Labor Department Community Services Representative Hybrid #261103-5246SH-001

State of Connecticut; Wethersfield (CT); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Connecticut Department of Labor is seeking a Labor Department Community Services Representative in Wethersfield, CT. The role involves frontline service delivery in unemployment insurance, including audits, inquiries, and client assistance.

The position requires access to Federal Tax Information and a background check; telework is available with time in the office for training and duties. Strong Excel/Office skills and customer service are essential.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of technical level experience in counseling, employment placement, veterans employment and training support services, public contact work, human service programs, job service, unemployment insurance or employment and training functions.
• College training may be substituted for General Experience; up to four years for a Bachelor's degree.
• Experience with unemployment insurance claims and high-volume production environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Audit unemployment compensation accounts.
• Answer inquiries from the public via phone and email.
• Assist with repayment processes and information collection.

Skills

Job service & unemployment laws

Interview techniques

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Teams

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Introduction

The State of Connecticut , Department of Labor (CT DOL) is recruiting a Labor Department Community Services Representative located in Wethersfield, CT.

Position Highlights

• Full-time, 40 hours per week
• First (1st) shift
• Monday - Friday

About Us

The Department of Labor (CTDOL) is committed to protecting and promoting the interests of Connecticut workers. In order to accomplish this ever-changing environment, we assist workers and employers to become competitive in the global economy. We take a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of workers and employers, and other agencies that serve them. We ensure the supply of high-quality integrated services that serve the needs of our customers.

The Benefit Payment Control Unit (BPCU) is responsible for the prevention, detection, and recovery of unemployment compensation overpayments. The Benefit Payment Control Unit is recruiting a Department of Labor Community Services Representative. Telework is available, however, this position will require time in the office for training and as part of the regular duties. BPCU is a fast paced, production environment working with audits and the collection of overpaid unemployment insurance benefits. Staff is required to respond to claimant inquiries as part of their duties.

Please Note

This position requires that you have access to Federal Tax Information (FTI). The IRS mandates that all personnel that have access to FTI be fingerprinted for purposes of performing both State and Federal background checks. As such, you must successfully pass this background check to be considered for this position.

As a Labor Department Community Services Representative You Will

• Audit unemployment compensation accounts
• Answer inquiries from public via phone and email
• Assist with repayment processes
• Use of Microsoft Office Suite such as Outlook, Teams, and Excel

What’s In It For You

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees.
• State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loan forgiveness after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.

Purpose of job class (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Labor this class is accountable for providing client services in the areas of unemployment insurance, assessment of clients needs, placement of workers and employer services; in a Central Unit this class is accountable for performing basic technical tasks in the following functional areas: claims examination, benefit payment control and merit rating.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Central Unit

• Performs basic technical tasks within operational support functional areas of claims examination, benefit payment control and merit rating;
• Reviews employer protest to unemployment insurance benefit charges, researches issues and makes initial charge/non-charge decisions;
• Audits and recalculates employer tax rates based on protest determinations;
• Participates in compilation and dissemination of quarterly and annual employer accounts statements;
• Conducts fraud audits by reviewing quarterly cross match reports and automated files;
• Obtains information needed to verify overpayments;
• Calculates overpayment(s) amounts including penalties;
• Reviews, analyzes and corrects claims under a variety of special programs including military, federal, out of state or multistate claims and claims involving reduced hours, pensions, child support or shared work;
• Obtains and verifies data;
• Applies federal and/or state laws and guidelines to make monetary determinations and other disposition of claims;
• Reviews and processes special program claim appeals;
• Corresponds with employers, claimants and their representatives on variety of matters;
• Provides technical support to local offices in pertinent areas;
• Creates, updates and maintains case management files;
• Maintains records and prepares reports;
• May collect overpayments as assigned;
• Performs related duties as required.

Field Unit

• Serves as a front-line service provider for all services necessary for determination of monetary eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits;
• Reviews benefit application and secures additional data needed;
• Analyzes work history to determine appropriate benefit program;
• Assess need for non-monetary hearing based on reason for separation or any barriers to employability;
• Makes appropriate adjustments to system wage file or refers to a field auditor as needed;
• Processes adjustments to claims, investigates and resolves held claims and exceptions;
• Provides information, referral, assessment, eligibility determinations and certification for all job service and employment and training programs;
• Determines barriers to employment;
• Assesses needs and refers client to employment counseling, training, employment planning or other support services;
• Develops job opportunities for clients whose skills do not match current listings;
• Periodically assesses continuing eligibility;
• Assists in developing work search plan;
• Customizes and conducts job search and vocational exploration workshops;
• Works with employers to seek, place and follow up on workers with appropriate skills;
• Provides services, including outreach services, to specialized client groups as assigned;
• Provides and explains information on programs, procedures, policies, laws and regulations to clients, employers and others as appropriate;
• May assist in training new or lower-level staff;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • job service, unemployment insurance and employment and training laws, regulations, policies and procedures;
  • interviewing techniques and principles;
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
  • analytical skills;
• Ability to
  • make decisions;
  • establish cooperative relationships with staff, employers, diverse client population and the public;
  • use automated systems;
  • maintain good public relations;
  • understand, apply and explain relevant laws, regulations, policies, programs and procedures;
  • create and maintain case management records.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Five (5) years of technical level experience in counseling, employment placement, veterans employment and training support services, public contact work, human service programs, community action programs, job service, unemployment insurance or employment and training functions.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• For state employees two (2) years of experience as a Social Services Trainee with the target class of Labor Department Community Services Representative may be substituted for the General Experience.
• For state employees two (2) years of experience as an Employment Security Intermittent Interviewer may be substituted for the General Experience.
• Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience reviewing unemployment insurance claims.
• Experience working in a high-volume and high-production environment.
• Experience drafting emails and making phone calls in a work environment.
• Experience auditing in a workplace environment.
• Experience reviewing overpayments and repayments in ReEmployCT.
• Experience organizing and manipulating data in Microsoft Excel.

Special Requirements

• Incumbents in this class assigned to veterans program positions will be required to meet the qualifications set forth in Title 38, i.e. must be veterans, preferably disabled veterans, or other qualified, eligible persons. Any employee who bumps a Labor Department Community Service Representative in a veterans program position must meet the eligibility requirements under Title 38.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to speak a foreign language.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.