Income Maintenance Caseworker II - Food & Nutrition

About the role

Transylvania County is a community with a rich cultural scene, grounded in tradition and history, and with a vision for the future. It features a well-trained and viable workforce due to its excellent public and private education system. With a population of 33,211, Transylvania County boasts over 250 waterfalls, including the highest, Whitewater, reaching 411ft. The area offers extensive outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, fly fishing, and mountain climbing.

Responsibilities

• Performs intake, processing, and review in one of the following income maintenance programs: Food Stamps, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid, or County Special Assistance.
• Interviews clients to gather information for eligibility determination and to inform them of their rights and obligations.
• Verifies information obtained during intake and reviews clients' cases periodically to determine eligibility for continued participation in the program and for other necessary programs.
• Stays updated with program policies and procedures to correct any errors detected during second-party reviews.
• Communicates with medical providers, pharmacies, and other agencies to obtain client resources.
• Prepares and creates reports, and keeps track of multiple records.
• Sends letters and notifications to clients.
• Operates a multi-system phone line, places, returns, and transfers calls.
• Sends faxes and makes referrals.
• Processes payments and works with multiple vendors.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Excellent computer skills.
• Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills.
• Ability to communicate with clients, applicants, and the public to obtain data, to explain and interpret rules, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to understand the needs and problems of clients/applicants.
• Ability to learn program areas of assignment and all agency programs and services.

Education and Experience

• Caseworker II: Minimum Training and Experience Requirements listed below in the Caseworker I description plus a minimum of one year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker in a Department of Social Services.
• Caseworker I: Graduation from an accredited associate degree program in Human Services Technology, Social Services Associate, Paralegal Technology, Business Administration, Secretarial Science, or a closely related curriculum; OR graduation from high school and two years paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering and compiling data, analysis of data and/or performance of mathematical or legal tasks with at least one year of such experience being in an income maintenance program; OR graduation from high school and three years of experience as previously described if no experience in an income maintenance program; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Pay

• $50 per month premium paid by the employee / county pays the remaining portion.
• Employee can cover children/spouse/family at their own cost for medical coverage ($77.56/$265.92/ $426.28 per month).
• Beginning in 2016, employees must participate in the employee health screening including a baseline physical and meet 2 of the 4 accountability standards set forth by the Board of Commissioners to receive the discount.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance: $50 per month premium paid by the employee / county pays the remaining portion. Employee can cover children/spouse/family at their own cost for medical coverage ($77.56/$265.92/ $426.28 per month), respectively. No Network of Dentists, may choose any provider.
• Dental Insurance: Can choose different levels of coverage than Medical. Employee is covered under the dental coverage at no cost. An employee can cover children/spouse/family for $57.26/ $22.52/ $72.38 per month, respectively. Provides 2 routine cleanings and exams with no deductible. For other services a $50 plan year deductible. 80% for root canals, fillings - 50% for crowns, bridgework, dentures $1000 maximum for braces/ $1000 maximum per covered individual per year which includes preventative care costs.
• Term Life Insurance: Provided for the Employee – Dearborn National $10,000 Life and $10,000 Accidental Death. Employee may purchase additional amounts. Up to $100,000 Guaranteed Issue for employee; $20,000 for spouse and $10,000 or $5,000 for children (at original eligibility). Otherwise late enrollees are subject to Underwriting guidelines.
• Supplemental Insurance Products: Mark III Brokerage assists the county to provide a full-array of supplemental products such as Health and Dependent Care FSA accounts, Cancer Policy, Short-term and Long-term Disability, Term Life, Universal Life, Accident or Illness Policy, Hospital Indemnity, and a Vision Plan.
• Electronic Payroll Deposit: County Employees are paid bi-weekly, 26 times per year. We deposit your payroll check. Deposits are available to all banks and credit unions. Deposits are made, so you can have access to your funds by Friday morning (payday). You can divide your payroll into two accounts, one you must specify the amount to go into and the second account would receive the balance.
• Retirement: NC Local Government Employees Retirement System – All full-time employees contribute 6% of their gross earnings and the County matches the contribution. Employees are vested in the program after 5 years of service. Transferable within the state system.
• 401K: Empower Retirement – 2% Employer Contribution, Voluntary Contributions, Rollovers, etc. (Info Available).
• 457: Nationwide Retirement Solutions - After 5 years of full-time service the County will provide a contribution of $57.69 per payroll / $1500 per year for employees. At 5 years of service, eligible employees must complete an enrollment form.
• Credit Union: County Employees may be a member in the NC Local Government Employees Credit Union which is affiliated with the State Employees Credit Union. Local office is in Pisgah Forest.
• Paid Holidays: (12) New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Easter Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.