Equal Employment Specialist Job in Woodlawn, MD

Vacancy No. SH-12604263 Department Social Security Administration
Salary $55,924.00 to $128,956.00 Grade 7 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/18/2024 Close Date 11/22/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Woodlawn, MD


Summary

Responsible for the review and analysis and other aspects of the discrimination complaints process; complaints are based on race, religion, national origin, sex, color, age, physical and/or mental handicap, and reprisal. Also responsible for providing expert planning, organization, advice, and guidance.

These are the duties at the full performance level of GS-12.

Duties

  • Advises aggrieved individuals on methods that may be taken in the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) process either in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) or in traditional counseling.
  • Analyzes investigative material developed on all complaints of discrimination filed against SSA under the Equal Employment Opportunity Regulations.
  • Assures that decisions are consistent with public law, with precedent appellate judicial and administrative decisions, and with SSA procedures, policy, and personnel management philosophy.
  • Interprets and revises SSA policy on discrimination complaint processing. Participates in formulating policy for the discrimination complaint program.
  • Provides advice and assistance to regional and headquarters staff regarding legal, regulatory, and technical matters relating to SSA’s complaint system.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required
  • Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results
  • Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement

Qualifications

GS-7
To qualify for the GS-7 level, you must have one of the following:
A bachelor's degree AND superior academic achievement. Superior academic achievement is defined as: (1) graduating with at least a 3.0/4.0 GPA; (2) graduating in the top third of the graduating class; or (3) membership in a national scholastic honor society; NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate claimed education; OR
One full year of graduate level study, or possess a Master's or higher degree, e.g., LL.B., J.D., LL.M., Ph.D., etc., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position. NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate claimed education; OR
At least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-5, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience should include researching, analyzing, and applying principles to identify and solve employment issues; OR
When combined, graduate education and experience total 100% of the requirements.
GS-9
To qualify for the GS-9 level, you must have one of the following:
At least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-7, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled which has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience should include researching, analyzing, and applying equal opportunity principles to identify and solve employment issues which includes consulting, reconciling, negotiating, or investigating activities with regard to equal employment laws, policies; OR
A Master's or equivalent graduate degree, if related. NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate education; OR
Completed 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate education; OR
When combined, graduate education and experience total 100% of the requirements.
GS-11
To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have one of the following:
At least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-9, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled which has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include applying Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, statues and Federal regulations, and applying analytical or fact finding techniques to interpret, resolve or recommend resolution for Federal EEO programs (e.g., informal or formal complaint of discrimination or disability process, Reasonable Accommodation, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Special Emphasis Program) for an organization; OR
A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate education; OR
Completed 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, if related. NOTE: Transcripts are required to substantiate education; OR
When combined, graduate education and experience total 100% of the requirements.
GS-12
To qualify for the GS-12, the applicant must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-11 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include applying Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, statues and Federal regulations, experience processing and adjudicating formal EEO complaints, to include all of the following: drafting final agency decisions, conducting activities relative to updating/monitoring electronic complaint tracking system(s), drafting acceptance/dismissal letters, reviewing and approving investigative plans, and conducting legal sufficiency reviews of investigative reports.

NOTE: Your resume and supporting documents must specifically address the evaluation criteria for the position. This information is instrumental in determining the highest quality candidates to be referred to the Selecting Official. If your application materials do not demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience needed for this position, your application will be ineligible for consideration.

Your resume must show complete dates (month/day/year) for each position described (and if your position is or was federal, your grade at the time experience was gained). Resumes that don't include this information may not satisfy the requirement to demonstrate 52 weeks performing specific work at the required level.

Education

For GS-7: Successful completion of at least one academic year of graduate education in a field that is directly related to the position or superior academic achievement.

For GS-9: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successful completion of at least two academic years of progressively higher graduate education in a field that is directly related to the position, or LL.B. or J.D. in a field that is directly related to the position.

For GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, or LL.M. in a field that is directly related to the position.

Combining Education and Experience: Experience and education as described above may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements. Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11.

Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school you attended has determined to represent one year of study. If this information cannot be obtained from your school, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time study.

Providing Proof of Education or Substituting Education
For information on providing proof of education or substituting education for experience, visit

If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.

Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System,or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Other Notes:

This is a Career Ladder Position leading to the GS-12 level.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
This position is on a full-time, flex-time schedule and may be eligible for an Alternate Work Schedule (AWS).
This position is eligible for telework after all conditions for telework have been met.
This position is not authorized to be filled virtually or through outstationing.
The Official Duty Station (ODS) for this position is SSA-HQ Woodlawn, Maryland.
To participate in telework, you must reside within a 2-hour commute to this ODS by the time of your appointment.
Relocation expenses will not be paid; salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions.
Successful performance of work in this position and adherence to conditions of this position will be assessed during the 1-year probationary period served that may be served by new appointees (e.g., new to SSA and/or new to this series).
This is a moderate-risk public trust position. You may be required to complete SF-85 (Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions) to have the appropriate investigation conducted.

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.

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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.

The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position. These competencies include:

  • Knowledge of EEO laws, regulations, processes, and procedures governing the Federal civilian EEO process. Required for Grades 7, 9, 11, 12
  • Skill in processing and responding to formal EEO within regulatory timeframes (i.e., Intake Acceptance or Dismissal Decisions and Appeal Decisions). Required for Grades 12
  • Skill conducting legal research for matters relating to the Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, and the Equal Pay Act. Required for Grades 11, 12
  • Skill in written and oral communication. Required for Grades 7, 9, 11, 12
  • Skill in providing responses to judges or administrative adjudicators. Required for grades 7, 9, 11, 12
  • Skill preparing legal documents for civilian or Federal tribunals. Required for Grades 9, 11, 12

Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12604263

Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:

1 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.

Required Documents

You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference.

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. To receive selection priority, candidates must meet the requirements for the Well Qualified category as described in the vacancy announcement. Candidates must also provide:

  • proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation Notice of Personnel Action, (SF-50); and
  • proof of your most recent performance rating of at least "fully successful" (Level III) or equivalent.
For more information visit http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15) and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received.

Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.

For more information visit the Vet Guide.

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 provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  1. Your Resume
  2. The Occupational Questionnaire
  3. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section)


The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 11/22/2024.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact OPE Staffing DCCREO at OPE.Staffing.DCCREO@ssa.gov or 410-965-1234.

Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories

Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.

Agency contact information

OPE Staffing DCCREO
Address
DCCREO
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21235
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position.

Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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