Fair Hearing Service Specialist

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Fair Hearing Service Specialist works under the general supervision of a Fair Hearing Representative, with wide latitude for independent action and decision-making. The role performs administrative duties to resolve adverse case actions related to agency decisions affecting Cash Assistance, SNAP, and Medicaid benefits, and prepares documentation for presentation of evidence at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). The position is within Fair Hearing Administration at the Department of Social Services, which includes the New York City Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services. The specialist works with Cash Assistance recipients to review agency actions, conducts conferences to determine whether cases can be resolved, and communicates conference decisions and required corrective actions. The role also supports clients and representatives in understanding appeal rights, prepares electronic fair hearing evidence packets, follows up on hearing dispositions, monitors assigned work queues, addresses client complaints and inquiries, and may provide emergency coverage at another location within the same region. The position is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with flex. A person hired provisionally must take and pass the civil service exam when it becomes available to be eligible for continued employment.

Requirements

A four-year high school diploma or equivalent and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing client services or employment planning/counseling services involving job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming; or
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college and 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college and 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience in social/human services or a related setting as described in the first qualification; or
College credit from an accredited institution may substitute for work experience at a rate of 60 semester credits per nine months of experience, subject to a minimum of 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or in qualifying social/human services work.
If hired provisionally, take and pass the civil service exam when it becomes available to be eligible for continued employment.

Responsibilities

Work with Cash Assistance recipients to resolve case actions affecting Cash Assistance, SNAP, and Medicaid benefits by conducting conferences and reviewing whether agency actions were appropriate.
Notify clients of conference decisions and, when warranted, notify Job Center staff of corrective action needed to resolve cases.
Conduct in-person and/or telephone conferences to determine whether cases can be resolved.
Review case-related databases, including WMS, POS, and SEAMS, to assess the accuracy of agency actions and determine whether Notices of Intent or decisions are defective.
Take appropriate action to correct resolvable cases and use the FHEMS system to route cases to the appropriate Fair Hearings or FIA unit.
Explain fair hearing processes and appeal rights to clients and/or their representatives, including the right to appeal adverse conference decisions to the New York State Department of Social Services Fair Hearing Division.
Prepare electronic fair hearing evidence packets in FHEMS, including relevant documents for presentation at OAH, and coordinate with Fair Hearing Representatives to ensure packets are complete and resolutions are included.
Review fair hearing stipulations, including Pre-Hearing Dispositions, and notify Job Center staff of required follow-up actions to comply with hearing decisions.
Monitor and review individual system queues to ensure work is completed in a timely manner; consult the immediate supervisor about workload issues and the appropriateness of case actions.
Stay current on agency policies and procedures and changes to the FHEMS system.
Serve as a service representative for client complaints, determine actions needed to resolve complaints, and review social service problem areas for causes of service complaints.
Provide referrals to other HRA social service agencies when necessary.
Respond verbally or in writing to telephone or written inquiries and complaints from outside agencies, public officials, and central office operations regarding clients and fair hearing activities.
Provide emergency coverage at another location within the same region under the direction of the covering Office manager.