Legal Assistant I Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. PRC01-25 Department Postal Regulatory Commission
Salary $57,164.00 to $90,898.00 Grade 1 to 1
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/17/2025 Close Date 1/31/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Postal Regulatory Commission's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking a highly motivated, organized, and detail-oriented Legal Assistant to join our team. This career ladder position has a one year probationary period with full promotion potential to a PRC-3. This is not an attorney position and is not intended to be converted to one.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

OPEN TO ALL UNITED STATES CITIZENS

Duties

Assignments are received from the General Counsel, Deputies, and Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, accompanied by specific instructions and training. Day-to-day tasks are performed under the supervision of the Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant. The incumbent consults with the assigner, OGC and OAC staff, and the Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant as needed. Completed work is reviewed for accuracy and compliance with instructions and Commission style and practice.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The incumbent is expected to complete assignments according to the deadlines and expectations set by the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsels, and the Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant. Initially, the incumbent will receive detailed instructions and training. Upon completing the training period, they will be expected to handle increasingly complex assignments, seeking guidance from the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant when needed. Day-to-day tasks are supervised by the Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, with consultation available from OGC and staff from the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC), as necessary. All completed work will be reviewed for accuracy, adherence to instructions, and compliance with Commission style and practices.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You will be required to serve a probationary period of one year.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Non-Exempt
  • Citizenship Requirement: You must be a U.S. citizen or national to be eligible for this position.
  • Background Investigation Requirement: You must successfully pass a background investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
  • Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
  • Selective Service Registration: All applicants born male, on (or after) 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System OR have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
  • e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.

Qualifications

Major Duties include:
  • With assistance (as needed) and under supervision, manage the production of Commission documents. This generally includes:
    • Maintaining control of and consolidating multiple versions of a document and/or comments received from multiple sources
    • Cite checking and proofreading Commission documents
    • Utilizing appropriate styles and formatting (as instructed through training and as appears in applicable style guide(s))
    • Review, cite check, and prepare for circulation Notices, Orders, Chairman Information Requests, Presiding Officer Rulings
    • Managing the distribution of Commission orders and other agency documents, among the Commission's offices (including the Commissioners, the Office of the Secretary and Administration and others), monitoring progress and tracking comments, edits, approvals, and dissents, and maintaining control of the document to filing and transmittal to the Federal Register, where appropriate
    • Adding tables of contents, cover pages, and other key content to Commission documents as requested
    • Compiling information for appendices to Commission documents as requested
    • Electronically filing approved documents
  • As directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, Managing Attorneys, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, follow established plans and procedures to support the Commission's FOIA program to include, but not limited to:
    • Coordinate receipt, assignment, and responses to requests for information pursuant to FOIA
    • Monitor status of FOIA requests and prepare written correspondence to requesters
    • Update Commission FOIA logs
    • Prepare quarterly and annual FOIA reports for submission to the U.S. Department of Justice and for posting to the Commission's website
  • As directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, assign cases to OGC staff and request access to non-public information for assigned staff
  • As directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, track and organize cases and Commission documents in a variety of applicable databases or files (e.g., the database for Competitive negotiated service agreements (NSAs), weekly dockets sheet, legal memoranda database, assignments database/SharePoint site, etc.)
  • As directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant, compile and circulate routine emails (e.g., daily document queue email)
  • Carry out special projects as directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant
  • Provide back-up when necessary to ensure all daily and/or routine required office tasks are completed (i.e., timekeeping, updating weekly dockets sheet, and publication status log, , etc.)
  • With assistance (as needed) and under supervision, perform administrative office functions as directed by the General Counsel, Deputies, or Supervisory Legal and Executive Assistant. Such duties may include:
    • Updating key office documents (e.g., the OGC phone tree)
    • Distributing incoming mail to appropriate staff
    • Assisting with scheduling of meetings; issuing invitations and notifications; preparing agendas
    • Answering telephones and giving information to callers; taking detailed messages; transferring calls to appropriate individuals
    • Operating and ensuring working order of office equipment, including printers and copiers, and coordinating with the Office of the Secretary and Administration on repair calls as needed
    • Providing additional administrative support to OGC as needed
CRITICAL COMPETENCIES INCLUDE
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a team
  • Ability to learn and adhere to Commission style guide(s), The Bluebook, and training pertaining to practices and style requirements for drafting and reviewing Commission documents
  • Time management skills and ability to balance competing priorities and assignments
  • Computer skills, including knowledge of Office 365 (e.g., Microsoft Teams/SharePoint), Microsoft Word and familiarity with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
  • Customer service skills
  • Ability to learn Commission practices and procedures
  • Basic project management skills, including the ability to track project progress
To be eligible for consideration, your application materials must demonstrate that you have experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position described above. Typically, experience will be related to legal or regulatory work at a level similar to this position and may encompass 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

Undergraduate degree, associate degree in paralegal studies, or paralegal certificate is required if substituting education for experience OR a minimum of one full year of specialized experience performing legal work which demonstrates a basic knowledge of reviewing, editing, and formatting a variety of legal documents.

Additional information

Ethics Requirements

The Commission is committed to government ethics. As a Commission employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch and the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Commission employees are also subject to Commission-specific ethics rules (39 C.F.R. subpart A of part 3001 and supplemental standards of ethical conduct [5 C.F.R. part 5601]). The supplemental standards prohibit Commission employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children, from owning any securities issued by entities that are identified on the Commission's annually published prohibited securities list. As an employee of the Commission, you must complete initial ethics training within three months of your appointment and, depending on your position, complete required financial disclosure forms within 30 days of your appointment.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. The Commission may offer Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Work Environment: The Commission annually ranks as one of the best places to work in the federal government as a small agency with less than 100 employees, scoring high in employee engagement and environment in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The Commission also is on the forefront of offering flexible working arrangements, including remote work. This position is in OGC. OGC advises the Commission on the legal aspects of proposed legislation and rulemaking, and on general administrative legal issues including procurement, personnel, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act and other internal legal questions. The Office works together with the Department of Justice in litigating matters before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the venue of the majority of Commission appeals. The Office also supports the Federal Government's Pro Bono Program which allows Commission attorneys and support personnel to staff legal aid clinics and to represent pro bono clients, consistent with the Office's Pro Bono Policy.

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.

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.

You will be evaluated by a screening panel based on evidence of your ability to successfully perform the duties of the position according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. The panel will forward the appropriate candidates to the selecting official for further consideration and possible interview.

Required Documents

In order for your application to be considered complete, the following documents must be submitted:

  1. Cover Letter (no more than two pages)
  2. Resume must contain the following information: For each position listed on your resume, you must specify the following information:
    1. Start and end dates (month/year)
      b. Description of duties
      c. If the position was Federal, you must include the grade and step for each
      d. education
  3. Current and former Federal employees: (The SF-50 must show your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied. [i.e., Excepted or Competitive])
    1. Submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" to indicate your current federal status. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess the years of experience required for this vacancy. You must provide additional SF-50s that clearly demonstrate that you meet the years of experience required for this vacancy.
    2. The SF-50 must show your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied. [i.e., Excepted or Competitive] Performance award, Realignment, and Detail SF-50's will not be accepted as proof of grade or tenure.
  4. Veterans: If claiming Veteran's Preference, you must submit a Member-4 copy of your DD-214:
    1. Disabled Veterans: Disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must submit:
      i. SF-15 Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference
      ii. Member-4 DD-214
      iii. disability rating letter (if applicable)
    2. If you are currently on active duty to be released within 120 days, you may submit an armed forces certification in lieu of a Member-4 DD-214.
      Failure to provide required documentation will result in your application not receiving 10-point preference.
    3. Military spouse of an Active-Duty Military Member:
      a. Marriage license
      b. A copy of your spouse's active military orders
      c. SF-15 Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference
    4. Military Spouse of Separated Veteran:
      a. A copy of your marriage license
      b. A copy of the Member-4 DD-214
      c. A copy of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability letter OR document of death during active duty
      d. SF-15 Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference
      You are not eligible for Military Spousal benefits if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried.
      Failure to provide required documentation will result in your application not receiving preference.
  5. Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities:
    1. Submit a copy of your Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
To gain access to your DD214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Additionally, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit:
Optional Form 3046-0466, Demographic Information on Applicants (voluntary) http://www.prc.gov/sites/default/files/job-openings/OMB_FORM_3046-0046.pdf

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

You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer the application questionnaire and assessment, and submit all required documents.

If you already have a USAJOBS account, click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to attach any additional documents that may be required.

Veteran Information
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

Application packages will NOT be accepted via email, mail or fax. All applications must be received by 11:59 pm on January 31, 2025.

This vacancy announcement will be open from January 17, 2025 through January 31, 2025. Complete application packages must be submitted at the time that you apply to receive consideration. Additional documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.

For More Information
You can obtain forms and additional information by contacting Geovonie McNair at HR@prc.gov.

Agency contact information

HR Office
Address
Postal Regulatory Commission
901 New York Ave NW
Washington, DC 20268
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. Please ensure that your application includes all required documents as we will not process applications missing a cover letter, etc. After the review is complete, the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. Applicants will be notified of their status by email, referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants will receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.


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


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