Hi NORVA Peeps,

 

The local SSA branch is looking for RPCVs with active NCE status to fill jobs. See description below. Rick Warsinskey is the contact:

richard.e.warsinskey@ssa.gov

1-877-319-5708

 

Good luck!!

 

Annabel

 

 

Social Security Administration (Northern Ohio)

 

The Social Security Administration in Northern Ohio announces an open call for résumés from RPCVs and transitioning Peace Corps staff with noncompetitive eligibility (NCE). This is not a guarantee of employment.

 

Positions         Claims Representative 

• Talks to individuals who apply for benefits face-to-face and/or by telephone.
• Understands, applies and explains large volumes of technical material.
• Evaluates information/evidence to ensure regulatory benefit entitlements.
• Interacts with people of varying backgrounds, education and experience.

Service Representative

• Helps customers understand application processes.
• Assists with securing necessary evidence.
• Serves others while being flexible, tactful, sensitive and compassionate.
• Resolves benefit, eligibility and payment problems.

Education        Job applicants should have:   

Degree from an accredited four-year or two-year college/university or    specialized/generalized work experience.

Requirements        United States Citizenship is required.

      Background and/or Security Investigation required.
      Selective Service registration required for male applicants.

Pay                                                                                                                                                                

• Claims Representative Entry Salary (Cleveland/Akron area; other areas may vary):  
  GS-5=$32,555 or GS-7=$40,326 or GS-9=$48,327.  Yearly promotions follow to the GS-11 level for the Claims Representative if job performance and progress are satisfactory.
• Service Representatives Entry Salary (Cleveland/Akron area; other areas may vary):    
  GS-5=$32,555. Yearly promotions follow to the GS-8 level (starting at $44,660) if job performance and progress are satisfactory. 

Qualifications

GS-5: 3 years of general experience, 1 year, which was equivalent to at least the GS-4 level. General Experience is experience that demonstrates the ability to: 1) analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; 2) Plan and organize work; and 3) communicate effectively orally and in writing. Examples include experience with analyzing, explaining, applying or interpreting laws, rules, regulation or policies. Qualifying general experience includes: - experience as a claims clerk, law clerk, contact representative, claims agent, claims adjuster, claims examiner, or voucher examiner answering correspondence on claims, processing records used in adjudicating or paying claims, collecting documentary evidence for claims or conveying the requirements that must be met for the receipt of benefit payments; or -providing referral services to other programs or organizations.

GS-7: One year (52 weeks) of specialized experience. Specialized Experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience include assisting individuals in establishing their entitlement and receiving benefits; or adjudicating, authorizing or reconsidering claims; representing programs before the general public and providing information through the media; or evaluating benefit program operations to assess the integrity and quality; or interpreting program requirements and formulating policies, procedures and guidelines;

Note: One year of experience is based on a 40 hour workweek.  If you have worked less than 40 hours per week, you must prorate your experience.  For example, if you work 20 hours per week for a 12 month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience.

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE

If you have no general or specialized experience, you may be able to qualify for this position based solely on your education as indicated below:

GS-5:
Successful completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree.

GS-7:
1. Successful completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree and meet one of the following under the Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) provisions:

A) Graduating in the upper third of your class in your college, university, or major subdivision;
B) Graduating with a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all course work required for a bachelor's degree or in the final two years; Graduating with a 3.5 or higher GPA in the required courses for your major (a 3.46 GPA may be rounded to 3.5)
C) Membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman honor societies cannot be used to meet this requirement.
(No more than 10% of credits may be based on pass/fail courses.)

2. Successful completion of one full year of related graduate course work. (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours equals one year of full time graduate education)

Note: You must provide a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with your application if you wish to qualify based on education. Verification of official college transcripts will be required at the time of interview. If your education was completed in a foreign institution, you must submit evidence that your education is of an acceptable quality (equivalent to the educational standards in this country).

COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Experience and education can be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements. Experience and education should be computed as percentages of the overall requirements and must equal 100% when combined.

Example: For 3 years of general experience, 18 months general experience plus 2 years of undergraduate coursework is qualifying for the GS-5 level.

 

To apply:

 

Send your résumé and a short cover letter to Richard Warsinskey at richard.e.warsinskey@ssa.gov

with the subject line, "Peace Corps Volunteer Employment Consideration." There is no closing date for submitting resumes.  We will respond to you to let you know what positions are available. 

 

You must include one of the following texts, as appropriate, in your cover letter:

 

I closed my Peace Corps service on mm/dd/yyyy.  Since that date was less than one year ago, I have noncompetitive eligibility.

 

-OR-

 

I closed my Peace Corps service on mm/dd/yyyy.  However, I am/was enrolled in a full-time graduate program at [university name] from mm/dd/yyyy until mm/dd/yyyy. I therefore have X months of noncompetitive eligibility left.

 

-OR-

 

I closed my Peace Corps service on mm/dd/yyyy.  However, I am/was a member of the U.S. military from mm/dd/yyyy until mm/dd/yyyy. I therefore have X months of noncompetitive eligibility left.

 

-OR-

 

I am/was a Peace Corps civil service employee.  I entered on duty on mm/dd/yyyy, and separated from the Peace Corps on mm/dd/yyyy.  I therefore have X months of noncompetitive eligibility left.

 

Note: This is an invitation to submit a resume only if you have existing noncompetitive eligibility, and is not a guarantee of employment.

Questions?

Write, e-mail or call:

Richard Warsinskey

Social Security Administration

Room 793, AJC Federal Building

1240 E. 9^th Street

Cleveland, Ohio  44199

richard.e.warsinskey@ssa.gov

1-877-319-5708

 

For more information about the Social Security Administration and benefits for this position, please visit: www.socialsecurity.gov

 

________________________________

 

About Your Noncompetitive Eligibility (NCE)

 

Before you apply for a position where noncompetitive eligibility (NCE) is a qualification, it is important to be sure you have current NCE status. Employers who are only looking for NCE candidates cannot hire someone without this status. In order to ensure that Federal agencies continue to promote this hiring mechanism, Returned Volunteer Services asks you to not apply for NCE positions if you do not have current NCE.

 

• RPCVs are awarded one year of noncompetitive eligibility that begins the day after their COS date. It can only be extended by the hiring agency (not Peace Corps) if an RPCV is in graduate school full-time, enters the military, serves as a Peace Corps Response volunteer, or engages in another activity that the hiring agency thinks warrants an extension. NCE can be extended for two years beyond the initial one-year period, for a grand total of three years. Three years after your COS date, your NCE is no longer valid, regardless of your circumstances.

 

• RPCVs who have completed less than one year of service (including training time) will not receive NCE. However, the Country Director may issue certification to a Volunteer who has satisfactorily served for twelve consecutive months, including training, and whose termination is determined to be for reasons beyond the Volunteer's control.

 

• Peace Corps staff members who have successfully completed 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of 3 days of service earn the status of noncompetitive eligibility (NCE) in applying for other Federal positions, which they retain until three years from the date that they separate from the Peace Corps. Please see 5 CFR 315.607 for the governing authority.

 

• For further questions regarding RPCV noncompetitive eligibility (NCE), please review the special federal employment issue of Hotline, May 15, 2008, at: http://www.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/former/hotline/hotline0515....