FHR AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE

Fair Hearing Administration oversees DSS’s fair hearing process, an administrative law procedure designed to resolve disputes concerning benefits, services, and actions in a variety of programs administered by DSS.

Under general supervision, with latitude for independent judgment and initiative, the Agency Representative reviews documents for Fair Hearing Evidence Packets in defense of the Agency’s position and represents the Family Independence Administration (FIA) at New York State Fair Hearings in an effort to defend and resolve disputes on Cash Assistance (CA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Investigation Revenue and Enforcement Administration (IREA), and Medicaid (MA) case actions, in order to assist in moving participants toward economic independence.

The Office of Fair Hearing Administration is recruiting for four Associate Job Opportunity Specialist level II who will :

Represent the Agency, present evidence manually or electronically, cross examine Appellants and provide the State Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with a complete and relevant evidence packet and supporting documents to justify the challenged case action.

Represent the agency at New York State Administrative Resolution / Settlement Hearings resulting from Same Day Resolution Conferences (SDRC) process.

Ensure that requests for resolutions are forwarded to FIA Operations, The Fair Hearing Tracking Monitoring and Review Unit (FHTMRU) or the Office of Central Processing (OCP) as required.

Review Fair Hearing decision and recommend actions to challenge decision when appropriate.

Update Fair Hearing checklists as determined by feedback from the Fair Hearing Officer via dispositions and outcome. Engage in post Fair Hearing activities, including preparation of reports and request for case actions based on evidence presented or agreements made in hearing rooms and transmitting information back to the sites for follow-up actions to be initiated.

Provide additional information or clarification to ensure that packets are adequate to present at Fair Hearing, providing feedback whenever additional documents are required for case presentation.

Inform Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Clerk and the (SDRC) staff of the resolution / settlement hearing outcome.

Review Fair Hearing Evidence Packet prepared by Same Day Conference AJOS I’s to assess the appropriateness of resolution actions and to ensure all pertinent documents / evidence are included.

Provide guidance to SDRC AJOS I’s when needed. Approve SDRC evidence packets. Work closely with SDRC staff to ensure that cases are conferenced and ready to be presented at a Settlement Hearing.

Ensure that resolutions are processed expeditiously. Conduct conferences for cases that are on the SDRC list.

Ensure that Fair Hearing staff members are trained in the performance of work activities, by holding individual and unit meeting to improve staff areas of competence;

provide Performance Evaluations, timely; develop strategies and defenses to assist in increasing the Agency’s Fair Hearing win rate and to support fair hearing avoidance.

Ensure that Fair Hearing staff members are trained in the performance of work activities, by holding individual and unit meeting to improve staff areas of competence;

provide Performance Evaluations, timely; develop strategies and defense to assist in increasing the Agency’s Fair Hearing win rate and to support fair hearing avoidance.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social / human services or a related setting, providing either

a. client services; or

b. employment planning or counseling services which involve job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming; or

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college plus eighteen months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Job Opportunity Specialist / Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or

3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus, eighteen months of full-time satisfactory experience as described in one above; or

4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described above.

However, all candidates must have 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Job Opportunity Specialist / Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing social / human services work as described in one above.

Preferred Skills

Proficient in POS, WMS, NYCWAY. -Knowledge of Eligibility policies & Procedures. -Strong customer service skills.

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 class "jobad-residencyRequirement">

Residency RequirementNew York City Residency is not required for this position