Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR)

About the role

This position serves as a Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR) providing guidance to management officials regarding employee conduct, disciplinary and adverse actions, attendance issues, alternatives to formal discipline, probationary and trial periods, and performance-based actions.

This position may also provide guidance regarding applicable matters related to Federal Labor Relations programs.

What you will do

• Serves as an Employee Relations (ER) and Labor Relations Specialist (LR) on programs including policy guidance and advice to senior leadership, program managers, other management officials and supervisors.
• Responsible for implementing labor relations programs, providing policy guidance and advice to leadership, program managers, other management officials, and supervisors.
• Provides advice and assistance to supervisors, employees, and HR in a wide variety of employee relations matters such as performance issues, conduct actions (disciplinary and adverse actions), grievances, appeals, etc. Advise and assist supervisors in establishing and maintaining employer-employee relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, morale, and discipline.
• Writes disciplinary and adverse notices and non-disciplinary notices that are technically sound, based on merit, and complies with law, regulation, and applicable procedures.
• GS-201-13: Advises management regarding, and prepares draft, performance-based actions and adverse or disciplinary actions that are technically sound, based on merit, and comply with law, regulation, and applicable collective bargaining agreement.
• Recommends procedures pertaining to reasonable standards of conduct for employees and equitable disciplinary measures for infractions of the employment relationship.
• Evaluates trends to formulate and issue guidance to universally impose like penalties for like offenses of misconduct.
• Maintains and analyzes statistics on disciplinary actions.
• Reviews regulations and administrative instructions pertaining to all phases of grievances, appeals, and disciplinary and adverse personnel actions.
• Formulates and prepares responses to inquiries from unions, members of Congress, OPM, agency officials, employees, and other interested parties.
• Provides advice, counseling, and technical and policy guidance to employees concerning their responsibilities and rights, the procedures and timeframes under various avenues of dispute resolution, including administrative and negotiated grievance procedures, appeals to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) or the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJOIG).
• May serve in the role of agency representative, as a technical advisor, or as an expert witness in third-party hearings when required.
• Provides advice to employees, supervisors, and managers on the policies and requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Program, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and leave administration.
• Develops and conducts training on discipline, to include employee rights, management rights, employee representative rights, and consideration of substance abuse and dependency.

Education

For the GS-12/13 grade level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

How you will be evaluated

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy.

Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Customer Service Employee Relations Interpersonal Skills Personnel & Human Resource Management Problem Solving Oral Communication Written Communication In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. "The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment." BASIS OF FINAL RATING: DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures will be used to evaluate candidates. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: ***

Documents you must provide

• It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.
• Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history: Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (including month and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
• If you are a current or former Federal employee: You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form.
• Do not submit an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment.
• Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.
• Submit a copy of your most recent performance evaluation or appraisal, signed, showing your final rating.
• If a performance appraisal is not available submit a statement explaining why one is not available.
• Note: See USAJOBS Current & Former Employees for more information.
• Due Weight for Performance: You must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal, and A list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years.
• Due weight for performance applies to federal and non-federal work.
• If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available.
• If you are a Veteran or a qualifying parent or spouse: When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
• If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
• If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders.
• See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
• For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, see FedsHireVets.
• If you are applying for consideration under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority: Spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty: documentation showing 1) your spouse's active-duty status and 2) your marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage certificate or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
• Spouse of service members who incurred a 100% disability because of the service member's active-duty service: documentation showing 1) the member of the armed forces retired, or was released or discharged from active duty, with a disability rating of 100 percent; and 2) documentation of marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
• Spouse of service members killed while on active duty: documentation showing a) the member was released or discharged from active duty due to his or her death while on active duty; b) the member of the armed forces was killed while serving on active duty; c) proof of the widow or widower's marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage); and d) a statement certifying that the individual seeking to use the authority is the un-remarried widow or widower of the service member.
• If you are a person with a disability, claiming eligibility under Schedule A: You must submit "proof of a disability" documentation ("Proof of a disability" is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability or psychiatric disability).
• You must get this letter from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any Federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
• For more information, please see OPM's Schedule A site.
• If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP: Submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location OR Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated.

However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. Click here to learn more about checking your application status, or see what each application status means.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement within 90 days.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement. 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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service.

To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

More information can be found here: *** Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: ***

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment.

If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.