Duties

Primary duties include but are not limited to the following:

• The National Contact Center (NCC) centralizes VBA's contact center activities and provides greater consistency and higher quality service by customer-facing employees.
• NCC employees may have contacts via telephone, email, video, or chat with the public for the purposes of (1) advising and providing information on benefits and rights; (2) explaining pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases; (3) assisting individuals regarding how best to provide needed documents and evidence required, and/or (4) initiating inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits. The employees will also assist with the completion of claim and appeal related work.
• Assists the inquirer with determining the short-term and long-term circumstances that might influence a choice between various benefits. Programs include, but are not limited to, compensation and pension benefits, home loan eligibility, education, health care, life insurance, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, fiduciary assistance, general Social Security Administration benefit programs, and other Federal, state, and local domestic relations and assistance programs.
• Explains the types of documents necessary to facilitate timely processing of claims and appeals and assists with obtaining and completing such documents and forms in accordance with the type of claim or appeal being submitted.
• Explains VBA rating decisions and provides explanations for the decisions using extensive knowledge of VA benefits and services, claim and appeal processing procedures, and all pertinent information available within the systems of record.
• Performs claim or appeal related work including, but not limited to, providing comprehensive claim or appeal status updates using mandatory scripting requirements, processing change of address requests, establishment of, or change to direct deposit banking information, burial allowance claims, dependency claim, etc.
• Appropriately responds to interactions where the customer wishes to speak/discuss to a "supervisor," by attempting to deescalate the interaction by immediately addressing the inquirer's needs prior to referral for a contact by a supervisor

Work Schedule:
Call Center Operations are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 9 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Current vacancies are for the 12:45 pm to 9:15 pm EST work schedule. Tour is subject to change based on program needs. Opportunities are available after 12 months to bid for earlier shifts.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. This is a remote position.

Where You'll Work: This is a 100% remote position. Selectees will work 100% of the time in a non-VA-owned space (usually personal residence) outside of the local commuting area of a parent station. Successful candidates should expect to work Monday through Friday as part of a distributed team that services up to 35,000 Veteran callers each day between 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

How You'll Work: The VBA will provide everything necessary to succeed remotely. The employee will be required to travel to the closest VA Regional Office, VA Medical Center, or other VA facility for issuance of equipment, and as needed for technical support. Government furnished equipment includes a computer, camera, monitor screens and headset. You will use a secure VPN to access Microsoft Office products and specific communications software including a soft phone to educate and connect Veterans with the benefits they have earned. Simply put, all new employee training, coaching, daily communications, and Veteran-focused operations will occur outside and away from the traditional office setting

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday
TELEWORK ELIGIBLE: Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Position Description/PD#: Legal Administrative Specialist (Contact Representation)/ 43032A, 23032A, 03032A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Bargaining Unit Position: Yes
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• Applicants that meet the minimum qualifications will be referred as needed per location.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/10/2022.

GS-05 grade level: Three years of progressively responsible experience, one year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4 , that demonstrates the abilities which include experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization which may include:

1) Analyzing problems to identify factors, gather pertinent data, and
2) Recognize solutions; planning and organizing work; and communicating effectively both orally and in writing.

OR

Education Substitution: To qualify at the GS-05 level based on education you must have at least four years of study leading to a bachelor's degree.

OR

Applicants may qualify with a combination of specialized experience as described above under Specialized Experience and education as described above which totals at least one year. (To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 36. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years by 60. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.)

GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:

1) Counseling individuals about federal benefits; and
2) Explaining legal provisions, regulations, and decisions to a variety of audiences.

OR

One full year of graduate level education Or superior academic achievement at the bachelors level in a degree related fields of study. (You must provide transcripts);

OR

Combination of the required experience and education for this grade level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

GS-09: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:

1) Explaining legal provisions, regulations, and decisions to a variety of audiences;
2) Assisting individuals regarding how best to provide needed documents and evidence required; and
3) Initiating inquiries to resolve errors, delays, or other problems in obtaining benefits.

OR

A Master's or equivalent graduate degree, 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., related fields of study. (You must provide transcripts);

OR a combination of the required experience and education for this grade level.

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05, GS-07, or GS-09 level.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience required for the GS-05, GS-07, or GS-09 level.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ .

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

Additional information

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages .

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
Provides VA the ability to use the military spouse non-competitive hiring process to fill positions on either a temporary or permanent basis. You're eligible if you are:

• A spouse of an active-duty member of the armed forces.
• A spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury.
• A spouse of a service member killed while on active duty. (You are no longer eligible if you remarry.)

You must meet certain criteria for each of these eligibility categories. Learn more about the specific criteria for military spouses

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/ .

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Special Note: Remote employees are expected to provide their own internet access. VBA does not reimburse the cost of internet service. The use of a Wi-fi has proven unreliable service and is not authorized. All remote employees are required to hardwire their provided laptop to achieve minimally acceptable internet speed of between 40 and 60 Mbps. Location must provide a distraction-free/private worksite adequate for the performance of official duties. Selectees will be required to self-certify that their remote workplace meets all safety, privacy, and internet speed requirements.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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 .