Human Resources Specialist (Employee Relations/Labor Relations)
What you'd do
These positions located in the Department of Veteran Affairs, Central Office (VACO) Human Resources Service Center that focuses on the establishment and transition of human capital services for VACO staff offices from the Veteran Health, Veterans Benefits and National Cemetery Administrations. These positions serves as the HR Specialist (Employee/Labor Relations) for HRSC and are responsible for providing support to hiring managers and executives on various employee relations programs.
Major duties
Major duties include: Functioning as a principal and senior advisor to all levels of management officials within the VACO Staff Offices for all Employee Relations matters and serving as an expert consultant on issues related to conduct, performance, attendance, and dispute resolution. Conducting research of complex legal or regulatory issues raised by Staff Office managers, supervisors, and employees and provides interpretation and guidance on issues of fact and law. Reviewing complaint and/or grievance actions and performing fact finding as necessary to advise management. Analyzing, evaluating, and developing major aspects of agency-wide ER/LR programs. Functioning as a principal and senior advisor to all levels of management officials within the VACO Staff Offices for all Labor Relations matters and serves as an expert advisor to management regarding the establishment and maintenance of effective relationships with relevant labor organizations. Providing advice to management on questions raised by unions in complying with terms of contracts, requirements of the statute, means of settling disputes, etc. and investigates disputes, unfair labor charges, and formal/informal complaints. Analyzing negotiated agreements and conducting special studies to develop improvements in management's positions and/or to respond to union's demands. 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. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized Telework: : Position is eligible for Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect, and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption already in place. Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to in person work mandate in their current position. Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption already in place. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Physical Requirements: Work is primary sedentary.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/29/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 and at the GS-13 you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your education/experience as described below: GS-0201-12: To qualify for this position, you must possess one of the following: Criteria 1- Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Successful completion of a graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level. Such experience was gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Managing and resolving employee conduct, performance, discipline and whistle blower activity; exercising knowledge of a wide range of HR case law, principles, practices, and regulations to perform detailed analyses and draw conclusions on complex legal issues, problems, etc.; Applying legal research methods, information-gathering techniques, and analytical skills sufficient to locate, interpret, and analyze for applicability, precedent and substantive decisions. OR Criteria 2- Specialized Experience: at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience was gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Ability to apply legal research methods, information-gathering techniques, and analytical skills, applies negotiation procedures and techniques, advocacy, mediation, interest-based bargaining and non-adversarial problem solving approaches. GS-0201-13 To qualify for this position, you must possess one of the following: Criteria 1: Graduate Degree and Specialized Experience: Graduate level degree or higher and three years of progressive specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level Such experience was gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Demonstrating mastery of principles, concepts, laws and regulations of HR Employee Relations/Labor relations. . Provide expert advisory service and authoritative policy interpretations on complex or controversial ER/LR issues. Develop policy guidance and provides advice on implications of administrative rulings and decisions. OR Criteria 2: Specialized Experience: at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in federal service that demonstrates HR management knowledge, concepts and principles and the performance of work in one or more of the HR specialty areas. Such experience was gained in administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work positions in the public (i.e., Government or military) or private sector. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Comprehensive and thorough knowledge of ER/LR management laws, regulations, Executive Orders, agency HR policies and procedure. Serve as staff advisor/technical expert to staff, serve as team leader or leader in planning and conducting ER and LR program reviews. Skill in analyzing programs and developing recommendations to assist HRSC in achieving organizational goals and objectives. 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: At least one year of experience providing expert advisory service and/or authoritative policy interpretations on complex, controversial ER/LR issues; resolving conduct performance problems through negotiation procedures, mediation, and other non-adversarial problem solving approaches; analyzing and refuting Union positions in adversarial situations; and conducting nationwide policy reviews and developing proposals to change and improve them. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Local Commuting Area: The local commuting area for this position is defined as being within 50 miles of available VA office space.
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