HR Specialist (Employee Relations) - Reasonable Accommodation

Full Job Description

Serves as the RA subject matter expert to advise employees, applicants for employment, supervisors, and management regarding laws, regulations, and procedures for allowing employees with physical or mental impairments that limit major life activities to participate in the application process, perform essential job functions, enjoy the benefits, and privileges of employment.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.

For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

The BASIC REQUIREMENT for the HR Specialist GS-0201 series is presumed met if found qualified at the GS-0201-7 level and above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas.

Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.

Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

~OR~ Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate level education or Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.). The S.A.A.

provision is an educational achievement based on class standing, grade-point average or honor society membership.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a bachelors degree) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas.

Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.

Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B.

or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas.

Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.

Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet one of the following listed Criteria: Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level.

Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.

Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

~OR~ Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas.

Such experience may be gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector.

Qualifying specialized experience includes: Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, case law, principles and practices related to employee conduct, performance and dispute resolution and other areas such as reasonable accommodation.

Qualifying education for the GS-0201 series includes courses and programs in HR, HR development, HR management, business, business management/administration, industrial relations, labor relations, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, organizational development, management, organizational behavior, pre-law/law, legal studies, health care management/administration, public administration, public policy, human services, leadership and/or humanities.

Major Duties:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: HR Specialist Total Rewards Network Reasonable Accommodation Program 100% Serves as the RA subject matter expert (SME) to advise employees, applicants for employment, supervisors, and members of management regarding laws, regulations and procedures for allowing employees with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities to fully participate in the application process, perform essential job functions and enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.

Researches best practices in RA in federal government and stays abreast of changes, modifications, and revisions to laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

Processes requests for accommodation to ensure that time frames are met, and procedures followed.

Provides employees or applicants for employment with RA packages and advises them on the appropriate procedures for completing the package.

Coordinates with other areas of Human Resources, including Retirement and Workers Compensation.

Assists managers in determining the essential duties of a position and identifies barriers and possible modifications that would allow people with disabilities to perform said duties.

Tracks and reports all requests for accommodation packages and the disposition of those requests by assisting management in completing required forms and checklists.

In consultation with Office of General Counsel (OGC) and Occupational Health, assesses potential accommodations and the effect each would have in allowing the employee to perform the essential functions of the job.

Coordinates with EEO offices, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Information Technology, VA designated physicians, Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, or other resources to identify alternative effective accommodation options.

Creates and maintains a system of records separate from the employee's personnel file for all requests for accommodation.

Ensures that information in the files is kept confidential and revealed to others only on a need-to-know basis.

Coordinates with appropriate staff or Agency Officials to provide adjustment to job duties or the work environment that assists an individual with a qualified disability to perform the essential functions of his/her position.

Assists in securing funding for RA, to include accommodations that may be reimbursed through the Centralized Reasonable Accommodation Fund.

Provides written notice to the employee/applicant, immediate supervisor, and Service Chief regarding all requests for accommodation.

Creates and routes official forms documenting the decisions on requests for accommodation to the appropriate designated management official.

Provides statistical reports with respect to processing requests for RA. Monitors, analyzes, and regularly reports qualitative and quantitative RA data.

Submits annual reports, as prescribed in the VA Handbook 5975.1.

Engages in an interactive process with the employee, or applicant for employment, and his/her representative regarding the nature of the disability and the types of accommodation available to perform the essential functions of the position.

Consults with the individual to determine how the disability limits the job functions and whether such limitations can be overcome by accommodation.

Once a complete RA package has been received, determines whether an individual is qualified under applicable disability law for purposes of considering accommodation in employment.

Initiates and then facilitates an interactive process between the employee/applicant and the supervisor to identify possible RA that will allow the individual to perform the essential job functions of the position.

If an accommodation request is declined, works closely with General Counsel and provides employee with appropriate guidance and timelines on filing appeals. Other duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm Remote: This is a remote position.

*Employee will remain working from their current duty location during the temporary promotion.* Position Description/PD#: 99661S,99662S,99663S,99975S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion is required.

The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing.