US Army Civilian Human Resources Agency Logo
Position Title
HR SPEC (Employee Relations/Labor Relations)
Agency
US Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
Announcement Number
SCAH201793385426 Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 to Friday, June 19, 2020
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans' Preference? (limit characters)
2. Current Department of Army Civilian Employees

Department of the Army regulations include several employment categories in the definition of "current Army civilian employee".  Do you meet one of the categories below?

• CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON A PERMANENT APPOINTMENT. You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. Block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1." Army employees can access their SF-50 at: My Biz.

• CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE VETERANS RECRUITMENT APPOINTMENT (VRA). If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit an SF-50 showing current Army Excepted Service VRA appointment (block 24 must be a "2" AND block 34 must be a"2.").

• CIVILIAN ARMY EMPLOYEES SERVING ON AN EXCEPTED SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEFENSE CIVILIAN INTELLIGENCE PERSONNEL SYSTEM (DCIPS). This category includes those who have personal career or career-conditional status earned with prior employment in the Competitive Service.  If you are eligible in this category, you may be required to submit two SF-50s: (1) an SF-50 showing current Army DCIPS employment, and, if applicable, (2) an SF-50 showing career/ career-conditional employment in the Competitive Service (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

• CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SERVING ON A TEMPORARY OR TERM APPOINTMENT. This category ONLY includes those who have personal career or career-conditional status, earned with prior employment in the Competitive Service. If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit two SF-50s: (1) an SF-50 showing current Army employment, and (2) an SF-50 showing career/career-conditional employment in the Competitive Service (block 24 of your SF-50 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

Note: The "current Army employee" category does not include permanent Army National Guard employees in the competitive service.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit the documents which prove you are a current Department of the Army employee in one of the categories described above. To obtain a copy of SF-50s from employment with the Department of Defense, go to My Biz.

Are you a current Army civilian employee?
(limit characters)
3. Current Permanent Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)

Do you meet the following?

Current Permanent Federal Civilian if you currently work on a permanent competitive service civilian appointment in any of the following Department of Defense (DOD) Agencies:

• U.S. Navy

• U.S. Marine Corps

• Department of the Air Force

•Other Department of Defense Agency (e.g., WHS, DLA, DFAS, DISA, DODDS, Defense Commissary, etc.)

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

Notes:
*Current Permanent Federal Civilians: You can check your competitive service status by viewing your latest Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, Block 34, Position Occupied. If eligible, you will see 1-Competitive Service in this block.

*If you are currently working on a temporary or term appointment, or you are serving on active duty in the U.S. military service in any of the above agencies, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category.

*If you are currently working for a private sector company performing work related to a contract with a federal agency, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category

*DOD employees can access their SF-50 at: My Biz
(limit characters)
4. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan

Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position?  If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy

• your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy and

• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

ICTAP applicants must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well-qualified is defined as meeting all of the minimum qualification standards and eligibility requirements as well as possessing skills that clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position.

*Note: Under competitive delegated examining, an ICTAP eligible will be considered well-qualified if they attain an eligibility rating of 90 or higher, not including points for veterans' preference.

Supporting documentation: Federal employees seeking ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.704, by submitting a copy of the following documents with your completed application: A copy of your agency notice; AND,

A copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal; AND,

A copy of your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.  Additional information regarding ICTAP eligibility can be found in the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.  For more information, review the USAJOBS Resource Center.
(limit characters)
5. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act

Are you eligible under this authority for appointment?
• Current or former Land Management Agency employee (i.e. the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture; the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior; the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior; the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior; the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior; or the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior); and
• Who currently are or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies.

Current land management agency appointees:
must have initially been hired under competitive examining procedures to the time-limited appointment,
must have served under 1 or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years, and
must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service.

Former land management agency employees:
must have initially been hired under competitive examining procedures to the time-limited appointment,
must have served under 1 or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a total period of more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years,
must have performed at an acceptable level throughout the service period(s),
must apply for a position covered by these provisions within 2 years after their most recent date of separation, and
must have been separated, with respect to their most recent separation, for reasons other than misconduct or performance.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable proof of your appointment eligibility by submitting a copy of your most recent SF-50 (block 24 must be a "0" or "3" AND block 34 must be a"1"), Notification of Personnel Action, documenting your Land Management eligibility for a competitive service appointment AND performance rating showing you have performed at an acceptable level.
(limit characters)
6. Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473

You are eligible for this hiring category if you:

• Are a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty for more than 180 days other than for training.
   - Limited to the geographic area of the service member's duty location. This includes the surrounding area which people reasonably can be expected to travel daily to and from work; OR

• Are a spouse of a 100 percent disabled service member injured while on active duty; OR

• Are the un-remarried widow or widower of a service member who was killed while performing active duty.

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your eligibility for E.O. 13473 which may include:

• the service member's permanent change of station orders, a statement from the service member's unit with the specific duty location to which the member is assigned, reassigned, or transferred or other document which supports the service member's assignment within the geographical location of the vacancy;

• verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage);

• verification of the member's 100 percent disability; and/or

• verification of the member's death while on active duty.

Additionally, you may need to submit a Standard Form-15 (SF-15), an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference, and applicable supporting documents as noted on the form.

To obtain a copy of SF-15, go to http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you eligible to apply as a Military Spouse under Executive Order 13473?
(limit characters)
7. Modification of Term Appointments

You are eligible under this authority for appointment, if you are a Current Department of the Army Modified Term employee within the organization; and
  • Selected for the Modified Term appointment through Delegated Examining procedures; and 
  • The Modified Term announcement stated that potential for subsequent conversion to a career-conditional or career appointment; and 
  • Performance while on the Term Appointment must be at least fully successful or equivalent; and 
  • Must have completed at least 2 years of current continuous service under a term appointment in the competitive service

Supporting documentation:    You are required to submit acceptable proof of your appointment eligibility by submitting a copy of your most recent SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action - (block 24 must be a "3" AND block 34 must be a "1") documenting your modified term appointment AND a performance appraisal that shows performance at least at the fully successful level or higher while on the term appointment.
 
To obtain a copy of SF-50s from employment with the Department of Defense, go to My Biz.

Are you eligible for Modification of Term Appointment?

(limit characters)
8. Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer

This category includes competitive service, career or career-conditional employees of federal agencies other than the Department of Defense (e.g., Dept of Labor, VA). 

Supporting documentation: You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility, by submitting a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"1").

*If you are currently working on a temporary or term appointment, or are serving on active duty in the U.S. military service, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category.
*If you are currently working for a private sector company performing work related to a contract with a federal agency, you are NOT eligible for this hiring category.

Are you applying to transfer from a federal agency other than the DoD?
(limit characters)
9. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

This category includes veterans whose discharge was under honorable conditions AND:

• who served 3 or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (NOTE: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet this eligibility); or

• who have preference eligibility; or

• who have derived preference

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998, as amended (VEOA) is a competitive service appointing authority that can only be used when filling permanent, competitive service positions. It cannot be used to fill excepted service positions.
 
"Preference eligible" under VEOA includes those family members entitled to derived preference. For eligibility information and supporting documentation requirements, go to VEOA Derived Preference.
Supporting documentation:
 You are required to submit acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. Acceptable documentation is:
• DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing dates of service, as well as character of service (Honorable, General, etc.). The member 4 copy of your DD Form 214 is preferable (Note: If you have more than one DD Form 214 for multiple periods of active duty service, you should submit a copy for each period of service.); OR
Future Military Retirees*: You are required to submit a copy of your retirement DD Form 214 OR a copy of your approved retirement letter AND a copy of your terminal leave letter OR certification document**. You will be required to provide your DD Form 214 prior to appointment; OR
Future Military Separatees*: You are required to submit a copy of your most recent DD Form 214 OR certification document** OR a copy of your most recent active duty orders AND a copy of your terminal leave request (if applicable). You will be required to provide your DD Form 214 prior to appointment.
Disabled Veterans: You are required to submit a copy of one of the separation documents identified above AND documentation of your overall service connected disability identified on the SF-15, page 2, section B or Section C.
*Active duty military members who are selected may not be appointed unless on terminal leave before the effective date of employment.
 
 ** The "certification" letter is a written document on an official letterhead of the appropriate military branch in which the veteran served, and contains at a minimum, the service member's: (1) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) expected character of service (i.e. honorable); (3) rank; and (4) type of discharge. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, military personnel officer, or commander of the service member's unit or higher headquarters. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of ''veteran'' under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1) (Federal Register, 2016).

The SF-15 is available on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management forms webpage.

You may request copies of your military personnel records online.

Additional Veterans' preference information
U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Government-wide Veterans Employment webpage
U.S. Office of Personnel Management Veterans Services webpage (OPM Vet Guide)

Are you applying for consideration under the VEOA?
(limit characters)
Condition of Employment
This position has requirements which must be met prior to employment, and conditions for continued employment. Your answers to the questions in this section will indicate your understanding of, or possession of, these requirements and conditions. (limit characters)
1. This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required. Are you willing to undergo pre-employment and recurring investigations to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance as required? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) position with Department of the Army. Your resume and the responses you provide to this assessment questionnaire will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification. Please review your responses for accuracy before you submit your application. (limit characters)
1. Select the one statement that best describes the experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of a Human Resources Specialist (Employee and Labor Relations) at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent in the Federal Service.
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Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
2. Develop alternative solutions to resolve conflicts to achievement of goals and objectives.
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3. Provide advice and assistance on grievances and adverse actions to resolve employee disputes.
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4. Provide guidance on conflict management to managers.
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5. Generate human resources solutions to prevent conflict in the workplace.
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6. Implement a human resources program to prevent or resolve conflict.
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7. Use conflict resolution techniques to de-escalate human resources concerns.
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8. Negotiate with union representatives on disputed issues.
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9. Advise management on appropriate level of discipline to correct behavioral or performance problems, implications of negotiated grievance procedures, or impact of third party reviews.
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10. Coordinate resolution of human resources operating findings with management to ensure their buy-in of recommendations.
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11. Defend organizational policies and positions to persuade persons with opposing ideas to comply with established procedures.
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12. Deliver briefs to upper management that foster understanding and acceptance of findings or recommendations regarding training programs.
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13. Discuss problems to negotiate solutions and improve working relationships with other officials.
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14. Negotiate collective bargaining agreements with labor organizations to support management's interests.
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15. Negotiate labor agreements using interest-based bargaining techniques.
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16. Develop technical and/or legally sufficient memoranda's of action (e.g. disciplinary/adverse actions, grievances) for management's use in the resolution of issues.
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17. Develop or assist in the development of written policies and procedures on Civilian Human Resources (CHR) management-employee relations functions.
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18. Prepare for a meeting by anticipating proposals likely to generate confrontation.
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19. Present briefings on human resources issues to management to obtain support for proposed solutions.
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20. Gather background information and prepare formal correspondence on a full range of complex disciplinary actions.
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21. Document non-routine or unprecedented case-specific fact-finding efforts that may be used in other formal litigation.
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22. Provide guidance and assistance to Legal Counsel as necessary in preparing and/or presenting cases before Merit Systems Merit Protection Board, (MSPB) and Equal Employment Opportunity Counsel, (EEOC).
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23. Communicate labor relations local policies and procedures to management and staff officials.
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24. Use persuasive arguments and sound judgments to support recommendations for civilian employee-management relation disputes.
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25. Educate supervisors on Employee Relations Programs to improve management employee relation proficiencies, execution of responsibilities, and establish/sustain a positive work environment conducive to maximize employee job satisfaction.
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26. Conduct formal consultations with representatives of employee organizations for resolution of complex or controversial labor relations issues that arise.
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27. Advise employees on personnel policy, administrative regulations, employee rights and services.
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28. Conduct employee relations training, orientation, and information programs for serviced population.
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29. Your responses to the Announcement and Occupational Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.
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