Unemployment Insurance Program Specialist

Full Time
Wallops Island, VA
Posted
Job description

Duties

This is a career ladder progression position; the duties described below are at the full performance level, GS-12. If selected at a GS-09 or GS-11 grade level, the incumbent will serve in a developmental capacity, wherein the work is less complex in nature and the supervisor or a senior level employee provides specific instruction and guidance.

At the GS-12:

  • Coordinate unemployment insurance programs within the agency by researching, compiling, and analyzing information and data to use in program administration planning and makes recommendations.
  • Interpret Federal requirements and procedures to grantees to assist them to comply with Federal requirements.
  • Participate in on-site compliance monitoring reviews and Enhanced Desk Monitoring Reviews (EDMRs) of grantees to: evaluate the grantee's progress towards meeting the goals specified in the grant agreement with agency; assess the quality of the program and services; ensure that grant activities are being conducted in compliance with the grant agreement and applicable Federal regulations.
  • Participate in the development of policy guidance and technical assistance resources for grantees and workforce system stakeholders.
  • Prepare and deliver presentations to various internal and external audiences on unemployment insurance programs.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

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

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

Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR):

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), as described below:

Education

Undergraduate Education: Major study - economics, industrial relations, law, sociology, political science, public administration, or other related fields. Courses in statistics or mathematics applicable to the social sciences are creditable up to a maximum of 12 semester hours.

Graduate Education: Major study - one or a combination of the social sciences that included social science research methodology and techniques, and provided a knowledge of the history, concepts, methods, and techniques of social insurance and/or the social and economic conditions under which social insurance programs operate.

OR

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience related to social insurance. This includes experience applying statistics or mathematics to the social insurance field. Specialized experience must have demonstrated:

  • A knowledge of current social and economic conditions under which social insurance programs operate, and the principles of Federal/State/local relationships;

  • The ability to extend and modify existing techniques and methods or to develop new ones to identify, isolate, and resolve special problems; and

  • The ability to develop effective collaborative relationships with personnel in other fields and with groups having conflicting objectives.

Qualifying specialized experience may have been gained through work in the following or similar types of programs: unemployment insurance; old-age and survivors' insurance; workers' compensation; disability compensation; or other public or private programs covering common social insurance risks.

In addition to the IOR, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade levels, in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience in or directly related to the line of work of the position being filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

For GS-09

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-7, in the Federal Service.

Applicants must meet three (3) of the following statements below.

Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Experience applying knowledge in a variety of Unemployment Insurance (UI) program areas, including: Adjudication, Claims Intake and Processing, Appeals, UI Budget including Resource Justification Model (RJM) Process, Benefits and Timeliness Quality (BTQ) Programs for Non-monetary Determinations and Appeals, Interstate Benefits and Combined Wage Claims, Tax, Tax Performance Systems (TPS), Data Validation, UI Benefit charging systems and experience rating systems, Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service members (UCX), Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), Integrity, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), State Quality Services Plan (SQSP), and Benefit Payment Control (BPC);
  • Experience assisting senior staff with interpretation of unemployment insurance legislation, policies, programs, and regulations;
  • Experience providing advice on unemployment insurance program requirements;
  • Experience reviewing documents for conformity with unemployment insurance Federal requirements.

OR

Have a master's or equivalent graduate or 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 education and experience.

For GS-11

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-9, in the Federal Service.

Applicants must meet four (4) of the following statements below.

Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Experience applying knowledge in a variety of UI program areas, including: Adjudication, Claims Intake and Processing, Appeals, UI Budget including Resource Justification Model (RJM) Process, Benefits and Timeliness Quality (BTQ) Programs for Non-monetary Determinations and Appeals, Interstate Benefits and Combined Wage Claims, Tax, Tax Performance Systems (TPS), Data Validation, UI Benefit charging systems and experience rating systems, Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service members (UCX), Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), Integrity, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), State Quality Services Plan (SQSP), and Benefit Payment Control (BPC);
  • Experience interpreting legislation, policies, and regulations related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs;
  • Experience providing advice on requirements related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs;
  • Experience conducting reviews and evaluations of Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, tax systems, functions, and activities;
  • Experience providing recommendations and conducting briefings for senior officials and program stakeholders on Unemployment Insurance (UI) guidance and policy;
  • Experience reviewing and analyzing Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs data to assess and improve state performance and inform internal and external stakeholders.

OR

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.

OR

A combination of education and experience.

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.

Applicants must meet five (5) of the following statements below. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Experience applying knowledge in a variety of UI program areas, including: Adjudication, Claims Intake and Processing, Appeals, UI Budget including Resource Justification Model (RJM) Process, Benefits and Timeliness Quality (BTQ) Programs for Non-monetary Determinations and Appeals, Interstate Benefits and Combined Wage Claims, Tax, Tax Performance Systems (TPS), Data Validation, UI Benefit charging systems and experience rating systems, Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service members (UCX), Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), Integrity, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), State Quality Services Plan (SQSP), and Benefit Payment Control (BPC);
  • Experience interpreting legislation, policies, and regulations related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs;
  • Experience providing advice on requirements related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs;
  • Experience conducting reviews and evaluations of Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, tax systems, functions, and activities;
  • Experience providing recommendations and conducting briefings for senior officials and program stakeholders on Unemployment Insurance (UI) guidance and policy;
  • Experience reviewing and analyzing Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs data to assess and improve state performance and inform internal and external stakeholders.

There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 level.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Education

If you wish to use your education as a basis for meeting the minimum qualification requirements 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 minimum qualification requirements, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order 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 documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.

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.

Additional information

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.

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

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.

A writing sample may be required as part of the interview process.

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 and 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 and 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 and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.


  • Benefits

    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.

    Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage.

    Review our 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.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.

Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.

Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

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. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.

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) who are placed into Category B or higher will be considered "well-qualified." Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation. Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.



You may preview questions for this vacancy.

  • Benefits

    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.

    Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage.

    Review our 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.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you. 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.

    - Resumes are 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 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.
    • Veterans 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 honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to https://www.fedshirevets.gov.
    • Displaced Employee Placement Documents – Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
    • 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.


    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.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    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.

  • How to Apply

    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”.

    Agency contact information

    Allison Towal

    Phone

    202-693-3719

    TDD

    711

    Email

    towal.allison.k@dol.gov

    Address

    Labor, Employment and Training Administration
    Dallas Staffing Service Center
    Dallas, Texas 75202
    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 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 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.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you. 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.

- Resumes are 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 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.
  • Veterans 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 honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to https://www.fedshirevets.gov.
  • Displaced Employee Placement Documents – Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
  • 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.


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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.


Help

This job is open to

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

  • The public

    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Open to ALL U.S. Citizens; and ICTAP/CTAP eligibles in the local commuting area.

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