Staff Assistant
What you'd do
The Staff Assistant position supports Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Staff assigned to supervise and assist participants of Chapter 31, Title 38, U. S. Code. Assistance is required in all phases of the VR&E program. Independent decisions to determine appropriate course of actions within the provisions of the VR&E program are required.
Major duties
The Staff Assistant processes VA Form 1900 Applications for VR&E Services for Disabled Veterans. Incumbent adjudicates General Eligibility Determinations (GED's) for all Chapter 31 and other applicants. This would include denial of applications -processes required notification, appeal rights and CWINRS Auto GED processes. Incumbent must exercise judgment and be capable of working independently without supervision. Incumbent must have extensive knowledge of the adjudication processes characteristic of the VR&E program. Responds to telephone inquiries from claimants, their representatives, VR&E staff and other VA personnel and resolves issues which may include but not limited to the following: Status of counseling, case status in CWINRS, Chapter 31 awards, entitlement calculations, tuition, fees, books, supplies and subsistence inquiries. Receives veterans and other visitors to regional office and out-based sites making inquiries regarding VR&E issues. Screens issues presented by the veterans or other visitors, and in the absence of a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC), and within the scope of assigned responsibilities, serves as VA representative to resolve issues presented by veterans. Assists VRCs with Chapter 31 enrollments by preparing certification lists for training facilities and preparing 28-1905 authorizing enrollments. Assists VRCs to maintain satisfactory supervisory schedules by maintaining calendar of requires supervision visits, preparing schedule letter to veteran and rescheduling requested supervisory dates. Reviews enrollment certification from school certifying officer to ensure veteran is properly enrolled, enrolled in course work required of degree plan, and that enrollment qualifies for an appropriate subsistence allowance. Must be proficient in utilizing VA ONCE. Determines if enrollment is appropriate as prescribed by degree plan, Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP), and proper rate of subsistence pay. Prepares subsistence award as independent reviewer. Authorizes Chapter 31 subsistence awards using Claims Authorization (CAUT) command. Solves payment inquiries, possesses a basic knowledge of the computer, processing procedures, master record storage, code identification and translation systems. Determines eligibility for Post 9/11 BAH rate or Chapter 31 SA. Receives VR&E billings from schools for tuition, books, fees and supplies. Ensures all receipts are date stamped. Reviews voucher for correct billing for tuition, fees and books. Evaluates supply billing for items not authorized for VR&E. Prepares certification document for case manager to present to the voucher auditor for payment. Receives grades from schools for veterans training _under Chapter 31. Associates with proper Counseling, Evaluation, Rehabilitation (CER) folder and degree plan to determine if veteran is achieving successful pursuit. Prepares action document for case manager as grades dictate (Noting failing grades, Incompletes, and withdrawals). Independently and effectively utilize CWINRS to effectively accomplish Chapter 31 award actions, update case status, read screens, draw conclusions, determine appropriate award action and make recommendations from screen review, prepare original word processing documents and utilize glossaries to prepare documents. Receives request from Chapter 31 participants requesting a special service. Advises veteran of appropriate action required to receive requested services. Incumbent approves or denies special services and prepares documents for services such as medical referrals, loan requests and tutor requests. Assists claimants in preparing claims for these benefits, services, rights and privileges. Assists in procuring and preparing documents or other evidence when required. (Example: benefits, applications, medical records, DD214s and beneficiary documents.) Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-07/09. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 07:00 am - 03:30 pm PT. Tour will be determined after final selections. Tour is subject to change based on program needs. Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description/PD#: Staff Assistant/ 41938A, 41939A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/09/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-07 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-09. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing that you are in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess (1) year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates (1) year time-in-grade. General Adjustment and Award SF-50's cannot be used for time-in-grade verification purposes. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-07 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as: to perform routine administrative tasks such as maintaining filing systems, conducting basic outreach, responding to standard inquiries, scheduling appointments, processing simple financial transactions, entering data accurately, and providing courteous customer service. Work at this level is generally well-defined and completed with regular supervision. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement GS-09 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as: to reflect a higher level of independence and complexity, including managing administrative tasks with minimal supervision, applying established procedures, resolving more complex inquiries, preparing documents or reports requiring analysis, and supporting office operations with greater technical skill and responsibility. Work at this level demonstrates increased judgment and autonomy. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education you must have: master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. The work is mostly sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, and carrying of light items. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/.
Before you apply
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