Child Support Specialist I/II/III
County of Shasta
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Job summary
Shasta County is seeking qualified candidates for the Child Support Specialist I/II/III positions. The role involves managing caseloads, locating parents, and enforcing support orders in a professional setting.
The department emphasizes accuracy and discretion, with opportunities for career progression through specified merit-based steps and regular salary reviews. Applicants must possess a valid California driver’s license and respond to supplemental questions.
Qualifications
- Knowledge of civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws relating to establishment and enforcement of child support obligations.
- Ability to explain child support procedures and requirements to individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to interview wide variety of people and exercise judgment in evaluating cases.
Responsibilities
- Manages a general caseload of child support actions, establishes and enforces support obligations.
- Coordinates interviews with custodial/non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys.
- Develops information for establishing paternity and uses state systems to update case records.
- Performs duties with discretion and may handle complex or confidential cases.
Skills
Education
Job description
Child Support Specialist I: $3,579 - $4,568 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $20.65 - $26.35 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*
Child Support Specialist II: $4,043-$5,160 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $23.33 - $29.77 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*
Child Support Specialist III: $4,245-$5,419 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY*/$24.49 - $31.26 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*
This position is in the UPEC bargaining unit. Please refer to the applicable bargaining unit labor agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) for potential future salary increases: Shasta County Labor Agreements
The salary range consists of six (6) salary steps, with approximately 5% between each step. Newly hired employees are appointed at Step A of the assigned salary range. Employees are eligible for a merit-based salary increase from Step A to Step B after six months of satisfactory service. Thereafter, employees may be eligible for annual merit-based step increases, beginning one year from the Step B effective date, until they reach the top step of the salary range.
Shasta County offers all the amenities of the big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and excellent quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
The Department of Child Support Services is responsible for collecting and disbursing child support payments, locating parents, establishing parentage, and establishing and enforcing child and medical support orders
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.
Under limited supervision, the Child Support Specialist III performs a wide variety of child support duties involving the more difficult and/or sensitive cases; performs special assignments; maintains a caseload; acts as a senior case manager, 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 (1) year of satisfactory performance at the entry/trainee level.
Working under general supervision, Child Support Specialist II is the journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees at this level are expected to perform a broad range of child support casework from intake to establishment, enforcement, and case closure. Within legal requirements and departmental policies and procedures, incumbents operate with considerable independence and must exercise discretion and judgment in evaluating cases and determining the level of support and the methods of enforcement. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower level of Child Support Specialist I, or if filled from the outside, require prior related experience.
Child Support Specialist II differs from the higher class of Child Support Specialist III in that the latter is the advanced journey level, and incumbents exercise detailed subject knowledge of a specific program area or specialized department system.
The Child Support Specialist III is the advanced journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Incumbents exercise detailed subject matter knowledge of a specific program area or specialized system inherent to the operations of the department. Child Support Specialist III may provide lead worker assistance in the absence of the Child Support Specialist IV.
Positions in this class differ from those in the class of Child Support Specialist II by the assignment of complex, sensitive or confidential cases requiring advanced technical skills. Incumbents may assist in train lower-level Child Support Specialists and may assist with special projects such as audits and/or quality control reviews.
Child Support Specialist III differs from the next higher class of Child Support Specialist IV in that the latter serves as a lead worker of a unit of Child Support Specialists.
The ideal candidate for the position of Child Support Specialist I/II/III is a goal-oriented individual, who effectively communicates, both verbally and in writing, to customers, coworkers, members of the public, and other outside entities. The ideal candidate must display a positive, professional demeanor at all times and is dependable and willing to perform, within the scope of the job description, a variety of tasks and potentially changing job assignments.
Shasta County Child Support Services' core values are Respect, Integrity, Service, Responsibility, and Communication. All employees are expected to follow these five tenants of behavior.
Duties 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.
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, including support in new hire induction training and peer mentoring.
Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following:
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.
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; prioritize multiple assignments having conflicting deadlines; effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.
Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following:
Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations; effective investigative principles, research, techniques, and procedures to obtain information for child support cases; 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.
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; 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; be flexible and supportive of change; assist and train newly assigned staff; maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information; promote harmony, good morale, establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public; 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 (1) year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information;
Completion of sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units of college.
One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist I in a state or local government agency.
One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist II in a state or local government agency.
Possession of a valid California driver’s license.
- Do you possess two (2) years of full-time clerical experience which included interaction with the public? If yes, please describe your clerical experience and interaction with the public including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type "N/A".
- Do you possess one (1) year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information? If yes, please describe your experience including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type "N/A".
- Do you possess one (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Assistant I or Office Assistant II in a Child Support Services Department? If yes, please describe your experience including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type "N/A".
- Have you completed sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units of college? Yes/ No If yes, please list the courses and number of units. If no, please type "N/A".
- Do you possess one (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist II in a state or local government agency? If yes, please describe your experience including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type "N/A".
- I understand that I will be privy to highly confidential information and misuse of such information is subject to criminal and civil actions and/or termination of employment. Yes/ No
- I am willing to make decisions and recommendations that affect the lives of children and families. Yes/ No
- I am willing to testify in court before judges, attorneys, and families. Yes/ No
- I am willing to work with customers that may be in a highly emotional state. Yes/ No
- I am willing to collect DNA samples, while following safety procedures, by swabbing the inside of customers' mouths. Yes/ No
- I am willing to maintain the confidentiality of all child support customers. Yes/ No
- I am willing and able to display empathy when appropriate, while maintaining professional boundaries. Yes/
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