FAIR HEARING PROCESS SPECIALIST

NYC Department of Social Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team committed to fighting poverty and addressing homelessness in New York City. As a Fair Hearing Process Specialist, you will play a vital role in providing economic support and employment-related services to individuals in need. This position involves processing Fair Hearing directives, preparing eligibility forms, and ensuring compliance with various regulations. If you have a passion for social services and possess strong analytical and communication skills, this opportunity is perfect for you. Be part of an inclusive and diverse workforce that values your contributions and supports your professional growth.

Benefits

Flexible hours

Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility

Inclusive workplace

Diversity and equal opportunity employer

Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree or high school diploma with relevant experience required.
• Preferred skills include communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Process Fair Hearing directives and resolutions on Public Assistance/SNAP issues.
• Prepare eligibility forms and ensure timely processing of case actions.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Time management skills

Detail oriented

Education

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college

High school diploma or equivalent with relevant experience

Tools

Fair Hearing Information System (FHIS)

Welfare Management System (WMS)

Paperless Operation System (POS)

SEAMS system

FHEMS

NYCWAY

Job description

IF YOU ARE HIRED PROVISIONALLY, YOU MUST TAKE AND PASS THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.

FHTMRU comprises of the Centralized Fair Hearing Aid to Continue (ATC), Fair Hearing Default and Withdrawal Processing, Fair Hearing Resolution Processing, and the Advocate Inquiry Mailbox Units. The Aid to Continue unit is responsible for ensuring benefits remain unchanged until the issuance of a fair hearing decision. The Resolution unit is responsible for processing resolution actions initiated during evidence packet review and/or preparation at the CPRU and SEPU. It is also responsible for processing case actions on IREA cases sent to the automated Pre-Hearing Disposition (PHD) process.

Under the supervision of the Fair Hearing Process Examiner with some latitude for independent judgment and decision making and in accordance with agency policies, procedures, and Federal and State regulations, the Fair Hearing Process Specialist provides economic support and employment-related services to persons in need to promote individual and family self-sufficiency. The Fair Hearing Process Specialist prepares Public Assistance/SNAP/Medicaid eligibility forms by incorporating all received data and checking for accuracy and reviewing authorizations, in order to initiate processing of appropriate service required in Aid to Continue Restoration.

The Office of the General Counsel/Fair Hearing Administration is requesting to recruit one (1) Benefit Opportunity Specialist to function as Fair Hearing Process Specialist in the Fair Hearing Tracking Monitoring and Review Unit (FHTMRU) who will:

1. Process Aid-to-Continue directives, Fair Hearing Defaults, and Resolutions on Public Assistance/SNAP issues related to Fair Hearing Lawsuit driven inquiries utilizing the Fair Hearing Information System (FHIS) and Fair Hearing Electronic Evidence Management System (FHEMS); read and data enter case actions related to the Aid-To-Continue Challenge Process; provide budget calculations and summaries; utilize agency systems (including the Personal Computer (PC), SEAMS system, Paperless Operation System (POS), Human Resources Administration (HRA) Viewer, WEBCOINS, etc.) for reviewing and reporting processing data.
2. Process required case actions relating to Fair Hearing Aid-to-Continue Directives, Fair Hearing Defaults, and Fair Hearing Resolutions by following established procedures and instructions, taking case actions relating to fair hearing issues. Prepare eligibility forms for Public Assistance/Medicaid/SNAP case actions, by incorporating all received data from FHIS, checking data for accuracy and reviewing authorizations, in order to initiate processing of appropriate services.
3. Conduct an intensive review of Welfare Management System screens (including, All Change Actions Screen, Benefits Issuance Screen, Case Composition Screen, Budget History Screen, Recoupment Screen, Pending Actions Screen, Social Security Screen (SDX).
4. Ensure the accurate and timely processing of case actions to comply with various lawsuits (Morel, Piron, etc.). Maintain control of work submitted to the Control unit to monitor pending actions, errors, etc. to ensure that work is re-submitted as needed in a timely manner.
5. Decontrol the accurate and timely Fair Hearing case actions resulting from various Fair Hearing processes. Initiate actions on active cases and make referrals to appropriate parties; document all pertinent data.
6. Make data entry in FHIS, SEAMS, FHEMS, Aid-To-Continue Monitoring System for compliance, tracking, monitoring, data collection, and reporting purposes.

Work Location: 505 Clermont Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Hours/Schedule: 9am – 5 pm with flex

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and two years of full-time satisfactory experience in social/human services, call centers, customer service, or a related setting performing the following:

1. Interviewing, determining eligibility for, and/or providing client benefits and services; or
2. Interviewing, determining eligibility for, and/or providing employment planning and counseling services involving job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming.
3. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience, on the basis of 30 semester credits for 6 months of work experience.

Preferred Skills

• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Knowledge of Agency operations and NYS social service policy/procedures.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and time management skills.
• Detail oriented.
• Knowledge of FHEMS, WMS, POS, NYCWAY, SEAMS.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the city for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.