Equal Employment Specialist

About the role

As an Equal Employment Specialist, you will provide expert advice on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints, including reviewing complaints and developing agency decisions. Location of position: General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Civil Rights (OCR). This position will be filled in Philadelphia, PA.

We are currently filling one vacancy, but additional vacancies may be filled as needed.

What you will do

• Serves as an expert advisor on the adjudication of discrimination complaints; provides expert advice and consultation to agency management, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officials, agency attorneys, complainants, and other interested parties regarding the resolution of complaints; and writes final agency decisions and orders that set forth the facts of the matter and interpret and apply applicable laws, regulations, and legal precedent.
• Reviews and evaluates case records to extract facts, determine the circumstances surrounding complaints, and determine the adequacy of evidence; initiates further investigations, as necessary, to clarify or establish facts and issues; and applies legal principles, analytical methods, and case law research to determine whether discrimination occurred and develop appropriate findings and recommendations.
• Reviews class action discrimination complaints and analyzes issues involving class certification and acceptance; prepares correspondence and supporting documentation for review by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); reviews EEOC decisions and determines whether to implement or appeal certification or non-certification determinations; and reviews external civil rights complaints alleging discrimination or retaliation by Federal financial assistance recipients.
• Provides expert advice in responding to communications from attorneys and complainants involving legal proceedings against the agency in EEO matters; furnishes and exchanges factual and procedural information pertinent to these actions; writes decisions on attorney fee requests and other legal documents, including breach of settlement agreement decisions and decisions to disqualify representatives; and provides expert assistance to other team members to achieve technically sound and legally sufficient final decisions.
• Recommends appropriate corrective actions based on findings on individual and class complaints, including promotion, back pay, compensatory damages, or changes in organizational policies, procedures, or practices; monitors compliance with findings of discrimination and settlement agreements; reviews and tracks settlement agreements to ensure that settlement terms are timely met; analyzes breach of settlement agreement claims; and prepares final actions and related reports.

Requirements

• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees.
• If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non­Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office.
• Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
• Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
• Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
• Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.
• We will use the Department of Homeland Security's e-Verify system for this.
• Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.

How you will be evaluated

A panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review the application of qualified candidates and assign a score for each of the five required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) based on the experience documented in the resume and narrative responses.

Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and methods of Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to determine final agency decisions and final actions for EEO complaints and breach of settlement determinations. Skill in conducting extensive case law research and applying case law to the facts and issues involved in EEO matters.

Knowledge of Federal civil rights laws and regulations, including Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1991, as amended; the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008.

Skill in consulting and negotiating on broad, complex, and sensitive equal employment opportunity issues. Skill in interpreting, explaining, and applying a body of law, regulations, and procedures and applying advanced fact-finding, analytical, and problem-solving methods. Demonstration of these KSAs must be supported by your application.

Applicants should also make note of each KSA, as you will be asked to address them later in the application process. Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or GSA's Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), your resume must clearly demonstrate experience in at least 3 of the 5 required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) to receive priority consideration. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date.
• Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.
• Resume: Must not exceed two pages.
• Refer to the Qualifications section for resume requirements.
• If you are a 30% or more disabled veteran, VEOA or VRA applicant or qualified spouse, widow/widower, or parent: (a) Copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 that shows your type of discharge and the dates of your active duty service.
• (b) If you are a disabled veteran, or are applying under VRA or VEOA as a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran, submit both of the following in addition to the DD-214: (1) completed SF-15 form; and (2) proof of your entitlement (refer to SF-15 for complete list).
• If you are active duty military- Certification on a letterhead from your military branch that includes your rank, character of service (must be under honorable conditions) & military service dates including discharge/release date (must be no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted).
• Current or former Land Management Agency Employee - Submit a and b: (a) one or more SF-50s, including your most recent one that shows you were on a competitive time-limited appointment(s) with a Land Management Agency and served on the appointment for a period(s) totaling more than 24 months without a break of 2 or more years.
• (b) Copy of your agency's annual performance appraisal(s) or written reference(s) from a supervisor at the agency verifying satisfactory performance during your appointment(s).
• ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.
• Current or former political appointee: Submit your SF-50.

Benefits

You will have access to many benefits including: Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans) Life insurance coverage with several options Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan) Transit and child care subsidies Flexible spending accounts Long-term care insurance Training and development

What to expect next

After the closing date/deadline: ELIGIBILITY/QUALIFICATIONS: Your application will be reviewed for all requirements. REFERRAL TO MANAGEMENT: If you meet all the requirements, you may be referred to management for review and a possible interview.

SELECTION/TENTATIVE JOB OFFER: If you are selected, you will receive a tentative offer and start the suitability and/or security background investigation process. FINAL JOB OFFER: Once our security office determines you can come on board, you will be given a final offer, which is typically 40 days after the announcement closes.

FINAL COMMUNICATION: Once the position is filled, we will notify you of your status. You may also check your application status by logging into USAJOBS and clicking “Track this Application” on the Applicant Dashboard. Thank you for your interest in working for the U.S General Services Administration!

Additional information

Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Applicants are encouraged to make their resume searchable in their USAJOBS.gov profile. This will allow Federal hiring specialists and hiring managers across agencies to find their resume as part of agency recruitment campaigns or staffing searches.

If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or visit GSA's webpage. Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.

On a case-by-case basis, the following incentives may be approved: · Credit toward vacation leave if you are new to the federal government Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.