Human Resources Assistant - Veterans Benefits Administration

Summary This position is in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Office of Human Capital Services (HCS), Office of Staff Operations (OSO) Division at one of the five Human Resources Centers (HRC) located nationwide. As a Human Resources (HR) Assistant the incumbent will provide technical support in recruitment, staffing, data systems, records, employee benefits, and clerical related activities for one or more assigned VA Regional Offices. Responsibilities As a Human Resources (HR) Assistant the incumbent will provide technical support in recruitment, staffing, data systems, records, employee benefits, and clerical related activities for one or more assigned VA Regional Offices. The entry level grade for this position is GS-05 with a target full performance level at the GS-07. Reviews, codes and processes actions for unique appointments, regulatory authorities, approvals, support documents, changes of duty stations, promotions, merit and delegated examining appointments, position changes, as well as other nonstandard actions that require individual judgement and independent review of actions. Processes requests for retroactive HR actions that require tracing employee's history and applying pertinent technical references, conditions, or precedents, and arranges for transfers both internally and externally to the Department of Veterans Affairs, including overseas transfers, intra station transfers, and transfers to other federal agencies. Consults with personnel who are submitting actions for processing for commitments and communicates with releasing offices to set EOD dates. Confirms dates of personnel actions both orally and through written communications. Obtains release date; enters date on personnel request forms for data input. Checks for timeliness and completeness of necessary forms related to personnel actions. Makes recommendations of effective dates of personnel actions to supervisor(s), HR Specialists, and personnel internal and external to the organization. Refers questions from management and outside sources to the Supervisor, Lead, or more senior Assistants. Answers questions of limited complexity based solely on information provided in guides, policies, and available data sources. Processes the full range of personnel actions for all positions. Codes personnel actions using the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, citing agency code, and appropriate regulatory authority. Reviews requests for extension and adequacy of supporting documents. Researches problems that arise with processing personnel actions and determines corrective action. Ensures correct coding for appropriate retirement system for transferees and employees reentering federal service. Performs clerical, assistant, or technician level work in support of the employee benefit program. Processes applications and forms for benefit transactions such as FEHB and FEGLI. Explains features of employee benefit program and assists in completing necessary forms to initiate, change, or cancel enrollments and retirement actions. Incumbent uses electronic systems consisting of hardware and software components in an office environment to store, retrieve, manipulate, transfer, compute and/or print information. Performs work in support of human resources management, which requires knowledge of the terminology, requirements, procedures, and function of personnel management. Incumbent determines and/or verifies veterans preference claims for prior service, computes and/or determines creditable service for SCD, leave, career tenure, probationary or trial period, retirement, reduction-in-force, within-grade, follow-up actions, follow-up dates, and other processing actions. Incumbent checks requests for accuracy and procedural aspect of proposed action and codes all personnel actions in accordance with established time schedule. Process personnel actions, such as accessions, separations, changes, promotions, beneficiary changes, training, awards, etc., while maintaining data accuracy. Reconciles SF-50's, and SF-52's and supporting documentation for various personnel actions. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM. May vary based on mission needs. Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: 22649A, 12649A, 02649A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/26/2024. The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's) group qualification standards covering white collar occupations in the Federal competitive service can be found: Here Time-In-Grade Requirement: If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 5/6/7 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS- 07. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing that you are in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess (1) year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates (1) year time-in-grade. General Adjustment and Award SF-50's cannot be used for time-in-grade verification purposes. To qualify at the GS-05 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as completing assignments consisting of related steps and processes and using judgment in selecting guidelines and procedures from among several specific references. OR Applicants may substitute Education to qualify for grade GS-5. Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to quality at the GS-05 grade level. To qualify at the GS-05 level based on education you must have at least 4-year course of study above high school from an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. OR Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify for grade GS-05. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-04. For example, an applicant who has 90 semester hours of undergraduate level education (i.e., 50% of the education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience), this would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. To qualify at the GS-06 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience with employee benefits programs, recruitment and staffing processes, data systems and records and processing personnel actions. There in no substitute education at the GS-06 grade level. To qualify at the GS-07 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as reviewing personnel actions for accuracy and completeness; computing and establishing service computation dates (SCDs); determining veterans preference entitlement and researching and providing specific information concerning HR processes and procedures pertinent to recruitment and staffing. There in no substitute education at the GS-07 grade level. Note: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience you document, to include volunteer experience. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.