Social Services Assistant - Benefits Division Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/charlottesville/jobs/newprint/4836390) Apply  Social Services Assistant - Benefits Division Salary $42,536.00 - $51,230.40 Annually Location Charlottesville (22902), VA Job Type Regular Full-Time Job Number 241000010-1 Department Social Services Department Opening Date 02/21/2025 Closing Date 2/28/2025 5:00 PM Eastern Bargaining Unit N/A + Description + Benefits + Questions General Summary The City of Charlottesville - Department of Social Services is seeking candidates to be considered for Social Services Assistant - Benefits Division w ho are highly motivated and who strive for success by demonstrating Charlottesville's Core Values of Commitment, Integrity, Respect, Innovation, and Collaboration. The preferred hiring amount is between $20.45 - $24.63 Hourly ( $42,536.00 - $51,230.40 Annually) . Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position. The position also provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, and continuing education/training opportunities. + For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits . + The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS; however, the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. If questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462. This position performs technical, administrative and customer service support functions related to the programs and services administered by the department. Performs support functions in the paperwork and process of determining eligibility and ongoing service delivery to individuals and families. Work is performed under the regular supervision of a Supervisor or Lead Worker. Position requires working knowledge of agency standards, policies and functions, but defers final decisions and resolution of difficult or complex problems to a Supervisor or Lead Worker. Does all related work as required. May be asked to work during emergency operations as outlined in the Social Services Department continuity of operations plan. Essential Responsibilities and Duties + Assists applicants, clients, and staff in completing forms and other documents primarily through in-person interviews. + Screens and reviews applications and other records. Verifies information through collateral contacts and available computer system searches. + Searches federal, state and local information systems. Uses information to set up client records and assign applications and records as appropriate. + Performs data entry. + Schedules appointments for applicants, ongoing clients, and others when needed. + Reviews case forms and other documents for accuracy, completeness, and conformance to policies and regulations. + Opens, and closes cases for a variety of eligibility and services programs; assigns cases to appropriate staff as applicable. + Provides basic, ongoing maintenance for cases for a variety of eligibility program. Provides information on policies, procedures, payments, services and application requirements to other employees, vendors, agencies, the courts, and the public. + Collects information and compiles data for preparation of special and periodic reports and/or assessments and reassessments. + Maintains filing systems and assists in purging of case files. + Provides administrative support such as preparing and distributing documents and files for Foster Care, Comprehensive Services Act (CSA), the Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW), and other programs. + Provides coverage for client entry, CSA, and other program support positions/duties. + May maintain information security, building maintenance, and vehicle maintenance reports. Vehicle Maintenance may include but are not limited to: checking mileage, following up on faulty equipment, and driving vehicle to and from the City Yard for repairs and maintenance. + Assists with fraud investigation activities as required. + Assists in the development of office procedures and operates a variety of office technology. Education, Experience and Skills Minimum Qualifications: + Minimally requires a high school diploma or GED. + Minimum of one (1) year of clerical or administrative support work experience is required. Preferred Qualifications: + An Associate's degree or certificate in human services is preferred. + Preference for one (1) year of work experience in a social services agency. Possession of a valid driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia is highly preferred. (To view our driving eligibility requirements, visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/faq.aspx?qid=166 .). Skills: Understanding of basic human needs and of individual differences, knowledge of interviewing techniques and skill in interviewing and eliciting needed information from clients; ability to comprehend, interpret, apply and communicate policies and regulations; ability to follow instructions; skill in scheduling and managing workload to meet deadlines; good knowledge of and proven skill in the use of a computer and the ability to learn and effectively use agency's systems and software; proven customer service skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with applicants and recipients, associates and the public; ability to work collaboratively in a team setting; ability to express self tactfully, clearly and positively; ability to plan and execute work effectively; good organizational skills; ability to multi-task while maintaining the integrity of time sensitive documents; ability to exercise good judgment, tact and resourcefulness in meeting problems and situations; ability to effectively apply acquired knowledge of human behavior and social functioning; ability to make mathematical computations; ability to gather facts and to report them accurately; ability to read, understand and interpret complex social services policies and regulations and the ability to communicate them to others. Physical Conditions & Additional Information A pre-hire background check will be conducted on all candidates who are selected for employment with the Department of Social Services. It will include a criminal record check and a child abuse/neglect registry search. Additionally, a driving record check and education verification may be conducted if applicable. Please note: The Charlottesville Department of Social Services is unable to hire any applicant, intern, or volunteer if the criminal record check reveals a conviction for, or arrest awaiting final disposition of a barrier crime as set forth in § 63.2-1719 of the Code of Virginia. Please click here for the list of barrier crimes: http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/63.2-1719/ Work is primarily performed in a standard office environment. Physical demands outside of a standard office environment include ability to lift up to 20 lbs. Frequent contact with the public requiring the ability to hear and communicate effectively with or without accommodation. The City of Charlottesville is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports workforce diversity at all levels of the organization. The City prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The City is dedicated to this with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment. Requests for reasonable accommodation by individuals with disabilities may be requested by contacting Human Resources at (434) 970-3490 or hr@charlottesville.gov. The City of Charlottesville conducts job related background checks, reference checks, and pre-employment drug tests, in accordance with federal, state, and local law, of applicants who reach the final stages of the employment selection process. The City’s policy has not changed because of the decriminalization of marijuana in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law, and it continues to be a violation of the US Department of Transportation regulations and the City’s policy prohibiting employees from testing positive for marijuana. SUMMARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Updated July 1, 2022 Benefits cited represent those for regular 40-hour employees and may differ for Management Level, Part-Time, and/or Library positions. Long-term temporary employees are eligible for all benefits except retirement. Interns, temporary, seasonal, substitute, and relief employees are not eligible for benefits. 1. LEAVE: + Vacation: + 3.09 hours accrued biweekly -- 0 - <3 years + 3.85 hours accrued biweekly -- 3 - <5 years + 4.62 hours accrued biweekly -- 5 - <10 years + 5.40 hours accrued biweekly -- 10 - <15 years + 6.16 hours accrued biweekly -- 15 - <20 years + 6.93 hours accrued biweekly -- 20 - <25 years + 7.70 hours accrued biweekly -- 25+ years + Sick: + 4.62 hours per biweekly pay period, approximately 120 hours a years, no limit on accumulation + Holidays: + 14 paid holidays per calendar year (13 observed and 1 floating) 2. INSURANCE: + Aetna Medical – + Choose from three options with different premiums and levels of coverage and coverage is effective on the first of the month following date of hire: + HMO: $0 premium for employee only coverage + POS 1: Employee-only premium of $36.28 per biweekly pay + POS 2: Employee-only premium of $13.02 per biweekly pay + (Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized.) + Prescription Card ($10 generic, $30 lower cost name brand, $55 higher cost name brand) + Mail Order Maintenance Prescription Drug Program ($20 generic, $60 lower cost name brand, $110 higher cost brand) + Dental (Delta Dental) + No cost for employee only coverage. Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized. + Diagnosis and Preventive -- 100% of allowable charge; Basic Dental Care - 80%; Major Dental Care - 50% + Primary -- $50 deductible, 80/20 + Prosthetic & Complex Restorative -- $50 deductible, 50/50 + $1,500 maximum annual benefit + $1,000 Orthodontic Benefit + MetLife Vision Plan: Optional + Employee only coverage: $2.50 bi-weekly; Dependent coverage also available at differing rates. + Eye health exam, dilatation, prescription and refraction of glasses covered after $10 co-pay; + $130 allowance for frames, after co-pay, plus additional discounts where accepted. + Life: + Two times annual salary (paid by the City) + Optional supplemental life available for employee, spouse, dependents (paid by employee) + AFLAC: Optional + Cancer/accident/short term disability/intensive care insurance (paid by employee) + Long Term Disability + Protection from income loss due to long-term illness or injury (paid by the City) 3. RETIREMENT: The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS. There are certain provisions that must be met and the portability request must be executed within 18 months of vesting in the City's Plan. + Pension: + Choose from two options: + A Defined Benefit Pension plan pays a monthly benefit in retirement using a defined formula based on the employee's earnings history, tenure of service, and age. Our plan has a 5 year vesting period and an employee contribution of 5% of salary. + A Defined Contribution 401a plan in which fixed contributions are paid into an individual's account by the employer, the contributions are invested, returns (positive or negative) are credited to the account, and the account balance is used to provide retirement benefits. The vesting schedule for our 401a plan is 33% after one year of service, 67% after two years of service, and 100% after three years of service. There is no required contribution from salary. (Note that: the Defined Contribution retirement plan is the only plan available for Library employees) + Supplemental: + Deferred Compensation (457) - employee contribution 4. OTHER BENEFITS: + Flexible Spending Accounts: + Health Care Expenses + Dependent Care Expenses + Parking/Mass Transit Expenses + Parking Subsidy of $50 per month + Wellness Programs: + Gym Reimbursement Program + Monthly On-Site Nurse and Annual Flu Shots + Health Screenings and Fairs, Education Sessions, & Weekly Fitness Classes + Weight Watchers at Work + Bike Commuter Program: + Reimbursement of up to $20 per month for reasonable bike commuting expenses + Employee Assistance Program: + A variety of confidential, personal professional services for you and your family available 24 hours a day. + Tuition Reimbursement Program: + Up to $1,500 for undergraduate OR Up to $3,000 for graduate level tuition per fiscal year per employee. 01 Do you have at least one (1) year of clerical and/or administrative support experience? + Yes + No 02 Please indicate your highest level of education: + Less than a High School Diploma + High School Diploma or GED equivalent + Certificate in human services field + Associate's Degree in a non-Human Services field + Associate's Degree in a Human Services field + Bachelor's Degree or higher in a non-Human Services field + Bachelor's Degree or higher in a Human Services field 03 How many years of work experience do you have in a human services or social services setting? + None + Less than one year + One to less than three years + Three years or greater 04 Please select those positions in which you have work experience. (check ALL that apply; must be verifiable with reference to your Work History or Additional Information section of your application) + Screener or similar position determining eligibility for public assistance programs + Social Worker + Clerical or administrative support position in a human services environment + Internship with a social services department's services division + Other internship in a social services or human services environment + Other clerical or administrative support position + Other related work experience + None of the above 05 Please explain your work and/or volunteer experience working with a socially and economically diverse population. If none, please write 'none.' 06 Please indicate the following Microsoft Office Suite applications you are proficient using. (Check all that apply) + Outlook (composing email messages; sending and receiving email messages; organizing email messages into folders; managing contacts; scheduling appointment and meetings; managing tasks) + Word (Knowledge of common functions such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; indenting paragraphs; using tabs and tables; inserting a hard page break; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphic; adding comments and tracking changes) + Excel (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbooks contents) + Power Point (Creating a template and working with a design template; working with graphics, animation and multimedia) + None of the above 07 Briefly describe your experience with data entry. If no experience, write 'none'. 08 Do you have experience using any of the following human service case management systems? (check all that apply) + Application Benefit Delivery Automation Project (ADAPT) + Document Management Imaging System (DMIS) + Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) + Online Automated Services Information System (OASIS) + System Partnering in a Demographic Repository (SPIDeR) + Umbrella + Virginia Case Management System (VaCMS) + Other + None of the above 09 If you selected "Other" please list the case management system(s). 10 To be considered, qualifying education and experience, including City of Charlottesville employment, must be clearly documented in the education, work history, and additional information sections of the employment application. Resumes can be attached but should not be used as a substitute for the required information on the application. I understand that an attached resume may not be accepted in place of a completed employment application and that my qualifications should be stated on the employment application itself. + Yes + No 11 I certify that the information above is true and correct, and I certify that it can be verified with reference to the information in my basic application. I understand that my application may be rejected if the responses to supplemental questions do not match my basic application. + Yes + No Required Question Employer City of Charlottesville Address P. O. Box 911 605 East Main Street Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902 Phone (434) 970-3490 Website http://www.charlottesville.gov/jobs