HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST (EMPLOYEE RELATIONS)

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The primary purpose of this position is to the primary purpose of this position is: To serve as a Human Resources (HR) Specialist in Employee Relations with responsibility for planning, developing, and carrying out the full range of employee relations advisory services for assigned organizations. All training must be completed and requirements met prior to promotion.

**Qualifications:**
In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-09 and GS-11: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-07, or equivalent in other pay systems for GS-09. Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-09, or equivalent in other pay systems for GS-11. Examples of specialized experience includes Interpret the general employee relations laws, regulations, instructions, rules and local policies for management and conduct basic research as needed for problem situations. Interpret the negotiated union contract for management and employees with assistance from higher-graded specialist, as needed. Assist management with the preparation of answers to both administrative and union grievance to ensure responses are in compliance with regulations/union contract and are legally sufficient. Provide advice to supervisors on the Performance Management Program, providing basic directions as needed on procedural requirements for annual ratings, developing/modifying performance plans, preparing performance improvement plans, and initiating performance-based actions. Advise managers and supervisors on the procedural and legal requirements for correcting conduct and administering disciplinary and adverse actions. Inform employee regarding entitlements to use grievance/complaint/appeal procedures. Prepare and/or provide a variety of documents to include articles for publication, briefings for new employees, training for supervisors, etc. Review, analyze and evaluate established and projected training programs. Provide oral presentations such as briefings, training sessions, consultations, orientations, and discussions with managers, employees and co-workers. Provide employee relations assistance to managers for assigned organizations characterized by a wide range of occupations where work processes are mental, judgmental, involve public contact, or are coordinative in nature. Advise managers and supervisors regarding appropriate disciplinary or other corrective techniques and the procedural and legal requirements for correcting conduct and administering disciplinary and adverse actions. Advise management in the preparation of responses to both administrative and union grievances to ensure they are in compliance with regulations/union contract and are legally sufficient. Analyze each situation and conduct research of the case facts, laws, regulations, precedent decisions, etc. Apply seasoned judgment to resolve problems, which have no precedents, and to interpret and adapt available guidelines to specific problems or issues. Conduct extensive fact-finding to determine credibility of accusations and analyze possible underlying causes of performance problems. Assist legal staff in preparing and presenting management's case and represent management as a technical advisor during third-party proceedings such as arbitrations, mediations, and hearings. Prepare written employee notifications, ensuring such documents are within regulatory compliance and are legally sufficient. Perform self-assessment of employee relations programs as required to ensure assigned programs meet requirements outlined in agency self-evaluation regulation. OR EDUCATION: GS-09: 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. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts. OR EDUCATION: GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related, in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: GS-09: 1. Knowledge of the fundamental principles, practices, and techniques of employee relations; standardized research techniques; and analytical and problem-solving methods required to advise on and resolve moderately complex, non-controversial, well-precedented factual, procedural, and/or recurring issues; make informed judgments on problems and issues; and perform advisory services for problems of limited scope. 2. Skill in gathering, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from information, and communicating information clearly, both orally and in writing. 3. Ability to analyze specific phases of common, well-precedented, and/or recurring cases or situations and to develop and prepare clear explanations of facts. 4. Ability to select the appropriate basic, legal, and regulatory provisions applicable to each situation and locate appropriate and applicable precedents and legal documentation. 5. Ability to interpret and analyze basic issues of fact and law. 6. Ability to identify and analyze numerous facts and allegations to determine accuracy and applicability to the cases. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: GS-11: 1. Knowledge of the full range of employee relations concepts, case law, principles, practices, legal and regulatory requirements sufficient to perform analyses and draw conclusions on complex legal issues, problems, and situations, and advise managers regarding appropriate corrective techniques in response to a range of conduct and performance issues. 2. Knowledge of Federal HR management functions, theories, and techniques and the basic relationships of various HR disciplines sufficient to advise management and employees regarding rules and procedures and their obligations and entitlements. 3. Knowledge of legal research methods, information-gathering techniques, and analytical capabilities sufficient to locate, interpret, and analyze for applicability and appropriateness, precedent and substantive decisions, and/or legal opinions that various courts and administrative bodies have rendered. 4. Knowledge of conflict resolution techniques sufficient to interact in highly-charged, emotional situations which may arise due to delicate or highly contested case matters and determinations. 5. Skill in gathering facts and using effective, analytical, and evaluative methods to accurately assess information and make sound decisions.6\. Ability to communicate with others, both orally and in writing, sufficient to formulate and present arguments and advisory opinions and prepare case documents. Continue in Education Section: