Benefits Advisor

**Duties**:
**Major duties include but are not limited to**:

- Provide information, guidance, and assistance to plan administrators, plan service providers, participants, beneficiaries, the public and other government agencies concerning provisions of ERISA and other related statutes, regulations, and Department published guidance; with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Assist participants and beneficiaries in obtaining benefits to which they are entitled but which they have not been able to secure from plan officials.
- Develop complex recoveries and referrals per EBSA's standard operating procedures.
- Explain the law, regulations or other guidance and work with employers to informally resolve benefit issues; with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Conduct research, fact-finding, analyze data, and prepare and present information about situations.
- Identify and develop responses to inquiries.
- Review eligibility or entitlement to benefits with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Identify potential criminal or civil disputes that require formal investigation, or situations where it appears that a fiduciary violation of law has occurred and develop investigative referrals; with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Educate individuals on their rights and responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and other related laws enforced by EBSA.
- Assist with planning and conducting outreach events; disseminate information related to ERISA employee benefits plan protections and retirement savings education; with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Gather information so that agencies can determine how well programs and activities are meeting established needs and goals.
- Maintain agency databases and systems with information that is used to generate reports supporting both policy and budget decisions; with supervisory/senior advisor assistance.
- Performs other duties as assigned.

**Benefits Advisor (Bilingual) **regularly use Spanish language translation skills in performing duties listed above and on an as needed basis to assist other office staff; receives assignments involving people who may communicate in native Spanish language and unable to communicate effectively using English language.

**Requirements**:
**Conditions of Employment**:

- Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
- Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
- For bilingual position, must be able to speak/read/write English and Spanish language.

**Qualifications**:
To be eligible for appointment under the College Graduate authority, **applicants must meet requirement A or B.**

**A.** Applicants who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years or within 60 days of the vacancy closing date (06/13/2024).

**OR**

**B.** Veterans who have completed a bachelor's or graduate degree from a qualifying educational institution and have an intervening period of obligated service of at least four years in the uniformed services. The two-year eligibility period begins on the date of discharge or release from the uniformed service.

**In addition to meeting the eligibility listed above, you must also meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.**

For the bilingual vacancies, applicants will be required to self-certify proficiency in Spanish by responding to a Spanish language question which will be used to determine initial language proficiency and also meet the specialized experience or education listed below. Applicants who are otherwise qualified and referred must satisfactorily complete an interview to demonstrate their Spanish language proficiency in order to be considered for appointment to Bilingual Benefits Advisor (College Graduate).

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service (GS-7) or meet the education requirement or have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7).

Qualifying specialized experience for GS-09 includes:

- Experience working in a customer service environment providing technical information, guidance, and assistance that demonstrates both written and oral communication skills.
- Experience that demonstrates the ability to provide educational information and outreach activities.
- Experience that provided knowledge of laws, policies, regulations, and precedents.
- Experience in fact-finding research, analyzing data, reviewing requirements, and providing determinations based on the info