Duties

Summary

The Legal Assistant position is in the Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge physically located in the Review Commission's National Office in Washington, DC., but reporting directly to the First Administrative Law Judge of the Atlanta Regional Office.

This may involve occasional travel to Atlanta from DC. The Legal Assistant supports the administrative law judges and attorney-advisor in the Atlanta Regional Office with responsibility for performing a variety of legal support tasks.
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Responsibilities

-Drafts routine orders, types and finalizes decisions and other legal documents that comply with procedural, grammatical, and stylistic requirements.

-Maintains the official paper files for all Atlanta cases in conformity with the Atlanta Regional Office Standard Operating Procedures, including the closure and transfer of all Atlanta cases to the Executive Secretary's office upon completion and assures that appropriate data, electronic submissions, decisions, and orders are timely and accurately entered into the Review Commission's electronic filing system.

-Serves as a liaison for the First Judge with the parties and the public.

-Prepares orders/notices/decisions for the First Judge's signature and serves such orders/notices/decisions on the parties either electronically or by mail.

-Makes all travel arrangements for the First Judge and other Atlanta judges as need and timely prepares travel vouches upon completion.

-Assigns cases to all Atlanta judges and prepares and issues notices of assignment.

-Arranges for court space and court reporting services for the First Judge and composes, types and signs letters confirming court reporting arrangements, and cancels all arrangements for courtroom space and court reporting services as needed.

-Cancels hearings and conferences, issues appropriate orders, and follows up to ensure timely submission of settlement documents once attorneys advise that a case has settled.

-Assists and is the backup for the Atlanta Legal Assistant and for the Atlanta judges as needed.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
8

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U. S. Citizenship is required
• National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) required
• Applicants must provide a resume and supporting documents (see required documents). Be sure to read the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" Sections.
• May be required to complete background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• Current or former federal employees applying under merit promotion consideration must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements in order to be considered.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all federal employees are required to have salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• This position is covered by the Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993 which prohibits requesting, transmitting, accepting, or considering political recommendations for employment or other personnel actions for nonpolitical position.
• Selective Service Registration is required, if applicable www.sss.gov
• Applications will not be accepted in postage paid Government envelopes.

Qualifications

You qualify at the GS-8 level if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level in the federal government, performing duties such as interpreting, applying and explaining complex legal provisions, regulations or procedural requirements to a wide range of individuals with varying abilities of comprehension and knowledge of legal documents or legal and judicial processes; performing docket control responsibilities such as entering, organizing, or controlling appointments and legal deadlines, or tracking legal filing deadlines and statutes of limitations; and using an electronic/automated system for case-tracking, data entry, quality control and reports.

Your resume must have complete information : Please ensure your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position.

Part-time or unpaid experience : Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the number of hours per week spent in such employment.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD form 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see www.sss.gov ).

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to hire only individuals who are eligible to work in the U.S. The appointee will be required to complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, and provide acceptable proof of employment authorization and identity.

Reasonable Accommodation: The Review Commission provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities when appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office of the Executive Director at (202) 606-5100. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The Review Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications will be considered without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, and in retaliation for prior involvement in Equal Employment Opportunity protected activity.

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 .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics). You do not have to respond to the KSAs separately but your resume must contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the KSAs.

Database Administration
Oral Communication
Teamwork
Technical Competence
Writing

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Please note that if, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may lose consideration for this position. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.

Area of Consideration:
Competitive Merit Promotion

• Transfer or Reinstatement eligibles: current Federal or former employees with career or career-conditional appointments in the competitive service that hold, or have held a career or career-conditional position at a lower grade level as the position being announced. A recent Notification of Personnel Action (standard form 50 (SF-50)), must reflect an appointment in the competitive service.
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) eligibles. You are eligible for this appointing authority if you are a preference eligible (defined in title 5 U.S.C. 2108(3)); OR a veteran who substantially completed 3 or more years of active service; AND your latest discharge was issued under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge).

Non-Competitive Merit Promotion:

• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) eligibles (see requirements below)
• Disabled veterans receiving 30% or more disability compensation from the VA (CPS)
• Individuals with severe disabilities (eligible for Schedule A appointments)
• Individuals eligible under other non-competitive appointment authorities such as military spouses under E.O. 13473, certain former overseas employees, present and former Peace Corps, Vista or Action volunteers, former White House staff, present and former Foreign Service officers and employees, certain National Guard technicians, and certain Postal Service employees.
• Transfer or reinstatement eligibles that hold, or have previously held a career or career-conditional position at the same or higher grade level with the same or higher promotion potential as the position being announced.
• Veterans Recruitment Authority (VRA) eligibles. The eligibility requirements limit access to this program to veterans who served during a war, or in a campaign and to recently separated veterans as followed: Disabled veterans; or Veterans who served on active duty in the armed forces during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized; or Veterans who, while serving on active duty in the armed forces, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces Service Medal was awarded; or Recently separated veterans. Agencies may use the VRA authority to fill white collar positions up through GS-11 and equivalent jobs under other pay systems

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD FURNISH THE FOLLOWING, AS SHOWN BELOW. FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED FORMS OR INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONSIDERATION FOR THIS POSITION.

1. A current, complete application, for example a resume or any other application in written format (required);

The following information must be contained in your application package:
a. full name, mailing address, day and evening phone numbers, email address;
b. work experience (give the job title, duties, employer's name and address, supervisor's name and phone number, starting and ending dates, hours per week, salary, and indicate if we may contact your current supervisor); and highest Federal civilian grade held (if any). If you are or have been a federal employee, please provide a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
c. job-related training courses (title and year);
d. job-related skills (e.g., other language skills, computer software/hardware skills);
e. job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g., publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, public speaking, etc.);

2. Occupational Assessment Questionnaire (required);

3. Standard Form 50 (SF-50) Notification of Personnel Action: Status (merit promotion and reinstatement eligible) candidates must submit a SF-50 that demonstrates serving 52 weeks at the next lower level and includes your name, complete/current position title, pay plan, series, grade, tenure, position occupied, agency, etc. If you fail to submit this document with your resume, you will not receive consideration for the position and will be deemed ineligible.

4. Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (member-4 copy) or other proof of eligibility that shows the dates you were on active duty and your character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are claiming Disabled Veterans' preference you must also submit documentation of disability (i.e. VA Disability Verification Letter) and the SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference." For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/ .

5. Performance appraisal: A copy of your latest performance appraisal or, if unavailable, and explanation as to why it is unavailable.

6. Cover letter - (optional).

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and attain a rating of at least 85 using established rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and attain a rating of at least 85 using established rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ctap