Paralegal Specialist

About the role

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis.

What you will do

• Compliance and Enforcement Activity Support and Administration Review, process and prepare documents covering diverse and complex legal issues or problems, such as carrying out case development and documentation activities as a case progresses through the office's review process.
• Support attorney staff during telephonic and video interviews of complainants, recipient staff or other witnesses, including through detailed note-taking and formal documentation of interview responses.
• Organize claims processing data into reports for review by OCR staff.
• Legal Evaluation and Recommendations Examine and evaluate incoming correspondence, complaints and other written reports to determine the legal issues involved.
• Review and analyze incoming correspondence and data from recipients of federal funding.
• Legal and Other Research Perform legal research and analysis of assigned areas, such as research into federal, state and local laws, regulations and cases relating to civil rights.
• Work with attorneys and senior staff to develop information necessary for the office's investigative work.
• Conduct funding research using internal and external databases to determine whether particular entities are receiving DOJ financial assistance.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

How you will be evaluated

Your qualifications will be reviewed against the requirements above, and you will be considered under every eligibility that applies to you. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You will not be considered for the position if you fail to complete the assessment.

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.

If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: *** For All U.S. Citizens applying under Delegated Examining: Your application will be evaluated and rated using Rule of Many procedures under 5 C.F.R. § 332.402 based on set number of candidates.

Preference eligibles will receive 5 or 10 points added to their score based on the adjudicated preference. All eligibles at or above the pre-determined top 15 candidates including any preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more, at any score, will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

All eligibles with a tied rating will be referred even if the results exceed the pre-established number or percentage. The selecting official will receive a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy.

If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the referral will be expanded in accordance with DOJ's guidance on supplemental certification. The selecting official will adhere to veterans' preference rules and Rule of Many procedures when making selections.

For Applicants applying under Internal, Merit Promotion, or Non-Competitive Hiring Procedures: Merit Promotion/Status Candidates: If you are basically qualified for this job, as described above, and are among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Non-Competitive Candidates: If you are basically qualified for this job, as described above, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

For Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicants: If you have CTAP/ICTAP eligibility and are found well-qualified for this vacancy, you will receive selection priority over other candidates.

To be found well-qualified, you must meet all qualification requirements, demonstrate the capacity, adaptability, and special skills needed to perform the position's duties, and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria.

Candidates will be assessed through a job analysis-based evaluation that allows for demonstration of required competencies and does not rely solely or principally on automated self-assessment.

Technical Qualifications: Applicants identified for interview, will be further evaluated on the following technical qualifications: Legal support/administrative matters Oral and Written Communication Plan/Organize Work Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials, application questionnaire, or during an interview may result in your removal from consideration.

Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Documents you must provide

• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Resume (Maximum 2 pages): Include for each job: Official position title Employer name and contact information Start and end dates (month and year) Full-time or part-time hours per week Duties performed and accomplishments See How do I write a resume for more information Current or Former Federal employee: Most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form (not award SF-50s) Must show: Full position title, series, grade and step, organization, duty location, effective date, service type, and tenure status Performance evaluation with final rating (or statement explaining why unavailable) List of awards from the last 5 years (e.g., superior performance, special act/achievement, quality step increases).
• Documentation will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration during selection.
• This applies to federal and non-federal work See Current & Former Employees for more information Veterans or Qualifying Family Members: Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): Preference eligible OR veterans with 3+ years active service DD-214 Member #4 Copy showing service dates, character of service, and discharge type; OR Certification letter from armed forces confirming expected honorable discharge/release within 120 days 30% or More Disabled Veteran: VA Letter with disability rating DD-214 Member #4 Copy SF-15 (10-point Veterans Preference form) 5 or 10-point Veterans Preference: DD-214 Member #4 Copy VA Letter (if applicable) SF-15 See FedsHireVets or USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans for more information Military Spouse Appointing Authority: If spouse is on active duty: Spouse's active-duty documentation Marriage certification If spouse has 100% disability: Documentation showing 100% disability rating Marriage certification If spouse was killed on active duty: Documentation of death while on active duty Marriage certificate Statement certifying unremarried status See Military spouses for more information Schedule A (Individuals with disabilities): Official letter on letterhead from a doctor or licensed medical professional; Licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, OR; Federal, state, or local disability benefits agency Letter must state you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability.
• See OPM's Schedule A for more information CTAP/ICTAP (Career Transition Programs): Separation notice, agency RIF letter, OR letter of intent to separate Most recent performance appraisal SF-50 showing current/former position details See Career Transition Programs for more information Land and Base Management: Most recent SF-50 equivalent agency form See Base facilities or land management agency for more information Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA: Certification of service documents See Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA for more information

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 by DOJ.

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. 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

OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules. 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 Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether continued employment advances the public interest.

We may consider: 1) performance and conduct; 2) agency needs and interests; 3) advancement of agency/Government organizational goals; and 4) Federal service efficiency. Upon completion, employment terminates unless you receive written certification 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: *** DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly.

Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: *** 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 ***.

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. Your complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement.