Disability Determinations Examiner 1/2/3

State of Louisiana • Baton Rouge, LA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Louisiana Department of Health's mission is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive, and rehabilitative services for all residents of the State of Louisiana. The Disability Determinations Examiner 1/2/3 is responsible for adjudicating disability claims filed under the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs of the Social Security Administration (SSA). This includes initial applications, reconsiderations, continuing disability reviews, and special disability workload cases. The role requires knowledge of medical conditions, vocational factors, medical terminology, and SSA policies, provisions, and procedures. Key competencies for this role include accepting direction, active learning, making accurate judgments, adapting to change, effective communication, demonstrating initiative, displaying professionalism, following policies and procedures, managing time, and critical thinking.

Requirements

• Three years of social services experience; OR Six years of full-time experience in any field; OR A bachelor's degree.
• Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.
• Knowledge of medical conditions, vocational factors, medical terminology, SSA policies, provisions, and procedures.
• Ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
• Ability to pursue learning, seek feedback, and integrate new knowledge to improve personal and professional performance.
• Ability to assess options, weigh risks, and make sound decisions using available information and logical reasoning.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility in thoughts, behaviors, and actions in response to evolving circumstances or unexpected change.
• Ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
• Ability to assess situations independently and take proactive steps to address them without being prompted or instructed by others.
• Ability to uphold workplace standards through consistent conduct, responsible communication, and consideration for others.
• Ability to follow, reinforce, adapt, or develop policies and procedures to maintain compliance with federal and state legal requirements, State Civil Service rules, and organizational policies.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and allocate time to ensure timely completion of work goals.
• Ability to analyze information objectively, identify connections across sources, and form logical, well supported conclusions.
• Individuals selected for positions with the Disability Determination Service (DDS) will go through a complete federal background investigation.
• A suitability determination by the Social Security Administration is necessary to determine whether an employee can be issued credentials in order to have access to Social Security disability data, records, and systems.
• Conditional job offer and access to Social Security Administration's (SSA's) systems, data, information, and/or premises are contingent upon passing the SSA suitability process.

Responsibilities

• Adjudicates disability claims filed under the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs of the Social Security Administration in accordance with the Social Security Act, state laws, federal regulations, and Social Security rulings.
• Maintains a complex and diverse caseload of Social Security Disability claims and claims for Supplemental Security Income at various stages of development.
• Requests and analyzes medical evidence, nonmedical evidence, and reviews vocational factors to determine if additional evidence must be obtained, or if a decision can be made.

Benefits

• This position may be filled as a Probationary appointment, Promotional appointment, Job appointment (temporary appointment that may last up to 48 months), or Detail to Special Duty.
• These positions are eligible for the following Special Entrance Rate (SER): Disability Determinations Examiner 1 - $22.80 hr / $1824.00 bi-weekly Disability Determinations Examiner 2 - $24.40 hr / $1952.00 bi-weekly Disability Determinations Examiner 3 - $26.00 hr / $2088.80 bi-weekly

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level