Summary

LOCATION: This position is located in the Topeka Office of Hearings Operations, 3712 SW Burlingame, Suite A, Topeka, KS 66609.

TOUR OF DUTY: Full-time; Flextime

Type of Position: This position is being filling on a permanent basis.

This job is open to

• Internal to an agency
  
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Restricted to current permanent SSA employees in the Office of Hearings Operations, Kansas City Region.

Duties

The position description number for this position is 9F0040. A summary of the major duties are listed below. You may also view the full position description on the Agency intranet at the following link: PD Search

The incumbent provides assistance to staff members engaged in processing requests for hearing filed pursuant to titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended, at the administrative appeals level. The incumbent may assist supervisors, as needed, in the planning, development, and implementation of work plans. Additionally, the incumbent analyzes trends to improve business processes; performs workload management functions, ensuring that cases are processed in accordance with established timeframes; dispenses information to the public concerning benefits and services available; drafts fully favorable decisions; and examines legal instruments and supporting documentation to determine whether requested action compliances with regulatory requirements.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• All application materials must be received by the closing date.
• Applicants must be in good standing.
• Applicants must have a fully successful rating of record.
• Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
• Requests for copies of application documents will not be accepted.
• All application forms submitted become the property of SSA Human Resources.
• You must indicate on the SSA45 if you are in/or have held a temp promotion/detail.

Qualifications

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-7 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is experience in: examining and analyzing pre-hearing, hearing, and post-hearing documents for compliance with the regulatory provisions of titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended (Act), and other relevant sources of authority; identifying and presenting discrepancies or deficiencies in case development and recommend appropriate corrective actions; handling requests or inquires related to SSA policies and procedures; communicating with claimants, representatives, or supervisors to provide status of claimants' applications, and other related areas of case processing.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-7.

Time in grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.

GS-9: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successful completion of two academic years of progressively higher graduate education, or LL.B. or J.D.

Combining Education and Experience:

GS-9: Experience and graduate level education beyond the first year may be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirement.

Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school you attended has determined to represent one year of study. If this information is not provided, we will consider 18 semester/27 quarter hours to be equal to one year of full-time graduate study. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position. Experience and education will be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal to 100 percent when combined.

Additional information

NONCOMPETITIVE CONSIDERATION

Applications for noncompetitive consideration will be accepted from SSA employees in the area of consideration who are currently serving under the following types of appointments: Schedule A, Reg. 213.3102 (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities; Veterans Recruitment Appointments; and time limited appointments for veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Applicants serving under these provisions do not need to submit copies of your disability or Veteran's documentation. However, you must submit a current SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired. Otherwise, you will not receive non-competitive consideration.

NOTE: Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration.

Position to be filled under the provisions of the SSA/AFGE Merit Promotion Plan. Additional selections may be made within 6 months of the date of the initial selection.

LOCALITY PAY: Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Candidates currently receiving a higher locality pay than the office applied for are advised that should they be selected, they will lose entitlement to the higher locality pay.

OTHER NOTES:

This is a bargaining unit position, represented by AFGE.

This position is not a career ladder position; GS-09 is the full performance level.

This position is eligible for telework.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

This is a moderate risk public trust position. The selected employee will be required to complete a Standard Form 85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, in order to have the appropriate investigation conducted, unless the employee has been previously certified eligible to occupy a position at this level.

• 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.

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to perform the duties of the position:

• Knowledge of the social security disability claims process
• Ability to organize and manage work assignments.
• Ability to use online technology and automation tools.
• Skill in written and oral communication.
• Skill in data management.

Applicants will be assessed using the rating criteria listed in the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12406303

• 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 section provides information on supporting documentation that must be submitted.
  
  SSA-45 (All Applicants)
  
  Applicants for Noncompetitive Consideration only - SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired (See "Application Requirements - Additional Information" section regarding Noncompetitive Consideration).
  
  Proof of Education (all applicants qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement).
  
  Your SSA-45 must provide all of the information necessary to make qualifications determinations (e.g., all experience related to your qualifications for this position, full performance level of your current position, the dates at each grade level of your current or prior career-ladder position(s), etc.). These documents will be referred to the selecting official if you are eligible for the best qualified list.
  
  Employees' Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
  
  Your SSA-45 must specifically demonstrate, in your own words, the possession of the required experience related to the minimum qualifications, selective placement factors and/or evaluation criteria. Information that is copied or restated language from the vacancy announcement, rating criteria, KSAs and/or position description will not be considered. If this occurs, you may lose consideration for one or more grade levels or found ineligible.
  
  PROOF OF EDUCATION (all applicants qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement)
  
  If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, transcripts are required. Submit an electronic copy of your transcripts with title of course, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. All academic degrees and coursework must be from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.
  
  
  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
  
  Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
  
  Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements
  
  Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action.
  
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
  
  1. SSA-45
  2. The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire.
  3. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section).
  
  The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (ET) on 05/28/2024. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration.
  
  If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Abel Garcia at a.paul.garcia@ssa.gov or 816-936-5820.
  
  Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories
  
  APPLYING FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER OUTSIDE OF WORK
  
  SSA employees may access Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) postings and apply for vacancies from locations outside of SSA (e.g., from home, public computer, etc.). Please use the following link: https://www.ssa.gov/careers/ivol/ Be sure to forward the link and other application materials (such as the SSA-45) to an email source accessible from outside of SSA (e.g. your personal computer, etc.).
  
  Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  
  
  Abel Garcia
  
  Phone
  
  816-936-5820
  
  Email
  
  a.paul.garcia@ssa.gov
  
  Address
  
  Region VII OHO
  
  Richard Bolling Federal Building
  
  601 East 12th Street
  
  Kansas City, MO 64106
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  After all of the applications have been evaluated, you will receive notification via email explaining the status of your application. If you applied incorrectly or submitted an incomplete application, we will be unable to send you an electronic receipt of your application. Please read the How to Apply instructions carefully to ensure that you submit a complete application.
  
  To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
  
  Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

The following section provides information on supporting documentation that must be submitted.

SSA-45 (All Applicants)

Applicants for Noncompetitive Consideration only - SF-50 that provides information on the appointment authority under which you were hired (See "Application Requirements - Additional Information" section regarding Noncompetitive Consideration).

Proof of Education (all applicants qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement).

Your SSA-45 must provide all of the information necessary to make qualifications determinations (e.g., all experience related to your qualifications for this position, full performance level of your current position, the dates at each grade level of your current or prior career-ladder position(s), etc.). These documents will be referred to the selecting official if you are eligible for the best qualified list.

Employees' Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.

Your SSA-45 must specifically demonstrate, in your own words, the possession of the required experience related to the minimum qualifications, selective placement factors and/or evaluation criteria. Information that is copied or restated language from the vacancy announcement, rating criteria, KSAs and/or position description will not be considered. If this occurs, you may lose consideration for one or more grade levels or found ineligible.

PROOF OF EDUCATION (all applicants qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement)

If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, transcripts are required. Submit an electronic copy of your transcripts with title of course, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. All academic degrees and coursework must be from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: Education completed in a foreign institution must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs. It is the applicant's responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.


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

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.

Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements

Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. SSA-45
2. The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire.
3. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section).

The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (ET) on 05/28/2024. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration.

If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Abel Garcia at a.paul.garcia@ssa.gov or 816-936-5820.

Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories

APPLYING FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER OUTSIDE OF WORK

SSA employees may access Internal Vacancies On-Line (IVOL) postings and apply for vacancies from locations outside of SSA (e.g., from home, public computer, etc.). Please use the following link: https://www.ssa.gov/careers/ivol/ Be sure to forward the link and other application materials (such as the SSA-45) to an email source accessible from outside of SSA (e.g. your personal computer, etc.).

Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.

Agency contact information



Abel Garcia

Phone

816-936-5820

Email

a.paul.garcia@ssa.gov

Address

Region VII OHO

Richard Bolling Federal Building

601 East 12th Street

Kansas City, MO 64106

US

Next steps

After all of the applications have been evaluated, you will receive notification via email explaining the status of your application. If you applied incorrectly or submitted an incomplete application, we will be unable to send you an electronic receipt of your application. Please read the How to Apply instructions carefully to ensure that you submit a complete application.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software, if technically feasible. Applicants referred for consideration will receive a final disposition notice after selections have been made.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Criminal history inquiries
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request