* Duties Help Duties Summary This position is located in the Railroad Retirement Board's Field Service. The incumbent will be responsible for providing a full-range of client services regarding benefits available under the various programs administered by the RRB. This job announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies. Learn more about this agency Responsibilities As a Claims Representative, you will: * Provide a full-range of client services regarding benefits available under the various programs administered by the RRB; * Handle calls from the Nationwide Toll-Free Service which may originate from any area within the network or from another network--this comprises of about 65% of the position; * Conduct interviews to obtain information about an individual applicant's eligibility and entitlement to benefits under the retirement, survivor, disability, sickness and unemployment programs; * Develop evidence necessary under appropriate program regulations. Examine evidence and evaluate its validity and acceptability; * Adjudicate claims for benefits and make entitlement decisions. Compute and award payment of benefits; * Conduct investigations, including sensitive and difficult interviews, to obtain additional information requested by RRB headquarters or an RRB district office. Answer questions and provide guidance on other programs such as Medicare, taxation of benefits, Social Security entitlement and impact on RRB benefits, etc.; * Maintain contacts with other Federal, state and local governmental agencies, private agencies and organizations, officials and employees of carriers and labor organizations, etc., to assist clients in obtaining all services appropriate to their individual circumstance; * Code and release claims for unemployment and sickness insurance. Conduct unemployment interviews and make job referrals; and * Perform some out-of-office work in the local area; substitute, when required, for higher graded employees in out-of-area travel. Salary Information: * Albany, New York $44,410-$57,735 * Altoona, Pennsylvania $43,683-$56,790 * Baltimore, Maryland $49,157-$63,906 * Covina, California $49,884-$64,852 * Denver, Colorado $47,895-$62,266 * Des Moines, Iowa $43,683-$56,790 * Fort Worth, Texas $47,085-$61,213 * Indianapolis, Indiana $44,084-$57,265 * Kansas City, Missouri $44,128-$57,368 * New Orleans, Louisiana $43,683-$56,790 * Newark, New Jersey $50,476-$65,621 * Omaha, Nebraska $43,826-$56,976 * Richmond, Virginia $45,190-$58.749 * Saint Louis, Missouri $44,323-$57,623 * Saint Paul, Minnesota $46,964-$61,056 * Scranton, Pennsylvania $43,683-$56,790 * Spokane, Washington $43,683-$56,790 * Tampa, Florida $43,683-$56,790 Travel Required Not required Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 10 * Job family (Series) 0993 Railroad Retirement Claims Examining * Requirements Help Requirements Conditions of Employment * Must be a US Citizen * Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service * Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation * May be required to successfully complete a probationary period * Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required * These positions require the operation of an automobile. The selected candidates must possess a valid state driver?s license. * Please see below regarding vaccination requirements and our reentry plan Qualifications COVID-19 INFORMATION: * As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (eg, telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before appointment or onboarding with the agency. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement. * Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the facility in the duty station listed on this announcement. New hires will be expected to work in the office daily while completing their training. The option for routine telework will then become available upon successful completion of training. * The Board plans to transition from its current maximum telework posture and initiate the RRB Reentry Plan on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. This is subject to evolving guidance from the Administration, the CDC, and State or local municipalities concerning COVID-19 variants as well as any uptick/surge in transmission rates, including significant increases in hospitalization rates. Minimum Qualifications for GS-07: A. Superior Academic Achievement: Completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in a field of study that demonstrates the competencies required by this position with either (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in a qualifying major field of study at either the time of application or during the last two years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or, (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies; If applying under this provision, copies of transcripts (from each school attended) for undergraduate courses must be submitted with your application, and originals must be provided prior to entering on duty.; OR B. One full year of graduate level education in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in any field.; OR C. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, that has (a) provided skill in conducting personal telephone contacts with a wide range of individuals which demonstrated (1) the ability to explain complex technical or regulatory information, (2) the ability to conduct interviews in a way that establishes good relations while obtaining or providing relevant information, and (3) the ability to recognize and overcome attitudes or emotions that hinder effective communications, or (b) technical, investigative, professional, or quasi-legal work providing a good working knowledge of laws, regulations and procedures governing appropriate programs.; OR D. A combination of education and experience as listed above. Ability to read and fluently speak Spanish is desirable, but this information will not be used in ranking candidates. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (eg, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (eg, professional, philanthropic, religious, 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. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. THE POSITION(S) WILL BE FILLED AT THE GRADE GS-07 LEVEL ONLY. THE SELECTED CANDIDATE(S) MAY ATTEND A TWO TO THREE WEEK FORMAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Education ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Official transcripts will be required if selected. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. 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 US education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a US accredited college or university. For further information, click here.