Duties
Once selected for the Claims Specialist position in SSA, you will contribute to the Agency's mission through direct and personal service to the public. This includes speaking with beneficiaries about their rights under the Social Security laws, gathering facts and evidence to establish eligibility for benefits, making critical decisions to determine the amount of benefits paid to individuals, and using computer technology to access and update information about claims.
Claims Specialists conduct interviews with the public to obtain, clarify, and verify information about initial and continuing eligibility for retirement, survivors, disability, health insurance benefits, and eligibility for supplemental security income including State supplements. In addition, they resolve discrepancies, clarify issues and make final decisions for initial and post-entitlement for benefits and payments; adjudicate and authorize entitlement or disallowance actions at all levels of difficulty and complexity under programs administered by SSA; and use computer technology to access and update claims information.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship required
- Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
- Background and/or security investigation required
- Job offers are contingent on background / security investigation results
- Selectees are required to serve a 1-year probationary period
- Relocation expenses will not be paid
- All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
- Proof of ICTAP/VEOA/Military Spouse eligibility required
- Must pass Meet-and Deal panel interview
Qualifications
Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information.
GS-11: Fifty-two weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the federal service in developing, examining, investigating or authorizing of claims under a program for SSA benefits, health insurance, pension plan, income maintenance or related programs.
Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12 month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience).
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR
COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW PROCESS (CAIP) INTERVIEW - Applicants will be required to participate in a panel interview (after basic eligibility determination) to demonstrate an aptitude for meeting and dealing with the public. Applicants must pass this interview process in order to be found fully qualified for this position and receive further consideration for selection. This interview will cover typical situations, which might be encountered on the job, in person or over the telephone. Applicants must demonstrate qualities such as clarity of speech, ability to listen, ability to establish confidence and put others at ease and the ability to organize and express thoughts clearly. If you do not pass the CAIP interview, you will not qualify for the job.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time in grade requirement (ICTAP Eligibles Only) must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at the GS-09 or higher.
In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicants must be eligible under ICTAP, Certain Military Spouse or VEOA
Education
Substituting Education: If you are qualifying for this position based on completed education at an accredited U.S. college, university, or other educational institution, you must provide a copy of your transcripts or other proof of education prior to being appointed. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services
GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or successful completion of three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, or LL.M.
Combining Education and Experience:
GS-11: Experience and graduate level education beyond the first year may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirement.
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 is not provided, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time graduate study.
Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined.
Additional information
In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicants must be eligible under the following category:
- In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicants must be eligible under one of the following categories:
- Displaced or surplus Federal employees eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) who have held a GS-11 or above, and in the commuting area of the listed duty location. See Required Documents section for instructions on submitting proof.
- Veterans who are eligible for preference OR who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 or more years of continuous service, including veterans who were separated shortly before completing the required 3-year period, are eligible for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). See Required Documents section for instructions on submitting proof.
- Certain Military Spouse. See Required Documents section for instructions on submitting proof.
In addition to meeting the basic eligibility criteria, ICTAP applicants must be well qualified for the position. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, and abilities that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under numeric rating procedures, qualified ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of
85 or higher to be eligible for selection.
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.
Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
Review our 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.
Required Documents
Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information.
You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to claim certain types of preference or qualify on the basis of education.
RESUME: All applicants must submit a resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: 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.
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 and 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.
PROOF OF VEOA ELIGIBILITY: Applicants for consideration under the VEOA appointment authority include those eligible for veterans' preference (see below paragraph on Veterans' Preference) OR have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 or more years of continuous service, including veterans who were separated shortly before completing the required 3-year period. Applicants must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 4 copy), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other proof of eligibility. To be acceptable, the document must show Character of Service. For more information visit the
Vet Guide.
VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference for consideration under VEOA, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD 214 member 4 copy) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15,
Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (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. For more information visit the
Vet Guide.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO VETERANS: The Office of Personnel Management has published the end date for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as August 31, 2010. To receive veterans' preference for service during the Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom era, you must have served for more than 180 days between September 11, 2001 and August 31, 2010 OR be in receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal. The updated CFR language is available
here. Other qualifying eligibility for preference (e.g., disability) remains unchanged.
Military Spouse Appointing Authority. You may be eligible for an appointment under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority if you are a spouse of: 1) an active duty member of the armed forces; 2) a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury; or 3) a deceased service member of the armed forces. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met. Individuals applying for consideration under this authority MUST provide the applicable supporting documentation (e.g., documentation verifying marriage, copy of your spouse's active military orders, DD-214, copy of a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a branch of the military certifying the service member's service-connected disability rating, DD-1300, etc.). You are no longer eligible if you remarry.
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.