TEST ANNOUNCEMENT

NUMBER 2006-743

ISSUED  APRIL 28, 2006

 

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

State Civil Service Commission

 

Examination

 

for

 

INCOME MAINTENANCE CASEWORKER

 

Exam

No.

 

Job Title

Job

Code

Pay Schedule

and Range

1.

Income Maintenance Caseworker

44720

ST06

 

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

 

VETERANS:  Pennsylvania law (51 Pa.C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs.  To learn more about employment preferences and opportunities for veterans, visit the Commission’s website www.scsc.state.pa.us; visit one of our offices; or call our veterans information line, (717) 787-6039.

 

NATURE OF WORK

 

You will participate in classroom and on-the-job training to learn Department of Public Welfare procedures for determining if applicants meet the eligibility requirements for public assistance programs.  You will learn the requirements for programs such as Medical Assistance, Food Stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.  You will also interview persons applying for public assistance programs, establish and maintain with the client an Agreement of Mutual Responsibility, help clients identify and remove barriers to financial self-sufficiency, determine the assistance programs for which applicants qualify, and make referrals for appropriate services.

 

Work is performed under close supervision and is evaluated throughout the training program.  After completing the training program, incumbents are given more responsibility and independence in performing the work.

 

JOB REQUIREMENTS

 

You will be tested before your qualifications are reviewed.  Your test results will count only if you meet all job requirements.  If after reading the requirements you are not sure you qualify, contact one of the Commission's offices listed at the end of this announcement.

 

You must be a Pennsylvania resident, of good moral character and able to perform the essential functions of the job.

 

Minimum Requirements

Four years of experience in interviewing or work requiring the analysis and interpretation of data; OR a bachelor’s degree; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training.

 

Clarification of Requirements

You may substitute related education for the required experience or appropriate experience for the required education.  Unrelated experience or education will not be accepted.

 

Acceptable Experience

“Experience in interviewing” means work where contact is made with the client for the primary purpose of obtaining, recording, evaluating, and interpreting factual information and deciding on a course of action.  Interviewing is normally associated with investigation, casework, counseling, eligibility determination or research studies.

 

“Work requiring the analysis and interpretation of data” means experience reviewing, understanding, and evaluating previously-gathered information in order to translate or explain it to clients, co-workers, or any other information seeker, or to carry out some prescribed course of action.  This work requires the employee to use knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, rules, procedures, standards, requirements and/or similar criteria, and apply judgment.

 

You may take the test if you have completed 90 or more credits hours and expect to receive a bachelor’s degree within the next 7 months.  You must provide proof of your degree before you start work.

 

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

 

The standards for this job are high and demanding.  The Income Maintenance Caseworker faces a challenging and complex training program and probationary period in learning the laws, regulations and procedures associated with determining if applicants meet eligibility requirements for public assistance programs, and helping clients identify and remove barriers to financial self-sufficiency.  The training program includes structured classroom instruction as well as “on-the-job” training opportunities.

 

You must agree with the following conditions of employment.  If you are not willing and able to accept all of these conditions, do not apply.  By submitting your application, you are indicating your willingness to:

 

1.     Attend and successfully complete complex classroom and on-the-job training programs.

 

2.     Meet high performance standards for technical accuracy as prescribed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.

 

3.     Plan, organize and manage large caseloads to ensure timely eligibility determination and ongoing case management.

 

4.     Learn to analyze public assistance applicant information to determine eligibility for benefits.

 

5.     Gather important information by telephone, by mail, and in person from clients applying for financial and other assistance.

 

6.     Retrieve and enter data using a computer.

 

7.     Interact objectively with public assistance clients in situations or settings that may be stressful, including conducting group workshops, and developing individual plans for self-sufficiency.

 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

 

There are 4,653 filled Income Maintenance Caseworker positions.  Positions exist in County Assistance Offices throughout the Commonwealth.  Vacancies may occur in any county.  Counties with larger populations typically have more vacancies.  Approximately 372 vacancies are expected over the next 12 months.

 

Additional opportunities may occur due to normal turnover from retirements, promotions, transfers, resignations and so forth.

 

For the most recent information on job opportunities contact:

 

Department of Public Welfare

Bureau of Human Resources

Health and Welfare Building - Room 222

P.O. Box 2675

Harrisburg, PA  17105-2675

Telephone:  (717) 787-5068

Toll Free:  1-800 346-4254

Internet:  www.dpw.state.pa.us

Email:  ra-pwemployment@state.pa.us

 

TESTING

 

The test will be administered on a computer.  Information about computerized testing is available online at www.scsc.state.pa.us OR in paper form at any State Civil Service Commission Office.

 

The test is designed to determine if you have the basic abilities to succeed in the training program and perform the job tasks.  To answer some of the questions, you will read and interpret materials similar to Department of Public Welfare policy statements and perform exercises patterned after actual job tasks.  You do not need knowledge of Department of Public Welfare policies, rules, or regulations.

 

The 3 ½ hour test will cover the following subject areas:

 

Subject Area

Number of Questions

Interpreting and Applying Policies, Rules, and Regulations

25

Benefit Computations

15

Interactive Client Interviewing/Client Referrals

25

Interpersonal Relationships

20

Written Expression

_15_

Total

100

 

The test will be administered in the Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Civil Service Commission Offices, Monday through Friday.

 

The test will also be administered approximately 10 days a month at additional test centers located in Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, Lock Haven, and Scranton.  For further details on test dates, contact the Commission’s Information Services Unit; Telephone (Voice) (717) 787-7811, Text Telephone (Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers only) (717) 783-8896.

 

If you take the test and want to take it again, you may be retested after 6 months from the date of your test.  You must submit a new application to be retested.

 

If your name is on an eligible list for this job and you take this test, your most recent examination result will be the only one counted.

 

TEST RESULTS

 

Employment and promotion lists will be established.  You will be notified in writing of your test results.

 

HOW TO APPLY

 

Applications and further information can be obtained from:

 

1.

State Civil Service Commission:

 

 

 

Harrisburg:  2nd Level, Strawberry Sq. Complex, 320 Market St., P.O.

 

Box 569, Hbg., 17108-0569; Telephone (Voice) (717) 783-3058, Text

 

Telephone (Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing callers only) (717) 772-2685

 

 

 

Philadelphia:  110 North 8th St., Suite 503, Phila., 19107; Telephone

 

(Voice) (215) 560-2253, Text Telephone (Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing

 

callers only) (215) 560-4367

 

 

 

Pittsburgh:  411 Seventh Ave., Room 410, Pgh., 15219; Telephone

 

(Voice) (412) 565-7666, Text Telephone (Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing

 

callers only) (412) 565-2484

 

 

 

Internet:  www.scsc.state.pa.us

 

 

2.

PA CareerLink offices

 

 

3.

The Human Resources Office listed under the "JOB OPPORTUNITIES" section of this announcement

 

For further information on testing, assistance for persons with disabilities, veterans' preference and other items, refer to the instructions provided with the "Application for Employment