Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits)

Summary As a Human Resources Specialist (Employee Benefits) GS-0201-12/13, you will be part of the Payroll and Benefits Division, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If selected, you will be responsible for providing direct service to employees regarding federal benefits, which include, but not limited to, retirement and insurance programs. The selectee will be required to have a duty station at EEOC Headquarters or one of the 53 Field Offices. Responsibilities Performs work involving matters of major significance and importance relating to federal employee retirement and insurance benefits. Prepares new or revised agency-wide guidance materials to implement new regulations or to institute changes in policy resulting from Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or Executive Branch decisions. Conducts research and studies to evaluate and implement retirement and insurance programs. Assists in planning and developing special projects that require consultation with the OPM and benefits plan representatives. Advises agency management regarding retirement and insurance program problems and issues. Assembles background and briefing materials on retirement and insurance programs. Serves on agency work groups and attends meeting at other federal agencies regarding retirement and insurance program operating policies and procedures. Participates in agency pre-retirement and mid-career seminars, health benefit fairs, new employee orientation, and various open season informational projects. Counsels federal employees on benefits related matters such as retirement, qualifying life events, and military buyback. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications For the GS-12: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes experience: Applying federal laws, regulations, and agency policies to administer federal employee benefits programs, including retirement (FERS/CSRS), FEHB, FEGLI, leave, TSP, and service credit determinations. Researching and resolving routine benefits issues by interpreting federal personnel laws and OPM guidance; provide technical counseling on retirement options, survivor benefits, disability retirement, death-in-service benefits, TSP requirements, and reemployed annuitant rules. Calculating and processing retirement actions, including service computation dates, leave accrual, deposits/redeposits, and preparing complete retirement packages while ensuring regulatory accuracy and coordinating routine submissions with OPM. Providing benefits customer service and technical assistance by responding to inquiries, preparing correspondence, and communicating benefits information to employees, managers, payroll offices, and other stakeholders. Merit promotion applicants must meet time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. For the GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes experience: Providing expert-level interpretation and guidance on federal employee benefits programs, including retirement (FERS/CSRS), FEHB, FEGLI, TSP, leave programs, and related laws, regulations, and policies. Researching, interpreting, and resolving benefits issues involving retirement, insurance, service credit, and other benefits entitlements, and recommending appropriate actions to employees and management. Delivering advanced counseling, training, and technical assistance to employees, managers, HR staff, payroll offices, and external stakeholders; developing written guidance and presentations on complex benefits topics. Reviewing and validating high-complexity retirement packages and determinations, serving as the escalation point for GS-12 specialists, and advising senior leadership on policy interpretation and improvements to benefits administration processes. Merit promotion applicants must meet time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements (e.g., time-in-grade and qualification requirements) within 30 days of the closing date specified in the vacancy announcement. 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; 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 are no educational requirements for this position. Additional Information Relocation expenses will not be paid. You will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across the EEOC. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements visit the following websites: Persons with Disabilities, Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans Special Hiring Authorities for Certain Military Spouses Family of overseas employees Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Foreign Service Employees Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see: https://www.sss.gov/register/) All employees of the Federal government are subject to the conflict of interest statutes and regulations including the Standards of Ethical Conduct that govern activities with outside organizations and reporting financial holdings. This position may require the incumbent to complete a confidential financial disclosure report within 30 days of appointment. This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with the EEOC. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow the EEOC to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. 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 Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. TTY users may contact us via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.