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Senior Social Welfare Examiner 1 Jurisdiction: Schuyler County Jurisdictional Class: Competitive Adopted: March 1, 2004; Updated: April 6, 2017 SENIOR SOCIAL WELFARE EXAMINER DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves responsibility for acting as a lead worker with a group of Social Welfare Examiners and clerical employees engaged in establishing financial eligibility for the various programs administered by the Social Services Department. The incumbent is also responsible for making selected eligibility determinations and processing cases for opening of continuing assistance. The work is performed under the supervision of a Principal Social Welfare Examiner or other Social Services Department supervisor. Does related work as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: Leads and participates in the coordination of the client’s eligibility for assistance, including initial categorical determination and evaluates available resources in relation to eligibility; Reviews Social Welfare Examiners’ work for accuracy and aids in new employee’s training; Makes redeterminations of client eligibility for program assistance; Contacts cooperating agencies to verify client’s eligibility for benefits; Refers clients when appropriate to caseworkers, or to other specialists such as housing, employment, legal or medical support services; Reports findings of investigations and makes recommendations for proper disposition of cases reviewed; Uses the Welfare Management System terminal to input and extract data on client’s cases; Appears at administrative or judicial proceedings when required to interpret decisions on client applications for public assistance; Interprets Federal, State and local policies and programs to Social Welfare Examiners; Attends continuing education training regarding new State and Federal laws and mandates concerning social services programs; Presents outreach programs on food stamps to senior citizens on site at senior housing, food pantries, and the Office for the Aging; Uses a computer to prepare a variety of reports, and to enter and retrieve data from various databases; Makes collaborative contacts to verify eligibility; Prepares documentation, presents evidence, and/or testifies in court, at Fair Hearings, or Administrative Hearings as required; Assists in the formulation of policies and procedures and interprets programs; May determine overpayments of assistance by producing budgets and/or benefits issued to recipients on the basis of inadequate or fraudulent information presented to the agency; Conducts and arranges for appropriate training for staff; Develops, implements, and presents training modules; May be required to research and prepare grant applications; Prepares a variety of records and reports. ---PAGE BREAK--- Senior Social Welfare Examiner 2 FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of Federal, State and local social services laws and programs as they affect eligibility for assistance; Good knowledge of other laws and program regulations as they affect eligibility such as Workers’ Compensation, Social Security and Unemployment Insurance; Good knowledge of community resources and programs; Good knowledge of the Welfare Management System; Ability to lead the work of others including training and evaluating work; Ability to obtain facts in a structured interview setting; Ability to analyze facts obtained and use facts in making judgments regarding eligibility; Ability to understand and interpret complex written material; Ability to prepare clear and accurate records and reports; Ability to use a computer for word processing and for the entry and retrieval of information in a database; Ability to plan and implement action plans too effectively address the needs of clients and the agency; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, work participants, and representatives of governmental and service organizations; Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Either: Completion of two years (60 semester credit hours) of study in a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees, two years of work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in examining, investigating or evaluating claims for assistance such as veterans and unemployment benefits, or determining qualifications for insurance or other similar programs operating under established criteria for eligibility; or Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and four years of experience as outlined in or An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of and above.