Child Support Specialist I

CalHR; Hollister (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

CalHR is seeking an entry-level Child Support Specialist I in California. The role involves managing a caseload, interviewing custodial and non-custodial parents, and gathering information to establish and enforce support obligations. Training is provided under supervision, with a path to advancement after one year.

Employees work with a statewide automated system, learn the laws and policies, and interact with courts, attorneys, and the public while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of civil and criminal law and California child support regulations.
• Ability to locate non-custodial parents, relatives, and related persons.
• Ability to explain procedures and requirements clearly to diverse audiences.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Manage a general caseload of child support actions and enforcement.
• Coordinate interviews with custodial/non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys.
• Develop and analyze information for establishing paternity.
• Evaluate income and expense data to determine support obligations.
• Prepare and process legal documents for establishment and collection.

Skills

Interviewing techniques

Customer service

Data collection

Communication

Case management

Education

60 semester or 90 quarter units

Tools

Statewide automated system

Job description

Performs a wide variety of child support duties consisting of maintaining a caseload, locating and interviewing custodial and non-custodial parents and others to elicit factual information for the purpose of establishing child support obligations and enforcing child support laws; arranges for support payments when possible; prepares cases for court hearings as necessary; and performs related work as required.

Working under close supervision, Child Support Specialist I is the entry/trainee level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees in this class receive in-service training, and are given detailed instructions in the performance of duties related to child support laws, regulations, and a broad range of child support casework activities. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility are exercised. Employees are expected to promote to Child Support Specialist II after one year of satisfactory performance at the entry/trainee level.

Duties for the Child Support Specialist I may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Manages a general caseload consisting of child support legal actions and the establishment, enforcement and collection of child support payment obligations based on established guidelines.
• Coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys.
• Develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity.
• Uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating information on custodial and non-custodial parents' assets, income, and liabilities.
• Evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines.
• Responds to general inquiries and explains general child support laws, court orders, rules, regulations, and policies to public and staff.
• Participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action.
• Prepares and processes legal documents necessary for the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support obligations.
• Documents and updates customer information, contact information, case actions/history logs, and records using a state-wide automated system.
• Provides case status information, explains the complaint resolution process, and answers case specific questions for all involved parties ensuring the verbiage used cannot be interpreted as legal advice.
• Applies federal, state, and local codes, procedures, and rules in establishing and processing child support cases.
• Coordinates and/or conducts genetic tests when needed.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Note: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two levels in the Definition section.

• Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment, and enforcement of child support obligations.
• Sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities.
• Techniques and methods for establishing paternity.
• Child Support specific collection methods and techniques.
• Legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public.
• When and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner.
• The structure and content of the English language.
• Basic mathematics and business arithmetic, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, and decimals.

Skill/Ability to:

• Apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases.
• Explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person.
• Use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile.
• Collect DNA samples to establish paternity.
• Use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people.
• Understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations.
• Compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation.
• Organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction.
• Exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information.
• Establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public.
• Be flexible and supportive of change.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments having conflicting deadlines.
• Effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.

• Two (2) years of full-time clerical experience which included interaction with the public;
• One year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information;
• One year of full-time experience performing duties of a Child Support Assistant I or Office Assistant II in a Child Support Services Department;
• Completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units of college. Qualifying experience or education may be combined in order to meet the above requirements. When combining education and experience; fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two (22) quarter units equals six months of experience.

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A valid driver's license may be required at the time of appointment and employees may also be required to drive their own car, provide proof of car insurance, and a DMV clearance. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• The San Benito Department of Child Support Services requires pre-employment fingerprinting as a part of the background investigation for all positions.
• Government agencies accessing US government information, which include federal tax information must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information. Background checks are required and must be repeated every 5 years. Background requirements consist of three components which include fingerprinting, citizenship verification and local law enforcement checks.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION – WEIGHTED 100%

The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate’s knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.

Examination administration and processing time is approximately one week after the closing date of the job bulletin.

If conditions warrant, an Experience and Education examination may be conducted in lieu of the Training and Experience examination. Please review the Experience and Education examination information below:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION – WEIGHTED 100%

The Education & Experience examination is based solely upon information provided from the application and supplemental information (e.g., resumes, transcripts). Information provided from the application and supplemental information will be assessed compared to a standard developed in relation to the elements of the. Special care should be taken to submitting a complete description of your education and experience relevant to the typical tasks, scope, and minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin. Supplemental information will be accepted, but competitors should read this bulletin carefully to determine what kind of information will be useful to those individuals completing the evaluation. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.

Examination administration and processing time is approximately one week after the closing date of the job bulletin.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of San Benito. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at [e-mail] or 916-909-3701 upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTS

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.

General Qualifications:

Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

ABOUT SAN BENITO COUNTY

San Benito County is in the Coast Range Mountains in California, only 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, bordering Santa Clara County and adjacent to the San Francisco Bay Area. The County enjoys a high comfort rating, with an average of 262 sunny days per year and mild temperatures year-round. Another aspect of the comfort level is the low crime rate, which falls anywhere from below to significantly below the national average in all measured categories. One of the historic California missions, San Juan Bautista is in San Benito County, as well as numerous quaint towns and communities. Within the County, there are 12 school districts, and several private, religious and charter schools, all providing students with a quality education. Residents and visitors also enjoy a myriad of outdoor activities here, at Pinnacle National Park, championship golf courses, skydiving, cycling, geological walks and is reputed to sport the best views in California.