Claims Assistant (OA)

This position is located in the Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Division of Federal Employees' Compensation (DFEC). The purpose of this position is to provide administrative/clerical Program support, assistance, and guidance to internal and external stakeholders on matters related to the operations and administration of the DFELHWC program.

Duties

The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and be eligible for telework as determined by agency policy. This is not a remote position. Offices are located in Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Lakewood, CO; Long Beach, CA; New Orleans, LA; New York-Manhattan, NY; Philadelphia, PA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; or Washington, DC. Advertised salary reflects the pay range for the above locations. Upon selection, the salary will be set in accordance with the selectee's assigned duty location.

For Claims Assistant (OA), the duties will increase in complexity upon promotion to the next higher grade up to the GS-08:

• Serves as a point of contact for stakeholders.
• Indexes incoming correspondence (e.g., internal and external) received with or without a case number based on a comprehensive knowledge of categories and subjects pertaining to the Program.
• Prepares copies of files and medical documents in the appropriate format (e.g., paper, CD/electronic, large print for accommodations, etc.) and ensures that files are properly encrypted.
• Initiates imaging processes for back file conversion of paper cases and ensures that imaged files are properly stored and/or forwarded to the appropriate parties.
• Conducts periodic physical property inventories, as directed by management.
• Screens incoming calls and determines if the nature of the inquiry can be handled personally.
• Uses computers and computer software applications to create, copy, edit, store, retrieve, and print documents in a variety of formats.

Salary

• $44,117 - $87,851/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• You must have a typing proficiency of 40 words per minute. You must have a certificate of proficiency from an organization authorized to issue such certificates or self-certify your proficiency (by responding to the assessment question).

Qualifications

You must meet the Specialized Experience to qualify for Claims Assistant (OA), as described below.

For Claims Assistant (OA) GS-06: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-05 in the Federal Service.

For Claims Assistant (OA) GS-07: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-06 in the Federal Service.

For Claims Assistant (OA) GS-08: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-07 in the Federal Service.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Qualifying specialized experience for Claims Assistant (OA) GS-06 includes:

• Receiving and providing performance reporting data relevant to program functions and goals.
• Experience with the needs and eligibility of benefits for claimants.
• Writing correspondence of a business nature to internal and external customers seeking information and/or recommendations or decisions.
• Communicating with customers, representing the organization to customers and others in person, by phone, or in writing.

Qualifying specialized experience for Claims Assistant (OA) GS-07 includes:

• Solicits and schedules independent medical examinations to assess disability, impairment and need for medical treatment.
• Arranges transportation and interpretation services for referred examinations.
• Maintains, uploads, and provides electronic media for stakeholders.
• Makes assignments of claims and remands based on established program criteria.

Qualifying specialized experience for Claims Assistant (OA) GS-08 includes:

• Solicits and schedules independent medical examinations to assess disability, impairment and need for medical treatment.
• Arranges transportation and interpretation services for referred examinations.
• Maintains, uploads, and provides electronic media for stakeholders.
• Makes assignments of claims and remands based on established program criteria.
• Receives and provides performance reporting data relevant to program functions and goals.
• Makes recommendations to management to improve process efficiency.

You must have a typing proficiency of 40 words per minute based on a 5-minute sample with three or fewer errors. You must have a certificate of proficiency from an organization authorized to issue such certificates or self-certify your proficiency.

Education This position does not allow for education substitution. Other Information

This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflects the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and models a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information

Click here for Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act.

Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements of time-in-grade (52 weeks at the next lower grade), time-after-competitive-appointment (90 days), and minimum qualifications (52 weeks equivalent to the next lower grade in federal service). These requirements must be met within 30 days of 12/05/2024 the announcement closing date.

The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):

• AGENCY EMPLOYEES: Please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your SF-50 must identify the highest grade you held on a permanent basis, Pay Plan/Pay Schedule, Series, Grade/Pay Band, and career status. Multiple SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate your highest previous rate and eligibility.

*WARNING: An award SF-50 (ex. cash or time off award) may not indicate grade, step, and competitive status. For current DOL employees, an award SF-50 DOES NOT indicate grade and step.

• Resumes are required- provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
• Most recent performance appraisal/evaluation signed and dated within 18 months is requested by the agency, but will not disqualify candidates if not submitted. If not submitted during the application process, one may/will be requested at the time of the interview if the opportunity is extended. *In most cases, CTAP applicants must submit this document - see the CTAP link below for more details.

The following documents are required (if applicable):

• Displaced Employee Placement Documents: Only required if requesting priority consideration under Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Eligibility. Click/Review this CTAP link to confirm what must be submitted as proof that the requirement has been met.

Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.

Do not upload password-protected documents.

Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.

How to Apply

Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration.

Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.

Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system timeout! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.

STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents. Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week) otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.

STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS). Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button.

STEP 3 - Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL). On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy. Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button.

STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm Eastern Time of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, thenUpdate Application.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits