Workers' Compensation Specialist

Summary
The mission of DFELHWC is to administer the Federal Employees' Compensation Act by developing and adjudicating new claims for benefits, managing ongoing claims, authorizing and paying medical and compensation benefits to injured worker and survivors, and helping injured employees return to work when they are able to do so.
This position is Inside the bargaining unit.
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Family of overseas employees
  Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Land & base management
  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
• Military spouses
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Special authorities
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
Open to current and former permanent competitive service employees and those eligible for Schedule A, former Peace Corps and VISTA volunteers, Land & Base Management, VEOA, Disabled Veteran, and military spouse authorities.
This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
• The public

This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
• The public

Videos
Duties
The purpose of this position is to prepare and develop reports for management and/or for regulatory authorities as the primary point of coordination, contact, oversight, and problem resolution for compensation payments and insurance benefits.
Major duties include:

• Providing expert technical advice, support, and recommendations to agency management officials, claims examiners, fiscal operations specialists, administrative staff and federal agency personnel on interpretation of policies, programs, regulations, and statutes concerning insurance benefits.
• Serving as the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB/Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)/Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) point of contact for the program's claimants, beneficiaries, insurance carriers and federal agencies.
• Liaising for the Department of Labor's Solicitor's Office on all matters related to third party subrogation payments and surpluses.
• Assisting claims staff with tracking surpluses and administering benefits while surplus is in place.
• Analyzing reports from the Office of Personnel Management's FEHB Centralized Enrollment Clearinghouse System (CLER), conducting reconciliation actions on all identified discrepancies.
• Developing procedures and processes to help prevent internal fraud and abuse, improving accountability and efficiency.
• Resolving the most complex and sensitive insurance benefit case issues with unique situations normally not covered under operating norms or procedures.
• Assisting the Solicitor's office and claims examining staff with coordinating child support deductions, to include communication with state agencies and employees, establishing records, data input, monitoring cases, and other tasks as needed.
• Providing guidance and training to Branch employees and claims staff on procedures related to FEHB/FEGLI/FEDVIP benefits and how they impact compensation payments.
• Reviewing policies, practices, written guidance, and records to ascertain compliance with DOL and government-wide policy.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Requires a valid driver's license.

Qualifications
You must meet the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for Workers' Compensation Specialist, as described below.
Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level,GS-11, 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 includes:

1. Overseeing and carrying out a broad range of fiscal benefits operations duties, e.g., evaluating the adequacy and accuracy of compensation and benefit payment systems in relation to claims insurance premiums and debt collection;
2. Providing advice to management and serving as a liaison to other stakeholders including claimants, insurance carriers and other federal agencies;
3. Identifying abnormal conditions and initiating corrective actions for insurance premiums, debt collections, and returned payments.

Education
This position doe snot have a positive education requirement.
Additional 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.
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
Full Promotion Potential (if applicable): This position is at the Full-Performance Level (FPL).
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:

• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Technical Competence
• Written Communication

Click here for Evaluation details.
You may preview questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12217110
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 ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/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 an ICTAP or 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 12/06/2023 the announcement closing date.
  The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):
  
  • FEDERAL STATUS APPLICANTS: When 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 computer and USAJOBS profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for the 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, ICTAP/CTAP applicants must submit this document - please see ICTAP/CTAP links below for more details.
  
  The following documents are required (if applicable):
  
  • Displaced Employee Placement Documents - Only required if requesting priority consideration under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Eligibility. Click/Review these ICTAP/CTAP links to confirm what must be submitted as proof that the requirement has been met.
  • DD-214 - verifying military service, eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), and showing the character of discharge (ex. Member Copy 4 and 2 are acceptable vs. Copy 1 which is not acceptable to adjudicate veteran's preference)
  • Special/Non-Competitive Appointing Authority Documents - Applicants who are eligible for consideration, and wish to be considered, under one of the following non-competitive hiring authorities must submit appropriate documentation (click on the links below to see the documentation requirements): (a) Persons with Severe Disabilities (SCHEDULE A) (b) 30% or More Compensable Disabled Veterans (DAV) (c) Former Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV) OR AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers OR Current or Former Peace Corps Employees (PCE) (d) Military Spouses (MISP)
  • Land Management Eligible(s): a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) proving your eligibility for appointment...