Administrative Specialist I

State of North Carolina • Wake County, NC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians. The Division of Employment Security is responsible for the administration of the unemployment insurance program in the state of North Carolina. This program is a federal-state partnership, funded by federal and state unemployment taxes, which employers pay on the wages of their employees. Benefits are paid to eligible workers who lose their job through no fault of their own and are able, available, and actively seeking work. This position serves as a key administrative and case-processing support role for the Appeals section. The employee ensures appeals are properly reviewed, scheduled, documented, and prepared for hearings, while exercising independent judgment and maintaining compliance with applicable laws, procedures, and deadlines. This individual is responsible for processing, validating, and scheduling unemployment insurance (UI) appeals so Appeals Referees can conduct hearings. The position handles appeals received electronically through the system as well as those submitted by email, fax, and mail. The Appeals Section of the Division of Employment Security provides the “hearing of record” on contested claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, allowing aggrieved appellants and relevant, associated appellees a quasi-judicial, neutral appellate tribunal for a decision on the facts of their case and the legal entitlement to benefits based on those facts and the associated liability for benefits paid, as required by state and federal law. Appeals heard by the Appeals Section include qualification or eligibility for UI benefits; appeals of fraud and non-fraud overpayments; misrepresentation; federal programs including Disaster Unemployment Assistance, TRA and TAA; denials of claim withdrawals; and petitions for relief of benefit charges. The Appeals Section receives, validates and schedules appeals to first-level agency decisions, and is composed of management, Appeals Referees and administrative support staff.

Requirements

• High school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and two years of related administrative experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of office or work unit procedures, methods and practices.
• Demonstrated experience explaining and interpreting information to clients/customers and staff.
• Demonstrated experience performing a high volume of detailed oriented and repetitive work under strict time guidelines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in order to interact with the public.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing and validating appeals to determine whether they meet applicable laws, rules, and procedures before scheduling.
• Processing and scheduling hearings, including continuance requests, while ensuring proper notice is provided to all parties.
• Managing case timelines and ensuring federally mandated case-aging requirements are met.
• Routing correspondence and documents to the appropriate sections within the Division of Employment Security (DES).
• Preparing appeal case files by locating, organizing, reviewing, and assigning necessary documents for Appeals Referees.
• Using electronic document systems, such as DocViewer and NCUI Benefits, to retrieve and manage case records.
• Reviewing documents independently, including determining which documents should be included, excluded, or redacted.
• Researching electronic records to ensure the appeal file contains a complete and accurate record.
• Communicating and distributing case documents to Appeals Referees, managers, hearing parties, attorneys, and authorized representatives by email or fax.
• Processing unidentified or improperly submitted appeal documents and assisting other staff with delegated assignments.
• Working with the Board of Review and DES Legal Services when cases involve higher-level appeals from Appeals Referee decisions.
• Handling special projects and other UI-related assignments as directed by management.
• Maintaining professional communication with Appeals Referees, managers, DES employees, claimants, employers, attorneys, and other parties.

Benefits

• 12 Annual Paid Holidays and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave
• North Carolina State Health Plan administered by Aetna
• Supplemental Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident Insurance, Cancer & Specified Disease, Critical Illness, Dental, and Vision
• NC State Retirement (TSERS), 401(k), and 457 savings plans
• WeSave Employee Discounts
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED