Legal Administrative Specialist

Veterans Benefits Administration • Reno, NV

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Administrative Specialist (LAS) serves on the Public Contact Team in the Veterans Service Center. The incumbent provides in-depth information and comprehensive assistance to Veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries regarding VA benefits and related non-VA benefits. The role includes counseling customers, explaining decisions and procedures, preparing correspondence, researching benefit questions, resolving problems, and completing claim- and appeal-related work.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, with a stated schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tour will be determined after final selections and may change based on program needs. Compressed or flexible schedules are not available. Situational (ad hoc) telework may be approved case by case with supervisory approval; the selectee must report to the official duty station each scheduled workday, and routine or recurring telework is not authorized. The position has a GS-07 to GS-09 grade progression, with promotion to the full-performance level possible without further competition if regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met; selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date: 52 weeks at GS-05 for GS-07 consideration or 52 weeks at GS-07 for GS-09 consideration. Current VBA employees requesting reassignment or a change to a lower grade must hold GS-07 or higher, with promotion potential of at least GS-09.
• GS-07 specialized experience: one year equivalent to at least GS-05, including the ability to provide customer service, benefit counseling, and claim processing with direct supervision or guidance, and knowledge of researching relevant subject matter. Examples include speaking to diverse audiences about VA benefit programs and researching local, state, and federal laws and regulations to determine Veterans' eligibility.
• GS-07 education alternative: one full year of graduate-level education, or a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (including a GPA of 3.0 or higher, class standing, or honor society membership). A combination of qualifying post-high-school education and experience may also be used.
• GS-09 specialized experience: one year equivalent to at least GS-07, including the ability to provide customer service, benefit counseling, and claim processing with minimum supervision or guidance, and moderate knowledge of researching relevant subject matter. Examples include speaking to diverse audiences about VA benefit programs and researching local, state, and federal laws and regulations to determine Veterans' eligibility.
• GS-09 education alternative: a master's or equivalent graduate degree; or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, including a master's or equivalent graduate degree such as an LL.B. or J.D. Education and experience may be combined to meet the requirement.
• Applicants qualifying on education must submit transcripts; foreign education requires appropriate equivalency documentation.
• Selected applicants may be required to serve a probationary or trial period, undergo a background/security investigation, and complete online onboarding and employment eligibility verification. Acceptable identification is required; beginning May 7, 2025, non-REAL-ID-compliant driver's licenses or state IDs are not acceptable for employment identification.
• No special physical demands are required. The work is mostly sedentary, with occasional walking, standing, carrying light items, and pushing or pulling carts of claims folders.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate counseling sessions with Veterans, dependents, and beneficiaries about VA and non-VA benefits through in-person or telephone interviews and correspondence.
• Provide broad outreach services through telephone and in-person contact with VBA facilities.
• Explain VBA rating decisions, claim and appeal procedures, benefit determinations, and relevant information in the systems of record.
• Assist customers with compensation and pension, home loan eligibility, education, health care, life insurance, burial, vocational rehabilitation, Social Security Administration, and other federal, state, and local benefit and assistance programs.
• Prepare technical correspondence about benefit information, representation rights, and responses to miscellaneous inquiries.
• Explain relevant legal provisions, regulations, administrative practices, and their application to individual cases.
• Initiate inquiries to resolve errors, delays, and other problems in obtaining benefits.
• Complete claim- and appeal-related work.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive a comprehensive benefits package, with benefits available to employees and their families; specific eligibility depends on position type.

What This Job Offers

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