Economic Support Specialist

Job Summary

Perform eligibility determination, redetermination, and budget income for applicants / recipients of economic public assistance programs including Food Share, Child Care, Medical Assistance, and Caretaker Supplement benefits services.

Essential Duties

• Work in a call center environment. During call center times, workers are expected to take calls, answer customer questions, take applications, review cases, and assess eligibility for various types of programs of assistance.
• Must have the ability to multitask, assist with call center, process documentation provided by customers, make independent decisions, and discern when further assistance may be needed. Most of these tasks are performed in a web base system, while on a Call Center.
• Learn and provide information regarding various programs of assistance as well as learn about community resources in the Income Maintenance Consortium.
• Provide excellent customer service to various socio-economic populations within the Income Maintenance Consortium (Racine and Kenosha). Have an understanding how to provide services while understanding cultural and economic diversity.
• Learn through State and Consortium provided curriculum and classroom training, how to determine eligibility for Medical Assistance, Food Share, Child Care, Caretaker Supplement Program, and other benefits and services. Learn and utilize different State computer programs: Cares Worker Web, Host on Demand, Forward Health, and others.
• Prepare notices for all programs as needed / required.
• Following policy, determine referrals and exemptions for employment programs.
• Refer to the Program and Integrity units those applicants and or recipients that are providing questionable information or suspected of fraudulent activity.
• Stay current on federal regulations, State and County requirements for benefit economic services and employment programs.
• Learn, understand, and maintain confidentiality of information learned while administering programs.
• Assist in state and agency Quality Assurance reviews as requested / required.
• Complete state-required training as outlined in state contracts.
• Address customers' and employees' concerns courteously and promptly.
• Opportunity to qualify for telework.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a call center environment preferred.
• High school diploma or GED. Sixty credits post-secondary education, preferred.
• Two (2) years post high school work experience in customer service or environment working with people. Post secondary degree may substitute for work experience.
• Two (2) years working experience in use of personal computer that allows working in a fast pace environment.
• Experience and or the ability to learn how to determe eligibility for services based upon federal and state regulations.
• Experience with individuals of varying socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
• Valid Wisconsin driver's license preferred as some trainings may be offsite.
• Prompt and regular attendance.
• Or any equivalent combination, training, and experience, which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Bilingual or fluent in a second language is optional, but helpful.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge or training using the Wisconsin CARES computer system or ability to obtain required knowledge within six (6) months of employment.
• Ability to adhere to strict confidentiality, in all matters.
• Ability to follow computer security guidelines.
• Ability to learn and make independent decisions

This description has been prepared to assist in properly evaluating various classes of responsibilities, skills, working conditions etc. present in the classification. It is intended to indicate the kind of tasks and characteristic levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title. It is not intended as a complete list of specific duties and responsibilities; nor is it intended to limit or in anyway modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of a similar kind and level of difficulty.