Attorney-Advisor

Agnello & Rogers; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) seeks Attorney Advisors to provide legal review of audits and evaluations and to advise components on Inspector General Act matters, jurisdiction, and related policies. You will assist with inquiries affecting HHS programs and offer guidance on regulations implementing OIG oversight authorities.

Qualified lawyers must have a J.D. or LL.B. and be in good standing with the Bar.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LL.B. from ABA-accredited law school and current bar in a US state, DC, or PR.
• Experience advising, conducting legal analysis and/or representing clients in matters involving Medicare, Medicaid, ACA, or other Federal healthcare programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal review of audits, evaluations, and other written products produced by OCIG and OIG components.
• Advise OIG components on the Inspector General Act, jurisdiction, records access, and laws/policies related to HHS programs.
• Assist with special inquiries affecting HHS and its programs.
• Provide legal advice on issuing regulations and guidance implementing OIG oversight authorities.

Skills

Legal analysis

Legal advice

Regulatory guidance

Policy interpretation

Education

J.D. or LL.B.

Job description

SUMMARY

Summary: This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has been at the forefront of the nation's efforts to fight waste, fraud and abuse and to improving the efficiency of more than 100 HHS programs. Our vision is to drive positive change in HHS programs and in the lives of the people served by these programs.

The OIG for HHS fights fraud, waste and abuse in HHS programs including Medicare, Medicaid, Healthcare Marketplaces, NIH, FDA, CDC and more. HHS OIG is the largest Federal inspector general's office, employing a nationwide network of auditors, investigators, attorneys, and evaluators to provide program recommendations to decision-makers, distribute educational resources to the industry and public, and investigate cases to root out fraud.

The Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) provides all legal services for OIG. Within OCIG, the Advice Branch provides legal advice to OIG leadership and its components and fulfills the role for OIG similar to the role fulfilled by a typical government general counsel's office. Advice attorneys support OIG's auditors, evaluators, law enforcement agents, and its management and policy staff. Advice attorneys handle a wide range of topics, including legal reviews of audits, evaluations, and other written products created by the other OIG components, subpoenas, law enforcement questions, employment issues, internal inquiries, ethics, privacy, contracts, and constitutional tort claims.

DUTIES

Attorney Advisors will:

• Provide legal review of audits, evaluations and other written products created by OIG components;
• Provide advice to various OIG components about the Inspector General Act, jurisdiction, records access, and laws, regulations and policies pertinent to HHS programs;
• Assist with special inquiries concerning current issues affecting HHS; and
• Provide legal advice regarding the issuance by OIG of regulations and guidance implementing OIG's oversight authorities.

REQUIREMENTS

Conditions Of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Registration with the Selective Service (if applicable).
• You may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
• Must maintain membership and good standing with the Bar in a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications

• Applicants must have graduated with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be a current member, in good standing with the Bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• GS-12: Applicants must have one (1) year of relevant professional legal experience post-bar admission equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Experience may be outside of the federal government.
• GS-13: Applicants must have two (2) years of relevant professional legal experience post-bar admission, with one year equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Experience may be outside the federal government.
• GS-14: Applicants must have three (3) years of relevant professional legal experience post-bar admission, with one year equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level. Experience may be outside of the federal government.
• Highly qualified applicants will have experience as an attorney advising, conducting legal analysis and/or representing clients in matters involving Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and/or any other Federal program that funds healthcare. Experience advising clients related to other HHS programs is also desirable. Education and experience in health care law will be considered.
• 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; religious; 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, including volunteer experience. Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.
• Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accrediting organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.

Additional Information

• Recruitment Incentives: Private sector work experience may be approved as credit for your Annual Leave accrual.
• Superior Qualifications may be considered to set the rate of basic pay of a newly-appointed employee.
• Recruitment and relocation bonuses for this position are not authorized.
• Repayment of student loans will not be offered.

Security and Background Requirements

• A background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action.
• In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time.
• Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection, and/or appropriate disciplinary action.

EEO Statement

HHS is an equal opportunity employer. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, or other differences.

E-Verify

If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.

Benefits

• Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Disabled Veteran Leave: HHS-OIG participates in the Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act of 2015. To learn more about this benefit, please go to: Disabled Veteran Leave (opm.gov).

Fair Chance Act

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act ("Fair Chance Act") prohibits federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history record prior to extending a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the FCA.

Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the FCA may submit a written complaint to the Department by email at [e-mail].

Benefits Link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED

Your application will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of this position. If you are found minimally qualified for the job, your application package will be further evaluated to determine your possession of the critical knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required for this position. Your resume must document specialized experience. If you are found to be among the best-qualified candidates, a review panel will read your writing sample and score it based on technical accuracy and persuasiveness.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Cover letter or e-mail
• Resume: Federal agencies only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Please visit this website for further instructions. Applicants who submit a resume longer than two pages may be found ineligible for further consideration.
• Transcripts.
• Proof of Active Bar Status.
• Writing sample, not to exceed 5 pages.

Current or Former Political Appointees

OPM requires agencies to seek prior approval before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. Additional information can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/political-appointees-and-career-civil-service-positions-faq/. If you are currently or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, this information must be disclosed to Human Resources. Such applicants must submit a copy of an SF-50 documenting the appointment with all other required application documents.

Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable)

• If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives at www.archives.gov/veterans.
• If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
• If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF 15 (see form at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ or call 1-800-827-1000.

Financial Disclosure

This position may be subject to financial disclosure requirements, which must be filed within 30 days of the appointment. For more information about Financial Disclosure and OGE Form 450, you may go to the Office of Government Ethics website at www.oge.gov and select Financial Disclosure. Frequently Asked Questions can be found at http://www.oge.gov/Financial-Disclosure/Confidential-Financial-Disclosure-450/OGE-Form-450-FAQs/OGE-Form-450-FAQs/.

Next Steps: The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will receive notice via email or phone once this process is completed.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should contact Tynishia Gardner at [e-mail]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): We use this information to determine qualifications for employment. This is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.