Economic Support Specialist

Eau Claire County; Eau Claire (WI); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Eau Claire County seeks an Economic Support Specialist to determine eligibility for programs such as Medical Assistance, BadgerCare Plus, and FoodShare, while providing ongoing case management. You will interview clients, verify information, and coordinate referrals to community services.

The role emphasizes strong customer service, data accuracy, and compliance with state/federal timelines. Remote work is available with occasional in-office duties.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Two years of experience dealing with the general public in direct customer contact.
• Two years of experience in personal computer use with Microsoft Office software.

Responsibilities

• Determine eligibility for public assistance programs and provide ongoing case management.
• Conduct interviews to obtain and evaluate financial and non-financial information; verify data with third parties; respond to cross matches and alerts.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state timelines; assess needs and provide referrals to community services.

Skills

Customer service

Investigative interviewing

Fraud awareness

Problem solving

Education

Associate degree in human services, public/business administration, economics, accounting, paralegal, or related field

Tools

CARES

CARES Worker Web (CWW)

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Economic Support Specialist determines eligibility and provides ongoing case management for Eau Claire County/Great Rivers Income Maintenance Consortium in a timely and accurate manner for public assistance programs such as Medical Assistance, BadgerCare Plus, Food Share/SNAP, Caretaker Supplement (CTS) and Wisconsin Shares Child Care subsidies.

• Directs expertise in public assistance programs, policies, and procedures to determine eligibility for assistance; conducts intensive investigative interviews to obtain and evaluate financial and non-financial information; researches and responds to financial and non-financial cross matches and alerts; obtains and verifies third-party information; collaborates with various agencies and support services; verifies appropriate levels of benefits and/or services.
• Researches, interprets, and applies federal, state, and local policies governing eligibility, legal rights, and responsibilities of applicants; determines correct public assistance benefits through direct client contact via office interview and telephone in compliance with required state and federal time frames; assesses individual and family needs to provide referrals to other agencies and community support services.
• Assures high level of customer service emphasizing the department core values of welcoming, ethical, compassion, appreciation, respect, and excellence; answers phones in a call center setting; responds to questions; provides case status updates; processes changes; troubleshoots problems; responds to emergency needs; re-determines eligibility and processes verifications.
• Utilizes skill in personal computer operations including a variety of standard and specialized software programs; records, maintains, reviews, and regularly corrects benefit levels and other documentation regarding applicants, using Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) and CARES Worker Web (CWW) systems.
• Authorizes monetary benefits in childcare authorizations, FoodShare, fees for service and capitation rates for medical assistance and BadgerCare Plus; authorizes payment for caretaker supplement.
• Identifies risk factors such as AODA, domestic abuse, disabilities, or suspected child/elder abuse and reports to appropriate services.
• Demonstrates critical thinking to examine and report potential fraud, waste, and abuse as well as complaints and concerns regarding publicly funded and supported services; determines need for and prepares Fraud and Program Integrity referrals; performs basic math calculations to recalculate benefits for publicly funded and supported services; provides effective and credible testimony at administrative hearings.
• Completes ongoing trainings regarding changes in the federal and state regulations and technical advancements.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

• Associate degree in a human service, public/business administration, economics, accounting, paralegal, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• Two (2) years of experience dealing with the general public in a position requiring direct customer contact or directly related experience performing similar work in a comparable setting
• Two (2) years of experience in personal computer use with Microsoft Office software.
• Keyboarding skills of 45 w.p.m.
• Appointment will be conditional upon successful completion of criminal and caregiver background checks.
• This position will work remotely with occasional in-office duties
• An ergonomically correct and confidential workspace, at own expense, is required for this position when working remotely.
• Employees must provide high speed internet access at own expense when working remotely.
• Employees must live within reasonable driving distance to the agency.
• Ability to meet County employment requirements related to remote work, including limits on out-of-state work hours. (maximum 49% of total annual worked hours, excluding paid time off)
• Must have valid driver’s license, an acceptable driving record, and access to private transportation for work-related duties.
• Must possess and maintain personal automobile insurance in the amount of $100,000/$300,000.

• Previous call center experience
• Previous work experience with benefit programs and determining benefit eligibility preferred.