Paralegal Specialist

Summary

The position is located in the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, Regional Operations. The office is responsible for adjudicating appeals filed by Federal employees. The selectee for this position serves as a Paralegal Specialist responsible for assisting in the processing and adjudication of those appeals, as well as providing administrative support to the office.

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Duties

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• The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• The work requires discretion and independent judgment in the application of a specialized body of laws, regulations, agency policies and practices, and judicial/administrative proceedings.
• Ensures accuracy of the electronic case file, researching legal issues, assisting at teleconferences and hearings, and drafting orders.
• Initiates inquiries regarding case processing and responds to appeal inquiries on behalf of the Administrative Judges (AJs) of the office.
• Drafts initial decisions, involving dismissals because of lack of jurisdiction and/or untimely filing, settlements, and other similar appeals.
• Analyzes dockets, performs research using electronic systems to identify legal and procedural issues affecting appeals.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• As a condition of employment, satisfactory completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check may be required for this position.
• Successful completion of a one-year probationary or trial period (if new hire to the Federal service).
• Direct Deposit : Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.

FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing paralegal or legal work which include performing the following types of duties:

• Drafting a variety of legal documents and correspondence.
• Reviewing legal documents to extract information related to specific issues.
• Verifying citations and statutory references contained in legal documents.
• Utilizing various computerized database programs to organize extensive documents.

OR EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION FOR THE GS-07: Applicants may qualify based upon the completion of 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement leading to such a degree in a closely related field as Paralegal Studies or Legal Studies.

OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND must meet certain GPA requirements.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

• You are qualifying for the position based on education.
• You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
• You are qualifying for this position based on Superior Academic Achievement.
• This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-7 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Promotion Potential : If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Education

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority.
• This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion Announcement Number MP-13050385-26-BRH. Current or former Federal employees or other eligible applicants may apply to both announcements to expand all possibilities of consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. See the above announcement for more information.
• Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
• Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.
• Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: View phone number on click.appcast.io.
• MSPB IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER and employment decisions are based on merit factors only. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in an employment decision by this agency, you have the right to seek counseling to resolve your complaint. You must do so within 45 days of the alleged discrimination action. If you desire to seek counseling, call the MSPB Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at View phone number on click.appcast.io.
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
• Worksite Information: This position may be eligible to telework as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Additional information regarding ad hoc, occasional, or reoccurring telework may be obtained at a later time from the hiring manager or program during the hiring process.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.