Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits)

Summary

This position is located in the Executive Office of the President (EOP), Office of Administration (OA), Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO). The incumbent will be assigned responsibility for serving either the Title 3 Components for WHHR or the Title 5 Components for HRMD.

Duties

As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits), GS-0201-12/13, your typical work assignments may include the following: - Provides independent counseling to employees on eligibility and coverage options for various Federal employee benefit programs, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, and long-term care insurance, while assisting with enrollment and inquiries. - Acts as the primary contact for the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Program, advising on regulations for workplace injuries and managing the claims process, including reviewing billing accuracy through the Chargeback Report. - Reviews and verifies prior Federal service records, calculate Service Computation Dates, and make retirement coverage determinations, while addressing any necessary corrections in coordination with external federal agencies. - Performs quarterly audits for FEHB premium and enrollment reconciliation with OPM and FEHB carriers via the NFC's Centralized Enrollment Clearinghouse System, ensuring data accuracy through internal quality control reviews of HR records. - Reviews Official Personnel Folders for new and separating employees to confirm benefits eligibility, sends notifications regarding Federal benefits, and processes election forms for FEHB, FEGLI, and TSP, ensuring accurate data entry into DCPDS and DCPS. - Conducts personalized departure briefings for senior officials and manages TCC enrollments through the National Finance Center using the Direct Premium Remittance System. - Provides retirement counseling to employees under CSRS and FERS, covering various retirement scenarios, and prepare annuity estimates while explaining insurance, Social Security, and Medicare information to facilitate informed decisions. - Processes retirement, disability, and survivor claims through the OPM Online Retirement Application (ORA) portal, ensuring accurate and timely submissions. - Advises on military and civilian service deposits, assist beneficiaries with necessary forms, and explain procedures and documentation for potential benefits, including estimates for surviving spouses. Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: All applicants must meet the qualification requirements outlined below to be considered minimally qualified for this position. The qualification requirements are in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level or pay band in Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility comparable to the next lower grade or comparable pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. ALL QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates the following: 1. Applying knowledge of Federal employee benefits laws, regulations, and policies to resolve complex or unprecedented cases involving retirement systems (FERS/CSRS), insurance programs, death benefits, service deposits, and/or workers' compensation; 2. planning, prioritizing, and executing multiple competing assignments under stringent deadlines, including adjusting project workflows in response to shifting agency priorities or workload demands; and 3. serving as a consultant to employees, management, and external stakeholders on sensitive benefits issues, utilizing a high degree of discretion, judgment, and tact to resolve complex or contentious cases. You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates the following: 1. applying Federal employee benefits laws, regulations, and policies (such as Title 5 CFR, FERS/CSRS, FEHB, FEGLI, and FLTCIP) to resolve complex, sensitive, or unprecedented cases involving retirement packages, death and survivor benefits, military/civilian service credit deposits, and/or Federal Workers' Compensation (OWCP); 2. managing a high-volume portfolio of competing projects and time-sensitive casework; 3 serving as an advisor providing, sensitive, and definitive consultation to employees, agency managers, and external stakeholders on controversial or complex benefits issues, utilizing a high degree of tact, discretion, and diplomatic communication; and 4. representing an agency in cross-functional workgroups, interagency committees, or national conferences to present conclusions, collaborate on policy implementation, and influence strategic benefits decisions. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; 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.

Education

There is no education substitution for this position. How You Will Be Evaluated

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. 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): Reasoning Skills Decision-Making Ability Math Skills Reading Comprehension Soft Skills Interpersonal Skills Stress Tolerance Accountability 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. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13046737 Other Information

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, you must be a preference eligible or a Veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Active Duty Military Members MAY apply due to the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act. You must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions along with your application for Federal employment, showing an expected discharge or release date not later than 120 days from the date of application. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx). Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs & Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/ictap/ Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Main_Page Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements: Person with Disabilities - Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans Special Hiring Authorities for Certain Military Spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application. 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)