Human Resource Specialist Employee Benefits

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from current or former federal employees, VEOA eligibles, Career Transition eligibles, and those eligible for special/noncompetitive hiring authorities.

• Researching questions about employee benefits policies and regulations using 5 CFR, OPM and DOJ guidance and consultations with the branch chief and/or senior specialist to prepare final responses and analyze issues, problems and questions from employees and management.
• Works with the PPOB Time and Attendance Coordinators and the Branch's leave administrator to provide employees with guidance and to resolve issues related to Leave without Pay and the impact on employee's benefits. This also includes preparing notices for issuance to the TSP Service Office, advising employees of their insurance options and monitoring their return-to-work status.
• Provides authoritative advice and recommendations concerning these programs for employees. Advising employees who have military service about the process for crediting their military service toward their civilian service, leave accrual calculation. and future retirement eligibility and benefits. Prepares military service deposit calculations where Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) rules must be applied to conform to the law.
• Serves as a specialist with responsibilities for managing federal health benefits, federal life insurance, (TSP), flexible spending account program, unemployment compensation, military service deposit, federal length of service awards, employee suggestions, and new employee orientation on federal benefits programs and as such, must have thorough familiarity with these programs and their policies and associated procedures.
• Analyzes the impact of legislative changes, precedent court decisions, pending initiatives, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issuances, and other materials affecting, or potentially affecting employee benefits.

Conditions of employment

The requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Key Requirements:

1. Must be U.S. Citizen or National
2. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
3. May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
4. Pass drug screening and subject to random drug test.
5. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
6. You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement.
7. Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Specialized experience must include all of:

• Assists in research and assemble precedent setting decisions, report findings and make recommendations for operational improvements affecting employee benefits, preparing standard operating procedures and preparing documents and other types of correspondence;AND
• Participate in meetings with employees, managers, external agency officials and other individuals regarding various issues pertaining to employee benefits and to communicate program requirements, processes and procedures; AND
• Knowledge of the automated personnel and payroll systems (HR Connect, NFC, FHR Navigator, eOPF) to retrieve employment and benefits enrollment data, as well as make inquiries, input documents and calculate service computation dates, retirement annuity benefits and military service deposit ; AND
• Understands the laws, regulations, policies and procedures relating to the various retirement systems (CSRS, FERS, LEO), TSP, Social Security system, Medicare, health and life insurance programs, length of service award and retirement recognition to answer routine questions from employees, assist them with their concerns and problems and to refer them toother resources, i.e., BRB senior specialists, and TSP, FSA, BENEFEDS, Social Security; AND
• Understands the mission and functions of the Bureau and its organizational structure and of common occupations within the Bureau to verify retirement system coverage (law enforcement officer versus non-law enforcement officer), special pay entitlement and for the coordination of providing employee recognition.

• Independently research and assemble precedent setting decisions, report findings and make recommendations for operational improvements affecting employee benefits, preparing standard operating procedures and preparing documents and other types of correspondence ; AND
• Knowledge of the automated personnel and payroll systems (HR Connect, NFC, FHR Navigator, eOPF) to retrieve employment and benefits enrollment data, as well as make inquiries, input documents and calculate service computation dates, retirement annuity benefits and military service deposit ; AND
• Understands the laws, regulations, policies and procedures relating to the various retirement systems (CSRS, FERS, LEO), TSP, Social Security system, Medicare, health and life insurance programs, length of service award and retirement recognition to answer routine questions from employees, assist them with their concerns and problems and to refer them toother resources, i.e., BRB senior specialists, and TSP, FSA, BENEFEDS, Social Security ; AND
• Understands the mission and functions of the Bureau and its organizational structure and of common occupations within the Bureau to verify retirement system coverage (law enforcement officer versus non-law enforcement officer), special pay entitlement and for the coordination of providing employee recognition ; AND
• Managing federal health benefits, federal life insurance, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), flexible spending account program, military service deposit, length of service awards, and new employee orientation and as such, must have thorough familiarity with these programs and their policies and associated procedures.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist. This information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. If a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment

USA Hire: You will be asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments where you will be evaluated on critical competencies relevant to this position. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

"The assessment 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."

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Research
• Organizational Awareness
• Oral Communication
• Employee Benefit
• Technical Competence

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history. Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training, your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations.

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time,
• Your Pay Plan/Series/Grade for all federal positions, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

1. You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step,organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.
2. An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
   • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
   • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
   • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

1. When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
2. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
3. If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
4. For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.

1. Spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty: documentation showing 1) your spouse's active-duty status and 2) your marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage certificate or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
2. Spouse of service members who incurred a 100% disability because of the service member's active-duty service: documentation showing 1) the member of the armed forces retired, or was released or discharged from active duty, with a disability rating of 100 percent; and 2) documentation of marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
3. Spouse of service members killed while on active duty: documentation showing a) the member was released or discharged from active duty due to his or her death while on active duty; b) the member of the armed forces was killed while serving on active duty; c) proof of the widow or widower's marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage); and d) a statement certifying that the individual seeking to use the authority is the un-remarried widow or widower of the service member.

Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.

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