Appeals Referee

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pottsville (Schuylkill County); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework option

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Reading Referee Office, invites applications for an Appeals Referee position in Pottsville, PA. The role conducts hearings, reviews evidence, and issues timely, fair decisions while ensuring due process and civility for all parties involved.

You will gain strong analytical and communication skills, supervise staff, and travel to multiple counties. Telework options may be available after training; salary ranges from $78,925 to $119,844 per year.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an approved school of law and admission to the Pennsylvania Bar with one year of labor law experience; or four years in unemployment compensation claims with related English coursework; or equivalent combination including English credits.
• Experience applying unemployment compensation law or tax provisions to determine compliance or train others.
• Equivalent combination of experience and training including English coursework.

Responsibilities

• Conduct hearings, manage schedules, and oversee appeals hearings with due process.
• Evaluate testimony and documents to determine credibility and resolve conflicts.
• Draft clear written decisions with findings of fact and legal reasoning.
• Explain procedures and rights to unrepresented parties; answer related questions.
• Supervise clerical staff and handle performance issues and complaints.
• Travel to hearings across counties and support other offices as needed.

Skills

Legal analysis

Hearings management

Communication

Drafting decisions

Education

Law degree

PA bar admission

Job description

Salary

$78,925.00 - $119,844.00 Annually

Location

Schuylkill County, PA

Job Type

Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

CS-2026-60628-07310

Department

Department of Labor & Industry

Division

LI UCBR Reading Ref Off

Opening Date

10/19/2026

Closing Date

11/2/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code

07310

Position Number

00120297

Union

SEIU Local 668

Bargaining Unit

I5

Pay Group

ST09

Bureau / Division Code

00129148

Bureau / Division

Unemployment Compensation Board of Review - Reading Referee Office

Worksite Address

Pottsville Careerlink

203 East Arch Street

City

Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Zip Code

17901

Contact Name

Beth Caldwell

Contact Email

[e-mail]

THE POSITION

The Appeals Referee position with the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review offers a meaningful opportunity to support fair decision making for workers and employers. You will play a key part in resolving appeals with accuracy and professionalism while building strong analytical and communication skills to support fair outcomes to help maintain trust and confidence in the appeals system!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position is responsible for conducting hearings, reviewing evidence, and issuing fair and timely decisions on appeals cases. Work involves supporting due process by ensuring all parties have the opportunity to be heard and understood. As an Appeals Referee, you will perform the following duties:

• Conduct Hearings: Schedule, manage, and oversee appeals hearings while following due process standards
• Evaluate Evidence: Analyze testimony and documents to resolve conflicting information and determine credibility
• Draft Decisions: Prepare clear written decisions that explain findings of fact, legal issues, and the reasoning behind outcomes
• Provide Guidance: Explain procedures, rights, and policies to unrepresented parties and answer related questions
• Supervise Staff: Oversee clerical support, review performance, and resolve complaints and grievances
• Travel for Hearings: Attend hearings in multiple counties and support other offices as needed

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are negotiable with a 30-minute lunch break, Monday - Friday.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, upon successful completion of the training period. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Pottsville. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary:In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
• Note: This position supports the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, Reading Referee Office, the selected candidate will work/headquartered at the Pottsville CareerLink at 203 E. Arch Street, Pottsville, PA 17901.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• Graduation from an approved school of law and certification of admission to the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and one year of experience in the practice of labor law; or
• Four years of experience in the determination of unemployment compensation claims, including adjustments, overpayments, and appeals supplemented by 6 college level credits in English composition or other related English courses; or
• Four years of professional experience which involves the application of taxing or benefit-paying provisions of the Unemployment Compensation Law in order to determine compliance, to improve Unemployment Compensation program operations, or to train others in the application of the law supplemented by 6 college level credits in English composition or other related English courses; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 6 college level credits in English composition or other related English courses.

Other Requirements

• You must meet the PA residency requirement.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.