ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST II

New York City, NY•Brooklyn, NY

49d

About The Position

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. The Centralized Fair Hearing Unit represents the Agency at New York State Administrative Hearings by presenting and defending Fair Hearing cases or resolving when appropriate. While representing the Agency, presents evidence manually or electronically, cross examines Appellants and provides the State Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with a complete and relevant evidence packet and supporting documents to justify the challenged case action. Represents the agency at New York State Administrative Resolution/Settlement Hearings resulting from Same Day Resolution Conferences (SDRC) process. Ensures that requests for resolutions are forwarded to FIA Operations, The Fair Hearing Tracking Monitoring and Review Unit (FHTMRU) or the Office of Central Processing (OCP) as required. Reviews Fair Hearing decisions and recommends actions to challenge decisions when appropriate. Under general supervision, with latitude for independent judgment and initiative, the Agency Representative reviews documents for Fair Hearing Evidence Packets in defense of the Agency's position and represents the Family Independence Administration (FIA) at New York State Fair Hearings in an effort to defend and resolve disputes on Cash Assistance (CA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid (MA) case actions, in order to assist in moving participants toward economic independence. Fair Hearing Administration is recruiting for one (1) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist, Level II to function as Fair Hearing Representative who will:

Requirements

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing either: a) client services. b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming.
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above.
College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing social/human services work as described in one (1) above.
YOU MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST (ABOS) TITLE.

Nice To Haves

Excellent communication and writing skills.
Knowledge of Agency operations and NYS social service policy/procedures.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and time management skills.
Detail oriented.
Knowledge of FHEMS, WMS, POS, NYCWAY, SEAMS
Exceptional Excel Skills.

Responsibilities

Represent the Agency at New York State Administrative Hearings by presenting and defending Fair Hearing cases or resolving when appropriate. While representing the Agency, present evidence manually or electronically, cross examines Appellants and provide the State Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with a complete and relevant evidence packet and supporting documents to justify the challenged case action. Represent the agency at New York State Administrative Resolution/Settlement Hearings resulting from Same Day Resolution Conferences (SDRC) process. Ensure that requests for resolutions are forwarded to FIA Operations, The Fair Hearing Tracking Monitoring and Review Unit (FHTMRU) or the Office of Central Processing (OCP) as required. Review Fair Hearing decisions and recommend actions to challenge decisions when appropriate.
Update Fair Hearing checklists as determined by feedback from the Fair Hearing Officer via dispositions and outcomes. Engage in post Fair Hearing activities, including preparation of reports and request for case actions based on evidence presented or agreements made in fair hearing room and transmitting information back to the sites for follow-up actions to be initiated. Provide additional information or clarification to ensure that packets are adequate to present at Fair Hearings, providing feedback whenever additional documents are required for case presentation. Inform Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Clerk and the (SDRC) staff of the resolution/settlement hearing outcome.
Ensure that all case actions are reflected and checked through relevant systems such as Welfare Management System (WMS), Paperless Operation System (POS), New York City Work Accountability and You (NYCWAY), Fair Hearing Informational System (FHIS), HRA One Viewer and Fair Hearing Evidence Management System (FHEMS) and Electronic Evidence Packet System (EEPS).
Review Fair Hearing Evidence Packet prepared by Same Day Conference AJOS I's to assess the appropriateness of resolution actions and to ensure all pertinent documents/evidence are included. Provide guidance to SDRC AJOS I's when needed. Approve SDRC evidence packets. Work closely with SDRC staff to ensure that cases are conferenced and ready to be presented at a Settlement Hearing. Ensure that resolutions are processed expeditiously. Conduct conferences for cases that are on the SDRC list.
Ensure that Fair Hearing staff members are trained in the performance of work activities, by holding individual and unit meeting to improve staff areas of competence; provide Performance Evaluation, timely; develop strategies and defense to assist in increasing the Agency's Fair Hearing win rate and to support fair hearing avoidance.
Meet on a regular basis with fair hearing administrative staff CA and SNAP Fair Hearing trends and causal factors. Provide information and communicates trends and issues to enhance performance and maintains quality of decisions. Provide information on what needs to be addressed or emphasized at Fair Hearing Representation meeting.

Benefits

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

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