Paralegal Specialist at Washington

JOB SUMMARY:

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American!  At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere.  It is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens.  Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Secretary (OS), Department Appeals Board (DAB) in Washington, DC.

 

 

The incumbent of this position serves as a Paralegal Specialist in the Civil Remedies Division, Departmental Appeals Board (DAB), and reports directly to the Director of the Operations Division. The incumbent of this position is responsible for a wide range of paralegal functions relating to administrative hearings.

Who May Be Considered:

All sources from the Washington, D.C. commuting area. 

Position Details:

Tenure:  Career/Career-Conditional Appointment

Merit Promotion Position:  No

Bargaining Unit:  Yes

Relocation Expenses:  No

 

This announcement may be used to fill multiple positions in multiple locations.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Background investigation required.
• Must meet time in grade.

DUTIES:Back to top

The individual selected for this position:

 

Reviews hearing records to assure completeness, proper order, and consistency.  Reviews draft decisions or rulings to ensure that citations are accurate, appropriate, complete, and in proper form.  Ensures that hearing records are prepared and maintained in accordance with the Division’s policies, and that they are safeguarded and distributed in the appropriate manner.  Ensures that the case management systems are current, accurate, and maintained consistent with Division standards.  Researches statutes, regulations, case law, and other sources as requested in order to identify pertinent precedents, legal issues, or other information needed by the legal staff in case disposition.  Dockets new cases; shepardizes draft decisions and rulings; prepares abstracts from hearing transcripts, decisions, and other sources as requested; attends prehearing conferences and drafts rulings and orders; prepares court records for appeals filed in U.S. District Court/Federal Court; scans and uploads decisions, rulings, to the automated case tracking system; formats decisions for 508 compliance, drafts FOIA responses; performs a wide variety of assigned tasks such as retrieving information from automated or manual files, responding to inquiries, processing and distributing mail, disseminated published decisions to the Web administrator, collecting and analyzing workload and case processing data, etc.

 

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

You must have at least one year of specialized experience that includes experience assisting in interpreting court decisions, and existing or proposed legislation; assisting in preparing responses from internal and external organizations regarding legal obligations imposed by law or regulation; and experience reviewing regulations drafted by others to assure that requirements are met.   This experience must be related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service as described in the vacancy announcement.

 

Or

 

A masters or equivalent graduate degree directly related to the work of this position or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

Or

A combination of the required experience and the education for the GS-09 grade level.

 

Foreign Education:  If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.  For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov.

Conditions of Employment:

 

1. Security and Background Requirements:  If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees.  Appointment will be subject to the applicants successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.  Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action.  In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time.  Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.  False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.

 

2. E-Verify:  If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.  Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.

 

3. Direct Deposit:  All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

 

4. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

 

5. Financial disclosure statement may be required.

 

6. One-year probationary period may be required.

 

7. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid: No

 

8. Bargaining Unit Position: Yes

 

9. Drug Screening Required:  No

 

10. Recruitment incentives may be authorized:  No

 

11. Student loan repayment incentive authorized:  No

 

12. Annual leave for non-federal service authorized:  No

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job.  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 eligibility.  Category rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates.  The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.  Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of three categories:  Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified.

 

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans’ preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.  Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).  Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

 

Knowledge of paralegal methods, practices, and procedures.

 

Ability to analyze issues and apply laws and regulations to facts presented.

 

Knowledge of paralegal methods, practices, and procedures.

Country: USA, State: Dist of Columbia, City: Washington, Company: Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services.