Clarification from the agency

Open to the Public-All US Citizens

The incumbent provides authoritative legal and policy interpretation, produces complex written legal analyses, advises senior leadership and OGC, and exercises expert professional judgment without supervisory responsibilities. The incumbent serves as the principal coordinating attorney for the FCC’s Reasonable Accommodation Program, responsible for interpreting legal requirements, evaluating complex medical documentation, advising on disability non-discrimination requirements, developing legal sufficiency policy frameworks, and serving as counsel-level advisor to HRM leadership, the CHCO, OGC, LRPMSC, and Bureau/Office leadership.

Serves as the Commission’s chief legal authority on Reasonable Accommodation and Disability Program compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq.); the Rehabilitation Act of 1992 (29 U.S.C. 701(g)); the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.; Executive Order 13164 (65 Fed. Reg. 46,565 (July 26, 2000)); the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulations found at 29 C.F.R. Parts 1614 and 1630, and applicable EEOC enforcement guidance; OPM disability employment policy and guidance; federal privacy laws; related civil rights statutes affecting the recruitment and employment of persons with disabilities in the federal sector;and related Executive Orders and Federal workplace disability jurisprudence.

Advises CHCO, OMD senior staff, OGC, LRPMSC, and Bureau/Office leadership regarding RA legal standards, risk exposure, legal sufficiency of decisions, and implications for workplace accommodation and equal employment opportunity.

Conducts complex legal research and statutory/regulatory interpretation to determine applicability of evolving case law, EEOC decisions, MSPB precedent, and judicial review outcomes to FCC workforce practices and accommodation cases.

Manages the legal assessment component of the FCC’s interactive process, evaluating medical documentation, essential functions analyses, occupational requirements, workplace risk considerations, privacy constraints, physical/virtual work environments, and alternative accommodation strategies.

Drafts complex legal memoranda, legal sufficiency reviews, policy documents, regulations, and written determinations that address accommodation eligibility, alternate accommodation measures, programmatic compliance, and risk mitigation.

Designs and maintains enterprise RA policies, procedures, and guidance, ensuring alignment with current EEOC directives, Rehabilitation Act jurisprudence, Section 501 requirements, accessibility standards, GSA/OPM telework guidance, and occupational medical accommodation best practices.

Represents HRM in cross-functional case reviews and legal consultations, including interactions with OGC, LRPMSC, EEO, Safety/FOH, Security, Facilities, Telework/Workplace Flexibilities Program, CIO/IT Accessibility, and other relevant components.

Coordinates legal and procedural RA activities with FCC Information Technology Accessibility Programs to ensure compliance with Section 508 and digital accessibility requirements, particularly for remote and hybrid workplace accommodation scenarios.

Reviews and interprets medical records, physician assessments, psychological evaluations, and specialist documentation to assess functional limitations and nexus to job requirements in accordance with legal requirements and privacy rules (HIPAA, FOIA, Privacy Act).

Serves as a Responsible Management Official (RMO), where appropriate, in EEO complaints relating to accommodations under both the Rehabilitation Act and Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act. Responds to EEO investigations as the RMO, including attending interviews and preparing affidavits in response to EEO investigations and collecting/providing responsive documents to EEO investigators.

Conditions of employment

• Bar Membership Documentation Required Upon Selection.
• Education-Transcripts Required Upon Selection.
• US Citizenship.
• Suitable for employment as determined by a background investigation.
• Serve a probationary period of one year, if applicable.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• Financial disclosure statement may be required upon assuming the position.
• Current FCC employees must provide SF-50 verifying grade & status
• SF-50 Documenting One Year of Time in Grade Required.
• Resume must not exceed two pages and must meet resume format criteria.

Please note your resume must thoroughly support your responses to the vacancy questions.  Your resume is an integral part of the process for determining if you meet the basic qualifications of the position and determining if you are to be among the best qualified.

SF-50 Required: ALL FCC EMPLOYEES AND CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST provide a legible Personnel Action, SF-50, that verifies your status and highest permanently held grade.  If an SF-50 is not submitted, the application will be rated as ineligible. To request a copy of your SF-50 please send an email to PersonnelRecordsRequest@fcc.gov

Qualifications

Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

In order to be deemed as "BEST QUALIFIED" candidates must meet both the educational requirements AND the Specialized Experience.

A. Education

You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include:  a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M. 

NOTE-If you do not provide a transcript at the time of application, a transcript will be required to be provided at the time of selection.

AND

B. Specialized Experience

GS-14

Applicants must have a minimum of three years of professional law experience after being admitted to the bar, one year of which is required to demonstrate the following specialized experience requirements. Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following:

1. Experience serving as a subject matter legal authority on statutory and regulatory requirements governing reasonable accommodation of employees and applicants with disabilities under federal civil rights laws.
2. Experience conducting complex legal analysis of the Rehabilitation Act (Sections 501, 504, 505), ADAAA, EEOC Enforcement Guidance, 29 C.F.R. Part 1630, OPM disability employment regulations, Section 508, federal privacy statutes, and relevant federal case law to advise on legal sufficiency and compliance related to reasonable accommodations programs.
3. Experience drafting legally defensible decisions, determinations, and written analyses regarding reasonable accommodation requests, undue hardship assertions, essential job function disputes, and disability eligibility questions.
4. Experience participating in the resolution of disputed Reasonable Accommodation cases.
5. Experience representing an organization's legal interests in meetings, working groups, and policy development sessions on disability employment law and reasonable accommodation standards.
6. Experience providing guidance to internal stakeholders regarding reasonable accommodations matters.

GS-15

Applicants must have a minimum of four years of professional law experience after being admitted to the bar, one year of which is required to demonstrate the following specialized experience requirements. Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following:

1. Experience serving as a subject matter legal authority on statutory and regulatory requirements governing reasonable accommodation of employees and applicants with disabilities under federal civil rights laws.
2. Experience conducting complex legal analysis of the Rehabilitation Act (Sections 501, 504, 505), ADAAA, EEOC Enforcement Guidance, 29 C.F.R. Part 1630, OPM disability employment regulations, Section 508, federal privacy statutes, and relevant federal case law to advise on legal sufficiency and compliance related to reasonable accommodations programs.
3. Experience drafting legally defensible decisions, determinations, and written analyses regarding reasonable accommodation requests, undue hardship assertions, essential job function disputes, and disability eligibility questions.
4. Experience participating in the resolution of disputed Reasonable Accommodation cases.
5. Experience representing an organization's legal interests in meetings, working groups, and policy development sessions on disability employment law and reasonable accommodation standards.
6. Experience advising senior leadership regarding Reasonable Accommodation legal standards, risk exposure, legal sufficiency of decisions, and implications for workplace accommodation and equal employment opportunity.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE:  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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Optional Four Essay Questions

At the time of application, applicants have the option of answering the following four short, free-response essay questions.

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Applicants will be required to certify that they are using their own words, and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). The responses to each question cannot exceed 200 words per question.

At the time of application you are required to take an external skills-based assessment which is based upon government-wide recognized competencies and consistent with OPM Merit Hiring Plan requirements and the Chance to Compete Act. Should you receive a passing score of 70 or higher, your application will be reviewed by subject matter experts to determine if you meet the OPM qualification requirements for this position.

Subject matter experts will review your application to determine if you meet the following required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's):

• Oral communication
• Writing
• Problem solving
• Attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills

If you are deemed to be qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration. Alternatively, if your application is not deemed as qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will not be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration.

Merit Hiring Plan Resume Requirements

In compliance with Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service resumes must not be longer than two pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement.

Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below:

Contact Information

Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number.

Relevant Work Experience

• Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions)
• Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 –08/2022)
• The number of hours you worked per week

Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement.

Resumes must be formatted as outlined above. If the two page resume criteria and/or the resume formatting requirement is not met candidates will be rated as ineligible and will not be referred for hiring consideration.

The FCC is providing the following applicant resume resources: 

• Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit
• USAjobs-How to Write a Federal Resume

Your application MUST be received by midnight U.S. Eastern Time of the closing date of the announcement. 

You must submit a resume at the time of application.  Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy.  Current Federal employees must also submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting one year of time in grade.  If an SF-50 is not submitted to verify time in grade, the applicant will be rated as ineligible.

This position may require the submission of supplemental documents before selection.

• Law academic transcripts (unofficial is acceptable).
• Proof of current, active bar membership.
• Writing sample demonstrating the ability to analyze complex legal and/or policy issues.
• Professional references.

Once you apply to this vacancy you will be prompted by the system to upload supporting application documentation. If you are unable to upload the required documentation, contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement prior to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. 

Supplemental Documents Required:

• Current Federal employees should submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting one year of time in grade.  If an SF-50 is not submitted to verify time in grade, the application will be rated as ineligible.
• Transcripts
• Bar Membership

If transcripts and proof of bar membership are not provided at the time of application, this documentation must be provided at the time of selection.

Veterans must submit a legible Member 4 copy of the DD-214 which reflects the manner of discharge.  Please refer to OPM's VetGuide for further information about veterans' preference via the following link: VetGuide

Next steps