This vacancy is for a Legal Administrative Specialist position in the Administrative and Customer Support Division located at the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Maryland. The Census Bureau is accessible from the Metro Rail Green Line - Suitland Station.
Duties
- Perform program management functions to plan, administer, evaluate, and improve the Bureau’s Workers’ Compensation program.
- Analyze, evaluate, and resolve complex Workers’ Compensation cases involving medical, legal, regulatory, and factual issues throughout the claims lifecycle.
- Provide authoritative guidance and recommendations on Workers’ Compensation policies, procedures, case strategy, return-to-work, and resolution of complex claims.
- Serve as a liaison with the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), Department of Commerce, Bureau offices, contractors, medical providers, attorneys, and other stakeholders.
- Serve as the Lead/Supervisor for Workers’ Compensation, providing technical direction and supervision to staff responsible for administering and managing Workers’ Compensation activities.
Salary
Qualifications
Specialized Experience: For the GS-13, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes: Planning, administering, evaluating, and coordinating Workers' Compensation program activities, including case management, program operations, and implementation of applicable policies and procedures. Analyzing and resolving complex Workers' Compensation cases involving medical, legal, factual, and regulatory issues and applying Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), and related Federal requirements. Managing Workers' Compensation cases to facilitate appropriate medical treatment, rehabilitation, return to work, or administrative resolution while identifying opportunities to minimize lost work time and unnecessary expenditures. Providing technical guidance and recommendations to employees, supervisors, managers, and other specialists regarding Workers' Compensation requirements, case management, return-to-work strategies, and resolution of complex claims. Reviewing Workers' Compensation policies, procedures, and program practices; identifying operational deficiencies or opportunities for improvement; and developing recommendations to improve program effectiveness and efficiency; and Coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, including Department of Labor/OWCP, human resources officials, contractors, medical providers, attorneys, and organizational representatives, to resolve complex Workers' Compensation issues and support program objectives. Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this Grade Level. 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. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement, 09/08/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.
Required Documents
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply. Your application package should include the following documents: Resume: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be deemed disqualified and removed from consideration. Your resume must include your educational and relevant work experience for the position for which you are applying to include the title and dates (mm/yy) of employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you will not receive consideration for this position. SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," supporting your eligibility, with the exception of current Census Bureau employees. You must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade, such as within-grade increase/within-range increase, promotion, initial appointment, reassignment, realignment, separation (Performance Award and General Adjustment SF-50s do not satisfy this requirement). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): CTAP applicants MUST submit the following: A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice). A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential. ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following: A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.; A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential. Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment (Schedule A disability, 30 percent disabled veteran, certain military spouses, etc). Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to OPM's Qualification Policy for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at Academic and Professional Mobility | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents. Resume
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/08/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USA JOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please email the Agency contact.
