally with employers when possible.
  • Conduct research and fact-finding, analyze data, review eligibility or entitlement to benefits, and prepare clear responses by examining relevant records.
  • Identify situations that may involve criminal activity, complex civil disputes, or potential fiduciary violations, and develop appropriate investigative referrals.
  • Educate individuals about their rights and responsibilities under ERISA and related laws, and assist in planning and delivering outreach events and distributing educational materials.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be at least 16 years old.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Candidate required to obtain and maintain the necessary security/investigation level.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • In some regions, a driver's license may be required.

Qualifications

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.

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.
For GS-11: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-09 in the Federal Service.
For GS-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-11 in the Federal Service.

GS-09: You must meet 3 out of the 4 examples of specialized experience listed here. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-09 is defined as:

  • Experience working in a customer service environment providing information or assistance and communicating clearly in both writing and speech to wide-ranging audiences.
  • Experience delivering educational information (e.g., drafting materials and responding to questions) tailored to the audience and subject matter.
  • Experience using research and analytical methods to identify and analyze problems and gathering, validating, and compiling data.
  • Experience building and maintaining working relationships with tact, empathy, and professionalism, including effectively engaging individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed, and collaborating respectfully with people of varied perspectives and experiences.

OR - you may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: A master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree. OR LL.B. or J.D., if related.

GS-11: You must meet 3 out of the 4 examples of specialized experience listed here. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-11 is defined as:

  • Experience working in a customer service environment providing information or assistance, resolving inquiries or complaints, and communicating clearly in both writing and speech to wide-ranging audiences.
  • Experience delivering educational information, outreach, or training (e.g., drafting materials, conducting briefings or presentations, and responding to questions) tailored to the audience and subject matter.
  • Experience using research and analytical methods to identify and analyze problems and gathering, validating, and compiling data.
  • Experience building and maintaining strong working relationships with tact, empathy, and professionalism, including effectively engaging individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed, and collaborating respectfully with people of varied perspectives and experiences.
OR - you may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR LL.M., if related.

GS-12: You must meet 4 out of the 5 examples of specialized experience listed here. Qualifying specialized experience for the GS-12 is defined as:
  • Experience working in a customer service environment providing information or assistance, resolving inquiries or complaints, and communicating clearly in both writing and speech to wide-ranging audiences.
  • Experience delivering educational information, outreach, or training (e.g., drafting materials, conducting briefings or presentations, and responding to questions) tailored to the audience and subject matter.
  • Experience applying and interpreting laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to employee benefit plans (e.g., ERISA, reporting/disclosure) or a similar regulatory framework.
  • Experience using research and analytical methods to identify and analyze problems; gathering, validating, and compiling data from multiple sources; evaluating alternatives; and making well-supported recommendations.
  • Experience building and maintaining strong working relationships with tact, empathy, and professionalism, including effectively engaging individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed, and collaborating respectfully with people of varied perspectives and experiences.

There is no substitution of education for the required specialized experience for this position at the GS-12 level.

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 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

The position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.

For more information, Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information

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 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.

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.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine how well you meet the qualifications outlined in this vacancy announcement.

You may preview application questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12957837

USA Hire

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

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


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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary 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 1 year probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Employee Benefits Security Administration

Begin a challenging career with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and you will help shape the workforce of tomorrow. DOL offers rewarding opportunities to contribute to a noble mission; to serve and protect American workers, prepare them for new and better jobs, and to ensure the safety and fairness of American workplaces.

The Department of Labor values its customers. Every DOL employee is responsible for delivering good customer service through accurate, courteous, efficient, and effective transactions.

The Department of Labor does not make unfavorable hiring decisions on the basis of an applicant's previous or current unemployment, or the fact that an applicant has experienced financial difficulty through no fault of his/her own and has undertaken good faith efforts to meet his/her financial obligations. Consideration is given to financial status in relation to appointments only where required by law, regulation, or Executive Order.

Applicants with disabilities can contact the vacancy point of contact listed on the job vacancy announcement to request reasonable accommodations needed for the application process.

Agency contact information

Leslie Carey
Phone
312-353-0507
Email
carey.leslie.a@dol.gov
Address
Employee Benefits Security Administration, Regional Offices
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Employee Benefits Security Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa

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