YOU MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE JOB OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST TITLE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR. THIS IS A PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT, WHEN A TEST BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE ASSOCIATE JOB OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST (AJOS) TITLE, YOU MUST TAKE AND PASS THE EXAM TO REMAIN IN THE AJOS TITLE.


The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.


Under the supervision of the Fair Hearing Process Coordinator and with some latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, decision making and action, the Fair Hearing Process Examiner performs responsible work in the supervision of Fair Hearing Process Specialists and the Clerical staff within the Fair Hearing Tracking & Monitoring Review Unit. All Fair Hearing Examiner within the Fair Hearing Tracking & Monitoring Review Unit are interchangeable.


The Office of Legal Affairs/ Division of Fair Hearing Administration (FHTMRU) is recruiting for one Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist I who will:

- Supervise the activities of the Fair Hearing Process Specialist ensuring completion of unit reports and act as a resource contact to appropriate areas; ensure that case actions are completed accurately and in a timely manner and are available pursuant to compliance with the Morel Litigation. Review work products of subordinates by monitoring daily activity sheets, reports and logs to see that prompt actions are taken by workers to ensure that all case records and evidence packets for scheduled Fair Hearings are sent prior to the hearing.

- Review and authorize all Aid-to-Continue, Default, Withdrawal, and Resolution completed cases to ensure timeliness of case actions; collects program operations data and summarize unit activities in reports; ensure that error corrections are completed in timely manner. Ensure that proper data is entered into Fair Hearing Information System accurately and in a timely manner. Utilize the New York City Work Accountability & You (NYCWAY) system, Paperless Operation System (POS), Human Resources Administration (HRA) Viewer, Fair Hearing Electronic Evidence Management System (FHEMS), for processing the Fair Hearing Compliance Case (Completing Case Actions).

- Review related worklists, associated with the Aid-to-Continue, Default, Withdrawal, and Resolution Processes and make appropriate assignments of work-related activities; review report in order to provide outcome relating to work activities. Challenges Aid to Continue Directives when appropriate.

- Review and sign all Aid-to-Continue, Default, Withdrawals, and Resolution case actions and ensures that proper data is entered into Fair Hearing Information System (FHIS), ATC Monitoring (Morel) System, and Fair Hearing Electronic Evidence Management System (FHEMS) timely and accurately. Collect program operations data and summarize unit activities in reports, as required; ensure that error corrections are completed timely and provide reinforcement training to subordinates, where indicated.

- Sign off on Aid-to-Continue, Default, Withdrawal, and Resolution completed cases to ensure timeliness of actions; prepares weekly reports detailing the unit’s work output for immediate supervisor; add documents to FHEMS evidence packets when necessary to support actions taken to resolved fair hearing actions. Challenges Aid-to- Continue Directives via fax and accesses State’s Fair Hearing Information System (FHIS) to view State’s responses to challenges. Ensures ATC Monitoring (Morel) System and NYCWAY is updated to reflect State’s response.

- Provide training updates to subordinates on procedural changes and Policy Directives.

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of
full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a
related setting, providing either:
a) client services.
b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development,
skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic
opportunity programming.
2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above.
4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience
on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described
above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time
satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing
social/human services work as described in one (1) above.

- Excellent communication and writing skills. - Knowledge of Agency operations and NYS social service policy/procedures. - Strong analytical, problem-solving, and time management skills. - Detail oriented. - Knowledge of FHEMS, WMS, POS, NYCWAY, SEAMS, FHIS

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

New York City Residency is not required for this position

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.