Labor Department Community Services Representative

Department of Labor • Wethersfield, CT

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Labor (DOL) is recruiting Labor Department Community Services Representatives to work in our Consumer Contact Center located in Wethersfield, CT. This is a full-time, 40-hour per week position on the first shift, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. The role involves serving as a front-line service provider for Unemployment Compensation benefits, corresponding with claimants, providing technical support, managing claims, and applying federal and state laws. The Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to protecting and promoting the interests of Connecticut workers by assisting them in becoming competitive in the global economy through a comprehensive approach to meeting customer needs and ensuring high-quality integrated services.

Requirements

• Five (5) years of technical level experience in counseling, employment placement, veterans employment and training support services, public contact work, human service programs, community action programs, job service, unemployment insurance or employment and training functions.
• Knowledge of job service, unemployment insurance and employment and training laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques and principles.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Analytical skills.
• Ability to make decisions.
• Ability to establish cooperative relationships with staff, employers, diverse client population and the public.
• Ability to use automated systems.
• Ability to maintain good public relations.
• Ability to understand, apply and explain relevant laws, regulations, policies, programs and procedures.
• Ability to create and maintain case management records.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with computers and using Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Outlook, Excel, and Teams.
• Experience conversing with Spanish speaking individuals via transcribing and translating Spanish to English and English to Spanish.
• Experience receiving and making a high volume of customer calls in a call center environment.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, call center environment.
• Experience working independently and utilizing resources to resolve customer inquiries.
• Experience using job-related computer systems and independently resolving systems issues to complete assigned tasks.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a front-line service provider for all services necessary for the determination of monetary eligibility for Unemployment Compensation benefits.
• Correspond with Claimants on a variety of matters related to Unemployment Compensation claims.
• Provide technical support in pertinent areas.
• Create, update, and maintain claim management.
• Obtain and verify data.
• Apply federal and/or state laws and guidelines.
• Process new, additional, and continued unemployment insurance claims.
• Perform customer call-backs via telephone and/or online.
• Reviews application and secures additional data needed.
• Analyzes work history to determine appropriate benefit program.
• Assesses need for non-monetary hearing based on reason for separation or any barriers to employability.
• Makes appropriate adjustments to system wage file or refers to a field auditor as needed.
• Processes adjustments to claims.
• Investigates and resolves held claims and exceptions.
• Enter work search waivers.
• Process information requests.
• Data enters Field Office Denials.
• Processes Statements of Late Filings.
• Reviews, analyzes, and corrects claims under a variety of special programs including military, federal, out of state or multistate claims and claims involving reduced hours, pensions, child support or shared work.
• Applies federal and/or state laws and guidelines to make monetary determinations and other disposition of claims.
• Corresponds with employers, Claimants, and their representatives on variety of matters.
• Creates, updates, and maintains case management files.
• Performs basic technical tasks within operational support functional areas of claims examination, benefit payment control and merit rating.
• Reviews employer protest to unemployment insurance benefit charges, researches issues and makes initial charge/non-charge decisions.
• Audits and recalculates employer tax rates based on protest determinations.
• Participates in compilation and dissemination of quarterly and annual employer accounts statements.
• Conducts fraud audits by reviewing quarterly cross match reports and automated files.
• Obtains information needed to verify overpayments.
• Calculates overpayment(s) amounts including penalties.
• Reviews and processes special program claim appeals.
• Provides technical support to local offices in pertinent areas.
• Maintains records and prepares reports.
• May collect overpayments as assigned.
• Provides information, referral, assessment, eligibility determinations and certification for all job service and employment and training programs.
• Determines barriers to employment.
• Assesses needs and refers client to employment counseling, training, employment planning or other support services.
• Develops job opportunities for clients whose skills do not match current listings.
• Periodically assesses continuing eligibility.
• Assists in developing work search plan.
• Customizes and conducts job search and vocational exploration workshops.
• Works with employers to seek, place and follow up on workers with appropriate skills.
• Provides services, including outreach services, to specialized client groups as assigned.
• Provides and explains information on programs, procedures, policies, laws and regulations to clients, employers and others as appropriate.
• May assist in training new or lower-level staff.

Benefits

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• Healthy work-life balance.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer (potential for qualifying student loan forgiveness after 10 years of service).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree