Clerical Assistant 3

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework option

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is seeking a Clerical Assistant 3 to support the Clearance Verification Unit within the Office of Children, Youth and Families. The role focuses on processing background checks, reviewing records, and assisting the public with child safety clearances in a fast-paced environment.

You will act as a professional first point of contact, ensuring callers and visitors feel heard and valued.

Qualifications

• Experience in clerical roles and customer service is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Answer calls and explain steps for clearance verification and determinations.
• Enter application information into electronic systems for processing and verification.
• Compare applicant information across state and federal databases for accuracy.
• Review criminal history, child abuse findings, and out-of-state results for prohibitive offenses.
• Provide clear written and verbal updates to applicants regarding clearance status.
• Handle mailroom tasks, returns, requests, and other clerical duties as needed.

Skills

Customer Support

Data Entry

Record Review

Criminal History Review

Communication

Job description

THE POSITION

The Clerical Assistant 3 with the Office of Children, Youth and Families plays an important role in supporting safe and thorough clearance processing. This position offers a fast-paced environment where accuracy and customer service make a real difference. You will help ensure that individuals who work with children meet essential safety standards. Your work strengthens the mission of protecting Pennsylvania’s youth—apply today!

THE POSITION

The Clerical Assistant 3 with the Office of Children, Youth and Families plays an important role in supporting safe and thorough clearance processing. This position offers a fast-paced environment where accuracy and customer service make a real difference. You will help ensure that individuals who work with children meet essential safety standards. Your work strengthens the mission of protecting Pennsylvania’s youth—apply today!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position supports the Clearance Verification Unit by reviewing applications, processing background checks, and assisting members of the public with important child safety clearances. The role involves detailed record handling, customer communication, and the use of multiple information systems to ensure accurate determinations. You will serve as a compassionate and professional first point of contact, ensuring every caller and visitor feels heard and valued. As a Clerical Assistant 3, you will perform the following duties:

• Customer Support: Answer calls and explain required steps for clearance verification and determinations
• Data Entry: Enter application information into required electronic systems for processing and verification
• Record Review: Compare applicant information across state and federal databases to confirm accuracy
• Clearance Evaluation: Review criminal history, child abuse findings, and out-of-state results to identify prohibitive offenses
• Communication Tasks: Provide clear written and verbal updates to applicants regarding their clearance status
• Processing Duties: Handle mailroom tasks, manage returns, process requests, and complete other clerical assignments 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, 37.5 hours per week
• Work hours will be 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM while in training and may be 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM or 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM after training depending on the results of a shift bid, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time up to 3 days a week after an in-office 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 Harrisburg. 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.

Required Experience, Training & Eligibility

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• One year as a Clerical Assistant 2 (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• One year of moderately complex clerical experience; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

Other Requirements

• You must meet the PA residency requirement . For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements

• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

Commonwealth employees who wish to use their seniority rights must apply to the internal posting for their seniority rights to be considered.

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.