ELIGIBILITY SPECIALIST I

Eligibility Specialist I - Call Center And Switchboard

Applicants are encouraged to apply early. The application review process will take place immediately and continue until the positions are filled. This recruitment may close any time after the first review or when a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Hiring range for this position is $39,000.00- $46,633.60. Initial placement for new employees is customarily at entry level through 35% percentile. Pay grade for this position is 13.

The Eligibility Specialist I - Call Center and Switchboard position is essential to ensuring timely, accurate service delivery for Cabarrus County residents. This role is responsible for managing high-volume application assignments, fax processing, case transfers, and inbound customer calls while providing exceptional customer service. The position also serves as a key point of contact for residents by supporting front desk operations at Milestone, representing the agency at outreach events, and contributing to strategic planning initiatives that enhance community engagement and operational effectiveness.

General definition of work: Performs basic to intermediate paraprofessional work involving the determination or redetermination of the eligibility of applicants or recipients requesting financial, medical, or food assistance through the Department of Social Services. Work is circumscribed by a variety of federal, state and county court decisions, laws, policies, regulations, and procedures. Work is reviewed through case review, observation, and periodic conferences. Work is performed under regular supervision.

Examples Of Duties

Essential functions:

• Interviewing, gathering information, taking, and processing applications, reapplications, applications for re-certification and process changes for Food and Nutrition, Medicaid, and Work First Family Assistance (WFFA) and Energy programs.
• Computing initial budgets and revising budgets as changes occur in the household or in income.
• Entering and maintaining case data in the appropriate county and state systems.
• Gathering information at the front desk to route clients and scans documents.
• Processing and scanning incoming agency mail.
• Answering agency switchboard and routing calls.
• Answering incoming calls to call center.
• Maintaining records, files, and confidentiality.

Typical tasks:

• Processes mail-in applications received for eligibility programs.
• Receives incoming calls for all eligibility programs regarding new or established cases.
• Gathers information from client regarding change-in-situation actions reported by phone for active cases, requests required information, determines continued eligibility, and enters data into appropriate systems.
• Forwards more complex change-in-situation actions with required information to Eligibility Specialist II for determination and processing.
• Gathers and reviews household income, financial resources, and residency data, computes budget.
• Reviews declaration forms and other application forms; verifies this information through telephone calls and correspondence with local government representatives, employers, attorneys, neighbors, and other similar contacts.
• Explains program requirements and options and advises or refers client to other programs or services as appropriate.
• Informs client of rights and obligations as prescribed by program policies.
• Responds to inquiries from clients and citizens regarding benefits, application process, and/or program eligibility; provides information and assistance.
• Compute and authorize amounts of assistance for programs.
• Operates computer terminal entering and retrieving data from the appropriate state and county systems.
• Documents electronic case record.
• Produces monthly financial reports; searches documents for posting errors.
• Operates computer, scanner, calculator, and other standard office equipment incident to maintaining records.
• Provide social workers with pertinent information gathered during applicant interviews and the process of case maintenance.
• Assists with compiling intake and review packets and on-line verifications.
• Participates in ongoing training as required.
• Participates in teams, task forces, committees, job fairs, off-site applications and outreach activities as assigned.
• Performs related tasks as required to potentially include but not limited to emergency shelter operations.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities: General knowledge of the program/areas of assignment. Knowledge of and ability to read, analyze, interpret, and apply federal, state, and County program rules, regulations, and procedures. General knowledge of agency and community programs and services. Working knowledge of standard office procedures, practices and equipment. Skill to use a variety of office machines, computers, applicable software and typing. Ability to understand and follow oral and written directions; to establish and follow detailed work procedures; to perform caseworker functions within structured time frames; to prioritize work; to perform mathematical reasoning and computations with speed and accuracy; to prepare and maintain accurate records and reports; to communicate effectively orally and in writing with persons of varied social, economic, cultural and educational backgrounds; to maintain composure, keeping emotions in check, even in difficult situations; to attend work regularly; and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and the general public.

Minimum Education / Experience Requirements

Education and experience: Graduation from an accredited associate degree program in Human Services Technology, Social Services, Paralegal Technology, Business Administration, Secretarial Science, Accounting, or a closely related curriculum; or Graduation from high school and one year of paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering, and compiling of data, analysis of data and/or performance of mathematical or legal tasks; or an equivalent combination of training and experience; or An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. One year of experience may be substituted for the NC FAST Human Services Certification. Candidates must have completed Phases I and II of the NC FAST Human Services Certification program and be able to provide supporting documentation upon request. Some county job postings indicate that you can qualify with an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If this language is included in the job description, it means you may qualify through either education, your years of directly related experience, or a combination of both. If you have indicated that you have earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from a technical school, college, or university, please note that Cabarrus County will verify your educational credentials. Official transcripts must clearly show the specific credential awarded to ensure accurate validation. Special requirements: Position may occasionally require working before/after normal business hours to meet the needs of families/clients. Must perform one or two functions (interview, determination, and review) for one- or two-income maintenance programs (Food and Nutrition, WFFA, Family and Children's Medicaid, Adult Medicaid). Physical requirements: This is sedentary work requiring the exertion of up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects; work requires stooping, reaching, fingering, grasping, and repetitive motions; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operation of machines, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to contact with irate clients; the worker is not subject to adverse environmental conditions.

Supplemental Information

Cabarrus County selects applicants for employment based on job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation or political influence. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application. Applicants who obtained their education outside of the United States and its territories are expected to assume responsibility for having their academic degrees validated as equivalent to a degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Please be sure to complete the application in full. Resumes may be uploaded with your application but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted. If multiple applications are submitted to an individual position, only the most recent application received prior to the posting closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Processing applications will take an average of 6 – 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the most qualified applicants. For technical issues with your applications, please call the NEOGOV Help Line at View phone number on click.appcast.io