Summary

This position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Office of Programs, Survivor Benefits Division. The incumbent personally responds to and expedites the initial adjudication and payment, and post adjudication and adjustment of dire need hardship, sensitive, or critical cases.

This job will be filled on a temporary, part-time basis for approximately one year.

Part-Time 20 hours - Temporary NTE 1 year/1040 hours.

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Clarification from the agency

Candidates eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

Duties

As a RR Retirement Customer Service Rep (Survivor) for the RRB, you will:

• Answer telephone and electronic mail requests from Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) field offices.
• Examine, adjudicate, and provide specific technical information on the adjudication and payment status of the claim or the process and system in general.
• Examine and authorize claims designated for special or expedited action.
• Develop, prepare, and release replies to inquiries from applicants, beneficiaries, railroad management and labor officials, attorneys, etc.
• Place claims in special payment status and control to assure prompt handling.
• Exercise initiative and originality in resolving problems presented by field offices and other sources.
• Analyze claims control processes, delayed claims listings, etc., and report on significant problem areas and trends.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Proof of ICTAP eligibility required

Qualifications

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 level or higher in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is experience in the development, examination, investigation, adjudication, or authorization of claims for retirement, old age insurance, or pension claims; or administrative or other experience in the analysis, development, or review of a retirement, old-age insurance, survivors' benefits, or pension program.

Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Time-in-grade restrictions: Applicants who are current or former Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

Education

There is no education substitution for this position.

Additional information

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP):

• ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority for competitive service vacancies. You must be determined to be well-qualified for the vacancy to be eligible for special selection priority. After submission of an acceptable application which meets ICTAP eligibility, you will be determined to be well-qualified for a vacancy if your rating places you in the 85th percentile or higher in total possible points.
• ICTAP eligibles must submit proof of eligibility for special selection priority, such as: a separation notice; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. You must also submit a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) notating your current position, grade level, and duty location, and a copy of your most recent Performance Rating. Click here for more information on ICTAP.

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act; the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

• 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.

To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made to determine the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Applicants will be rated on the following competencies:

• Knowledge, ability and experience in Survivor, Medicare and Social Security Act benefits, policies, programs, and operations under the Railroad Retirement Act
• Oral Communication
• Writing
• Knowledge of SSA on-line and off-line systems and their interactions with RRB programs, to resolve SSA queries and to effectuate proper payment.

• 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.
  
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
  
  • Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation: If you are eligible under ICTAP, you must submit all required materials verifying your eligibility as listed in "Additional Information." These materials include:
    
    • Proof of eligibility: You must submit documentation such as a separation notice or other required material (see "Required Information" for other examples);
    • SF-50: You must submit a copy of a recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 that shows career or career-conditional competitive service status (Blocks #24 and #34 must be completed); and
    • Performance Appraisal: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal, which must be rated at least fully successful or equivalent. (This is not required if you are eligible for ICTAP due to compensable injury or disability retirement.) The performance appraisal may also be used as part of the ranking process and/or to verify your responses to the questionnaire.
  
  
  
  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 read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
  
  1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  
  To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
  
  To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, click here.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  RRB Human Resources
  
  Phone
  
  (312) 751-4580
  
  Email
  
  recruit@rrb.gov
  
  Address
  
  Railroad Retirement Board
  
  844 N Rush St
  
  Chicago, IL 60611
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

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

• Resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation: If you are eligible under ICTAP, you must submit all required materials verifying your eligibility as listed in "Additional Information." These materials include:
  
  • Proof of eligibility: You must submit documentation such as a separation notice or other required material (see "Required Information" for other examples);
  • SF-50: You must submit a copy of a recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 that shows career or career-conditional competitive service status (Blocks #24 and #34 must be completed); and
  • Performance Appraisal: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal, which must be rated at least fully successful or equivalent. (This is not required if you are eligible for ICTAP due to compensable injury or disability retirement.) The performance appraisal may also be used as part of the ranking process and/or to verify your responses to the questionnaire.

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 read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, click here.

Agency contact information

RRB Human Resources

Phone

(312) 751-4580

Email

recruit@rrb.gov

Address

Railroad Retirement Board

844 N Rush St

Chicago, IL 60611

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application.

Fair & Transparent

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

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