Requisition No: 756541
Agency: Elder Affairs
Working Title: OPS PARALEGAL SPECIALIST - 65650288 1
Position Number: 65650288
Salary: $15.00-$18.00 HOURLY
Posting Closing Date: 01/23/2023
DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY
*****OPEN COMPETITIVE*****
PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE AGENCY. APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE PEOPLE FIRST SYSTEM.
We are seeking an enthusiastic individual with a desire to share our Agency’s mission to promote the well-being, safety, and independence of Florida's seniors, their families, and caregivers, and the vision for all Floridians to live well and age well. If you have good judgment, a desire to enrich the lives of others, and share our mission and vision, please consider joining our team.
Where You Will Work:
The Department of Elder Affairs is located in the Southwood Office complex in Tallahassee, Florida’s Capital City. Lined with rolling hills, oak trees, and canopied roads Tallahassee combines traditional charm with a modern pace of life. Home to two major universities, Tallahassee has a vibrant art and music scene, stately gardens, as well as a vast number of nature trails for those who love the outdoors. Tallahassee is a highly desirable location for both those seeking their first job and those ready to enter the next exciting chapter in their career. Also, with no state income tax, Florida is a great place to work regardless of where you are on the career ladder. For more information about Tallahassee, please visit: https://www.talchamber.com/visit-tallahassee/.
Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:
Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. Other Personal Services (OPS) employment benefits include:
- State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (mandatory)
- State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options, if working a minimum of 30 hours per week (voluntary); and
- Deferred Compensation (voluntary).
For a more complete list of benefits, click:
https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/health/eligibility_and_enrollment/ops_employees
What You Will Do:
This is a highly responsible professional support position in the Office of the General Counsel. This position performs a variety of administrative and legal tasks. The incumbent will be an integral member of a dedicated team.
We are seeking a highly motivated and energetic individual to work in our General Counsel’s Office among an elite group of dedicated legal professionals serving the Department and the elderly of Florida.
Description: This is a highly responsible OPS position serving as a paralegal specialist in the Office of General Counsel. This is work assisting the mission of the Office of General Counsel by investigating facts, preparing legal pleadings, memorandums, and other legal documents. Incumbents conduct research both general and legal to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action. The work is challenging and incredibly rewarding.
Administrative: The incumbent will also be responsible for other general paralegal and administrative tasks, as requested, such as scanning and filing necessary paperwork, data entry into tracking spreadsheets or other systems, proofreading letters and legal documents, receiving correspondence, mailing and faxing responses to subpoenas, scheduling meetings/conferences, preparing purchasing requisitions, and approving and tracking “P-Card” purchases using the FLAIR system.
Makes travel arrangements (transportation, lodging, registration fees) for assigned staff and completes related travel reimbursement vouchers. Provides backup telephone answering support as needed and furnishes callers with appropriate information. Takes accurate messages and relays them to the appropriate staff members in a timely manner. May initiate phone calls to provide accurate information on behalf of staff members. Assists the Senior Legal Assistant by maintaining good communications within the Office.
Public Records: The incumbent will assist with monitoring and responding to public records requests by monitoring the Department’s public records request inbox, promptly acknowledging requests, assigning requests to the appropriate records custodian within the Department, maintaining a log of all public records requests, redacting confidential material as appropriate, and responding to requests in a timely manner.
Rulemaking: Duties will include assisting the OGC attorneys with the administrative rulemaking process, including drafting of rules and related documents, and tracking and calendaring the numerous required deadlines. The incumbent will also assist with the rulemaking by maintaining a contact list of interested parties, planning and preparing materials for public workshops and hearings, proofreading public notices, and receiving inquiries from members of the public.
Litigation: The employee filling this position will perform duties related to assisting the Office of General Counsel attorneys with litigation in federal and state court as well as numerous administrative bodies including the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR), the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC), and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). These duties include the following:
- Filing pleadings, motions, and other documents on the federal court PACER system as well as Florida Court’s e-filing portal.
- Assisting attorneys with the preparation of responses to discovery, including meeting with clients when necessary.
- Assisting with preparation of cases for trial.
- Sending out discovery requests.
- Monitoring compliance with discovery by all parties and preparing motions as appropriate.
- Assisting attorneys with investigation of cases.
- Obtaining employment and / or other records and information, through record requests or subpoenas.
- Assisting with the drafting of motions, briefs and other documents.
- Communicating with Department employees, risk management claims adjusters, litigation specialists, attorneys' offices, medical provider offices, police departments, courts and other departments and agencies to request additional information and / or documentation.
- Maintaining electronic case files.
- Maintaining a summary of all records received by case, for attorneys and other Department employees as appropriate and necessary.
- Performing legal research at the request of the attorneys.
Final Orders: The incumbent will also participate in the drafting and rendering of administrative final orders for the Department in conjunction with the Agency Clerk.
The incumbent will also perform other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Excellent organization and time management skills
Proficient oral and written communication skills
Ability to type proficiently
Ability to proficiently us Windows 7 or greater, including Microsoft Office applications such as PowerPoint, Word, and Excel
Ability to provide excellent internal and external customer service
Ability to work Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm for a total of 40 hours per week
Ability to work well in a team as well as independently
Ability to summarize and condense large amounts of information into a clear and concise written document
Ability to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information
Experience performing general administrative tasks such as scanning, copying, faxing, filing, mailing, and typing
Requirements:
Completion of a training program to become a legal assistant, a paralegal, a legal paraprofessional or a lawyer's or attorney's assistant; OR a degree or certificate in legal technology, legal administration, legal studies or allied legal services; OR a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in allied legal services; OR two years of experience involving paralegal work; OR two years of experience in legal secretarial work.
Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational and time management skills are required.
The following experiences and a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university are preferred but not required:
- Experience with litigation in court and administrative forums including the drafting and electronic filing of court documents
- Experience with Florida’s administrative rulemaking process under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes.
- Experience receiving and responding to public records requests under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
- Experience receiving and responding to public inquiries (i.e. phone calls, emails, etc.) on behalf of a government entity
- Experience preparing purchasing requisitions and approving “P-Card” purchases using FLAIR
- Experience assisting with the administration of criminal history background checks required by Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, including review of whether offenses contained in a criminal history report are disqualifying or non-disqualifying
- Experience reading and interpreting criminal history reports, including but not limited to, CJIS, FDLE and FLCCIS reports
- Experience in maintaining and using a SharePoint site
- Experience working in a law office or assisting attorneys with legal work, particularly government administrative work
- Experience reading and interpreting legal case law
Please Be Advised:
All fields in the candidate profile must be completed.
Work history, hours worked, and formal education fields must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position. Putting "see resume" does not substitute for completing all sections of the candidate profile.
Selection of candidate will be based on a review of their overall scores, KSAs, primary and supplemental applications, as well as completion of any required work samples, willingness questionnaires, and interview responses, as applicable.
References and file reviews from previous employment may be verified to determine suitability.
Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information.
The successful candidate must be able to pass a Level II Background screening.
All previous periods of employment must be listed with address of employer, supervisor name and contact phone number. If there is more than a one-month gap in the employment history that time period must be included in its own paragraph block within the employment history section.
Background Checks:
A Successful completion of a Level 2 Criminal History Background Check is required for all applicants selected for this position.
Applicant Information:
Applicants should apply on-line via the People First Website https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on the closing date of the position vacancy advertisement but are strongly encouraged to apply by 6:00 p.m. on the closing date to avoid any system down times or any other complications that may arise.
If you have problems applying on-line, call the People First Service Center at 1-877-562-7287. Paper applications will not be accepted by the agency.
The Department of Elder Affairs is an "older worker-friendly" employer and also lists vacancies on the Silver Edition website, found at http://silver.employflorida.com, that connects persons age 50 and older with other businesses/volunteer organizations/employers who specify they are "older worker-friendly."
The Department of Elder Affairs is an E-Verify employer and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each New Employee’s I-9 Form to confirm work eligibility.
The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.