The State of Washington is committed to the well-being of children and families, and they are seeking a Public Benefits Specialist to provide eligibility determination for support services. This role involves conducting interviews, processing applications, and making independent decisions to support families in need of child care benefits.
Responsibilities
- Conduct intensive interviews with customers to determine eligibility for services, or continued eligibility for services when notifying the program of changes of circumstances for Child Care benefits
- Process Child Care applications received from the Washington Connection online applications, in the Document Management System (DMS), and through interactive interviews
- Analyze collected oral and written information to determine accurate benefits and continued program eligibility
- Finalize Child Care applications and reapplications with information received and verified for accurate determination of eligibility
- Refer clients to both mandatory and optional services, including to other agencies as required
- Take actions necessary to ensure that limited English proficient clients receive properly translated forms and translation services from state certified, contracted translators and interpreters
- Authorize Working Connections Child Care Subsidy payment to approved Licensed facility and Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) Subsidy Providers through the Social Services Payment System (SSPS)
- Compute and initiate overpayments and client notifications when necessary
- Issue reimbursements and benefits when appropriate to correct under issuances
- Assist Child Care Providers with subsidy payment information and other requirements to receive subsidy
Skills
- One (1) year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs
- A bachelor's degree AND experience examining/processing medical insurance or rehabilitation claims, unemployment insurance claims OR in a customer service job where the major duties involve public contact, OR a job providing staff support in financial eligibility determination will substitute, year for year, for education
- One (1) year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs and completing the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program
- Six (6) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1, and satisfactory completion of the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program
- Eighteen (18) months of experience determining eligibility for financial, medical, food, long-term services and support programs, childcare and equal access benefits
- Fifteen (15) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1 and satisfactory completion of the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program
- Nine (9) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2
- The ability to take action to learn and grow
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others
- Ability to read, write, and speak fluently in both English and Spanish for providing interpretation and translation to clients. Employee must be certified and proficient and be able to provide certification to perform duty. Certification must be obtained within six (6) months of the appointment
- Incumbent must successfully complete formal training courses as required by law, policy, and regional requirements within one (1) year of their appointment
- Demonstrated experience working in a high-volume customer service environment
- One (1) year of experience working in a call center environment
- Prior experience determining eligibility for public programs
Benefits
- Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance.
- Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses.
- Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
- Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
- Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
- The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.
- State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS).
- Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).
- All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems.
- If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
- Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.
- Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month.
- Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
- Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.
- Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave.
Company Overview
Washington state public employees help to create a working Washington built on education and innovation, where all Washingtonians thrive. It was founded in 1889, and is headquartered in Olympia, Washington, USA, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is http://access.wa.gov/.
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