Occ. Code 8199901

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 1, GRADE 14

8199901

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 2, GRADE 18

8199902

 

New York State Department of Civil Service

 

Classification Standard

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES     

 

          Legal Affairs Specialists review and make proper determinations on requests for fair hearings, adjournments, withdrawals, aid continuances, complaints of non-compliance with hearing decisions, and process for appealing fair hearing decisions from clients and their representatives. They respond to inquiries relating to the appeals process and make appropriate referrals; and provide guidance to local districts in meeting regulatory requirements pertaining to the hearing process.

 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 1: full performance level; may supervise lower-level clerical staff; may handle and assist with the more complicated issues.

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 2: first supervisory level; independently handles the more difficult and precedent-setting cases.

 

RELATED CLASSES

 

Temporary Assistance Specialists assist in the administration of programs that provide financial assistance and supportive services to dependent and disabled individuals and families, or individuals and families eligible for assistance and services.  Incumbents work with local social services agencies and local refugee and immigration program services providers to enable eligible families and individuals to achieve independence.  They make field visits to identify local agency needs, review program activities and provide technical assistance and advice to local program managers and to directors of contract agencies to ensure adherence to State and federal guidelines, and contract requirements.

 

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 1: under the supervision of a Legal Affairs Specialist 2, provides information regarding  hearing procedures to State agency and local district staff, clients and their representatives, and other parties; processes requests for Fair Hearings, Homebound Hearings from appellants/representatives, Intentional Program Violations Hearings, and waiver of appearance requests from local social services districts, and other various matters regarding the Administrative Hearing process; handles general inquiries from clients, their representatives or local agencies and makes referrals to appropriate program areas or proper agency; determines continuation of aid status; drafts responses to correspondence relating to the hearing process; assists with screening and processing emergency hearings;  retrieves information from the Fair Hearing Information System, the Welfare Management System and other relevant systems; fields  compliance complaints, referring more complicated cases to appropriate supervisor; gathers statistical data and prepares reports; assists supervisor in preparing written procedures; processes requests for administrative hearing records; and may supervise clerical staff.

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 2: supervises staff handling telephone, written and walk-in requests; provides technical assistance to State and local district staff; disseminates, interprets and clarifies decisions, policies, rules, regulations and directives; oversees the administration of the Homebound Hearing process and handles the more difficult and sensitive cases; meets with local district staff to ascertain ways to reduce the hearing workload and participates in training local districts' staff to enhance their performance; directs local districts to comply with fair hearing decisions; monitors local districts compliance performance and suggests ways to reduce incidences of  non-compliance; determines when fair hearings require expeditious handling; oversees the review of evidentiary packets from local districts and determines if there is sufficient documentation to proceed with Intentional Program Violation hearings; processes reconsideration requests; analyzes cases pertaining to the hearing process and  prepares reports utilizing statistical and other data; writes procedures; coordinates training; researches and prepares responses to correspondence; assists in researching and developing information relating to litigation; directs the daily operations of the Fair Hearing Information System; and works with information technology staff to ensure coordinated operational support.  When assigned to the Compliance Unit of the Fair Hearings Office in the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, independently resolves post hearing issues and need not supervise staff.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 1

 

Open-Competitive:  four years of experience in providing services to individuals in need of and/or eligible for social services programs; or implementing/administering programs regulated by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and/or Office of Children and Family Services. One year of the experience must have been in one or more of the following areas: representing an agency at administrative hearings; preparing summaries or presenting issues and evidence on behalf of an agency at administrative hearings, or directly administering an administrative hearing process.

 

Substitution:  College education may substitute for up to two years of the general experience at the rate of 30 semester credit hours equaling one year of experience.

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 2

 

Promotion:  one year of service as a Legal Affairs Specialist 1 or Legal Affairs Specialist 1 (Spanish Language).

 

 

Revised:  7/17

 

 

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.