OIEC - Advocate for Injured Employees (Ombudsman I

About the Agency

OIEC is the state agency that helps injured employees with their Texas workers' compensation claims. The agency assists, educates, and advocates on their behalf. OIEC provides services in 20 offices across the state. Agency services include advocacy, customer service, and dispute assistance through OIEC's Ombudsman Program.

About the Role

The Advocate for Injured Employees (ombudsman) is an advocate who assists and educates the injured employees of Texas. Being an ombudsman involves: assisting the injured employee one-on-one throughout the dispute resolution process; answering questions from the injured employee; reviewing claims for medical and income benefits; studying the case background on each claim; gathering and evaluating information (including medical records and letters from doctors); reporting and referring complaints; and tracking and providing information and claim status. Works under limited supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Travel required: 25%.

Essential Job Duties

• Assists and prepares the injured employee in mediations and/or formal hearings (proceedings) and provides routine updates to OIEC clients about the status of their claim
• Educates the injured employee about the workers' compensation dispute process and workers' compensation law/rules
• Assists with referrals to social services with other state agencies
• Provides assistance in filing claims
• Assists with obtaining supporting claim documentation from doctors
• Contacts insurance carriers and medical providers to identify and resolve disputes
• Documents customer contact in a computer system
• Answers general customer service questions
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Three years full-time experience in claims management, insurance, casework, law office (paralegal/legal assistant), healthcare, social work, or workers' compensation
• Note: Education and experience relevant to position requirements may be substituted for one another on a year-for-year basis

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with medical terminology, rehabilitation, and disabilities/impairments
• Public speaking, i.e. training, outreach, community speaking, etc.
• Bilingual English and Spanish language skills (oral and written)

Additional Requirements

• If you hold a current law license, you must surrender it upon hire
• Candidate must reside in Texas or be able to relocate to Texas by the start date
• OIEC does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Microsoft Word and Outlook

Skill in:

• Conflict resolution
• Assisting the public
• Handling and solving problems
• Interpreting and explaining laws and regulations
• Data entry and retrieval
• Use of correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling

Ability to:

• Travel
• Multitask between different cases and meet deadlines
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals and groups
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with all levels of employees and the public

Benefits

• 96 hours of accrued vacation a year
• 96 hours of accrued sick leave a year
• 20+ holidays every year
• Career advancement opportunities
• Free parking
• Free comprehensive medical insurance for full-time employees and 50% off premium costs for dependents (state pays other 50%)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness program