ELIGIBILITY PROCESSING SPECIALIST

City of New York•New York, NY

5d•$43,866 - $50,466

About The Position

The Department of Social Services (DSS), comprising the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and Department of Homeless Services (DHS), serves New Yorkers through benefits and homelessness-prevention programs. The Office of Central Processing (OCP) works with HRA, other government agencies, and private-sector businesses to centrally process projects and support participants’ financial independence. Under the direct supervision of a Group Supervisor, with some latitude for independent action and decision-making, the Eligibility Processing Specialist processes and controls referrals and client case information. The role reviews cases and conducts interviews to ensure accurate records, compliance with eligibility requirements, and proper agency disbursements. Assignments may be in work units such as NYCHA, HPD, and Utilities. The position handles a caseload of up to 50 cases per week and processes emergency housing assistance requests. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Applicants must be permanent in the Eligibility Specialist title or permanent in a comparable title eligible for a 6.1.9 title change. Employees hired provisionally must take and pass the civil service exam when it becomes available to remain eligible for continued employment.

Requirements

Applicants must be permanent in the Eligibility Specialist title or permanent in a comparable title eligible for a 6.1.9 title change.
If hired provisionally, must take and pass the civil service exam when it becomes available to be eligible for continued employment.
Meet one of the stated Eligibility Specialist qualifications: completion of 30 semester credits at an accredited college or university; or a high school diploma or equivalent plus one year of full-time satisfactory experience in a qualifying area; or a satisfactory combination of education and experience.
Qualifying experience may include interviewing and gathering information for benefit eligibility decisions; bookkeeping, teller, purchasing, sales-account, or customer-service work; or assisting people with social-service, legal, housing, financial, health, or application-system matters.
All candidates must have at least a high school diploma or educational equivalent.
Work experience that provides only incidental opportunities to perform the specified qualifying duties is not acceptable.

Responsibilities

Compute financial assistance amounts for Public Assistance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid by reviewing, obtaining, and verifying relevant information.
Calculate and prepare benefit authorization documents and update budgets when case circumstances change.
Verify case information by contacting information sources and checking the WMS system.
Maintain caseload records by assembling and collating documents, completing forms, and recording relevant case actions.
Authorize statistical and financial changes to assistance and budgets after reviewing client information and payment records.
Validate documents and prepare paperwork to authorize legitimate client payments, including preparing and signing checks.
Prepare daily and monthly activity sheets and submit required reports.
Determine and verify applicants’ initial and full eligibility through face-to-face and telephone interviews, using appropriate forms and procedures.
Prepare eligibility forms, incorporate received data, check accuracy, and review authorizations.
Enter, update, and retrieve information in WMS and other electronic information storage systems.
Perform basic arithmetic and other calculations to determine eligibility and financial assistance.
Process emergency housing assistance requests from walk-in clients and referrals from Housing Court, NYCHA, and HPD to help prevent eviction; obtain relevant information and initiate case actions.
Handle a caseload of up to 50 cases per week.