Government Information Specialist

Summary
This position is with the U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This position will be located in one of Region 5's Area Offices.

• This position is at the full performance level.
• Position is in the bargaining unit.
• A writing sample may be included as a part of the interview process.
• Selectee will be expected to report to one of the offices listed above.

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Clarification from the agency
All current U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) employees within Region 5, with competitive status; and CTAP eligibles within the local commuting area.
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Duties
Major Duties:

• Serves as a FOIA expert in the Regional Office or an Area Office, ensuring that requests are processed in accordance with FOIA and Privacy Act regulations, as well as internal procedures.
• Acts as liaison between the Area Offices, the OSHA National Office, and the Regional and National Solicitors' Offices with regard to interpretation of FOIA issues.
• Responds to FOIA requests region-wide; requests the appropriate computer reports to obtain the requested information; reviews all applicable regulations to determine appropriate exemptions to be used; and redacts documents according to the regulations.
• Prepares responses within the prescribed time limits to FOIA requests from the general public. Assures that all legal citations are appropriate and accurate.
• Provides guidance to private sector employers, employees, interested parties, Regional management, and administrative staff in interpreting FOIA statutes and provides guidance on rules, regulations and procedures required to process requests.

Requirements
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.

Qualifications
You must meet the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Requirements section and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Government Information Specialist, as described below.
For GS-09: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-07 in the Federal Service.
At the GS-09 level: In addition to meeting the individual occupational requirement, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, in the Federal or Private Sector. Specialized Experience is described as experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience are as follows:

• Interpreting and applying statutory requirements of both the FOIA and Privacy Acts;
• Redacting records and documents in response to FOIA requests;
• Preparing summaries and reports with responsibility for accuracy, citation, format and conformance to appropriate regulations;
• Utilizing communication techniques to represent an agency in responding to FOIA requests from customers, such as other Federal agencies and councils, employer/employee groups, labor organizations, national industry organizations, interagency, media and special interest groups; and/or
• Collecting factual information, identifying data from collected information, and selecting solutions from alternatives in guidelines and precedent cases.

or
Education: Have a master's or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related.
or
A qualifying combination of education and competencies as described above.
Education
Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.
If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.
Additional information
Salary will be set based on the duty location the selectee will be reporting to. Salary shown reflects the Rest of US pay table, salary will be adjusted based on location at time of selection. More information on salary tables can be found here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2023/general-schedule
Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
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
Telework or Telework Positions: Eligibility is determined by management based on position duties during the recruitment process. Employee participation in telework on a routine or situational basis is determined by management primarily based on business needs. Employees participating in telework are subject to the terms and conditions of the Department of Labor's Telework Program.
Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

• 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. 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Problem Solving
• Self Management
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence
• Writing

Click here for evaluation details.
You may preview questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12212736
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, volunteer, and other lived experience, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.
INFORMATION FOR CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. CTAP eligible(s) will be considered well-qualified if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

• 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. 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
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  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 12/04/2023 the announcement closing date.
  The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):
  
  • STATUS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: If applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service, 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.
  • Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - If you are using education as a basis for qualifying for this position, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, Ph.D., etc.). If specific coursework is required to qualify, you must supply an unofficial transcript from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your unofficial transcript(s) as one document with a maximum size limit of 5 MB.
  
  NOTE: The OFFICIAL Transcript(s) MUST BE RECEIVED, if you are selected, and prior to receiving the firm offer with a start date.
  Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.
  Reference the Education Section for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
  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.
  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.
• How to Apply
  To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Requ...