Employee Benefits Law Specialist

Full Job Description

EBSA plays a vital role in protecting the retirement, health, and other job-based benefits of America's workers, retirees, and their families.

We issue effective regulations, offer comprehensive education and assistance to workers, plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers, and rigorously enforce the law.

We serve workers, families, and the broader employee benefits community by protecting the security and integrity of the nation's benefit systems.

Education - Undergraduate AND Graduate Education: Major study in one or a combination of the following fields - finance, banking, business administration, economics, mathematics, accounting or auditing, pension plan administration, law, industrial relations, public administration, or other related fields.

OR Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible experience that demonstrated the ability to perform work in the field of pension and welfare plans.

Such experience may have been gained in (1) management, administration, development, analysis, audit, financial management, or the termination of such plans or their funds; or (2) in closely related work such as taxation, securities, and investments.

Specialized experience may have been gained in government, a welfare and pension plan administration or consulting firm, law firm, actuarial or accounting firm, labor union, welfare and pension association or research service, banking trust department, or investment firm.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Analysis and application of fiduciary, reporting and disclosure, bonding, funding, vesting, administration, and termination provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and related laws, regulations, court decisions, and precedent rulings.

Development of proposals for new or revised pension or welfare plans, petitions for exemptions, or requests for rulings under governing law.

Legal work, a substantial portion of which required interpretation of Federal laws and legal requirements concerning welfare and pension plans, or in such related fields as taxation, securities, real estate, corporations, trusts, bankruptcy, and investments.

Auditing or accounting work that involved determining compliance with Federal and State laws governing welfare and pension plans, securities, banking, insurance, or corporations.

Analysis of Federal laws or regulations, development of policy, and drafting of proposed changes in an employee welfare and benefit plan or a related function.

For the GS-09 grade level: In addition to meeting the requirements above, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in Federal service.

You must meet 2 out of the 3 examples of specialized experience listed here: Experience assisting in explaining legal and regulatory requirements related to employee welfare or benefit plans or policy positions on employee benefits issues to stakeholders during meetings and consultations.

Experience in performing research and conducting analytical reviews of ERISA or related laws to support regulatory and interpretive work.

Experience drafting interpretations, summaries, and other technical legal materials that apply statutory and regulatory provisions related to employee welfare or benefit plans for supervisory review.

OR Posses a master's or equivalent graduate degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR Completed at least two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR Possess an LL.B. or J.D. in one or a combination of the following fields: a field such as finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR A combination of education and specialized experience to meet the requirements of this position.

For the GS-11 grade level: In addition to meeting the requirements above, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in Federal service.

You must meet 2 out of the 3 examples of specialized experience listed here: Experience explaining detailed regulatory requirements and policy rationales related to employee welfare or benefit plans to stakeholders during meetings and consultations.

Experience conducting substantive research, analytical reviews, and application of ERISA, FERSA, and related laws to support regulatory and interpretive responsibilities.

Experience drafting technical interpretations, regulatory summaries, and explanatory materials that apply statutory and regulatory provisions related to employee welfare or benefit plans, subject to supervisory review for consistency and policy alignment.

OR Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR Completed at least three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR Possess an LL.M in one or a combination of the following fields: a field such as finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR Combination of education and specialized experience to meet the requirements of this position. Major Duties:

Office of Regulation and Interpretations (ORI) develops and issues regulations, opinions, rulings, forms, outreach materials, technical assistance, and other guidance to facilitate compliance with and enforcement of the coverage, fiduciary, reporting, disclosure, claims procedure, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), qualified domestic relations order, qualified medical child support order, and other provisions of Title I of ERISA, the Code, and FERSA administered by the Department of Labor.

Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Provides oral and written technical advice and guidance to other EBSA personnel regarding interpretation and application of ERISA provisions, and related legislation.

Provides oral technical advice to the public regarding interpretation and application of ERISA.

Presents technical issues and accompanying recommendations in order to develop and write organized, concise, and effective opinions, and technical guidance.

Provides technical advice and guidance to other EBSA personnel regarding interpretation and application of ERISA provisions and related legislation.

Maintains liaison with officials of other Federal agencies to work on joint projects, secure and furnish technical advice or assistance, provide interpretive guidance regarding ERISA, and discuss and resolve problems of mutual concern.

Develops interpretations and policy positions consistent with law, legislative history, established precedents, and EBSA/DOL policy.

Knowledge and application of the laws, regulations, court proceedings, precedents, interpretations, and exemptions governing the employee benefit plan community.

Develops technical presentations regarding ERISA to train other EBSA personnel.

Reviews complex group health plan, pension plan, or other welfare plan materials and guidance requests and develops recommendations for disposition for consideration by the Director and other senior Agency officials.