Case Assistant, Fair Hearings and Compliance Unit (FHCU)

Job Title

The selected candidate will be offered a salary between $46,503 - $53,479. This position is only open to candidates who are permanent (not provisional) in the civil service title of clerical associate.

The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal representation and advice to the Commissioner and all divisions at ACS. OGC identifies areas of legal vulnerability and coordinates with other Divisions to ensure compliance with court orders, consent decrees, and other legal and regulatory mandates. OGC also works closely with the NYC Law Department to minimize risk and avoid litigation and defend ACS in class action and individual lawsuits. OGC is comprised of six legal units and two non-legal units. The Fair Hearings & Compliance Unit (FHCU) is a litigation and compliance unit reporting to the ACS General Counsel. FHCU, under the supervision of the Associate General Counsel / Supervising Attorney, represents ACS before the NYS Office of Children and Family Services / Bureau of Special Hearings (OCFS / BSH) and before the NYS Office of Temporary Disabilities and Assistance in the following types of administrative hearings and reviews : foster care payments, NY Social Services Law 422 / 424-a, adoption subsidy and kinship guardianship. FHCU also handles Article 78 Proceedings (CPLR) in NYS Supreme Court in which appellants seek to challenge administrative fair hearing decisions unfavorable to them.

The FHCU Case Assistant job duties will include :

• Perform CONNECTIONS database search for relevant records.
• Redact social services records found in the CONNECTIONS database and hardcopy records stored in the warehouse pursuant to Social Services Law, Public Health Law, and other Confidentiality Statutes.
• Assist with trial preparation, including but not limited to redaction of case records, drafting subpoenas, summonses, correspondences and / or other forms and papers as requested by attorney staff.
• Assist in performing legal research using Lexis Nexis among other reference materials.
• Assist with legal research, including the retrieval of court decisions, statutes, regulations and other legal documents.
• Obtain court documents and records from all five boroughs.
• Provide administrative support to FHCU attorneys and staff including but not limited to copying, scanning, and mailing documents.
• Respond to requests for information from staff and others by researching files and retrieving files from the warehouse; Enters files in WITS and coordinate the transfer / retrieval of files to / from the warehouse.
• Maintain appointment calendars by scheduling / confirming appointments and recording / updating time and nature of appointments.
• Maintain various FHCU case logs, including Article 78 and other proceedings.
• Assist with data entry.

Additional Info Section 424-A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-caring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualification Requirements A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and one year of satisfactory clerical experience. Skills Requirement Keyboard familiarity with the ability to type at a minimum of 100 key strokes (20 words) per minute.

Preferred Skills

Knowledge of Connections and Adobe. Background in child welfare and administrative skills such as filing paperwork, redacting files and handling calendars.

55a Program

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.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

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 / .

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

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.