Income Maintenance Caseworker II - Economic Services

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Job Description

Employees in this position are responsible to perform duties related to determining and/or determining eligibility for Economic Services programs such as Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services, Work First Family Assistance, Crisis Intervention, Low Income Energy Assistance, and Childcare Subsidy. Work at this level includes such tasks as interviewing clients to obtain required information, completing initial applications, verifying the information obtained, determining eligibility, or completing scheduled program reviews.Employees must explain program(s) requirements and options and advise or refer clients to other program services as appropriate. Employees are generally assigned a primary program, however, cross-training in other program areas may be required. This position reports to the Economic Services Supervisor.
Work involves direct contact with the client and direct or indirect contact with the clients' family or representative and collaterals to gather and verify any information necessary to determine clients' eligibility for the program(s). Employees' decisions are usually subject to a second. Employees are seen as representatives of the agency and eligibility decisions commit the agency to providing clients with economic services.

**Hybrid Work Schedule: This position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule after successful completion of necessary training and probation.

Essential Functions

• Work involves performing all functions including intake, processing, and review in one of the following economic services programs; Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services, Work First Family Assistance, Crisis Intervention, Low Income Energy Assistance, and Childcare Subsidy;
• For intake, employees are responsible for obtaining all pertinent data concerning the clients' family composition, financial, employment, and health status and entering all required information into NCFAST;
• For processing applications, employees must utilize the NCFAST and any other required software technology to verify all information obtained during intake;
• For redetermination or review of the client’s case periodically, the employee must re-verify the client's eligibility for continued participation in the program, using NCFAST and any other required software technology;
• Responsible for reacting appropriately to changes that occur within a client’s situation that may affect eligibility status;
• Work involves direct public contact either face-to-face or by phone;
• Maintain an ongoing caseload of the identified primary program as designated by the Supervisor with an understanding that caseload sizes vary within programs;
• Run and monitor daily caseload reports;
• Employees with lead worker responsibilities require greater familiarity with program policies and processing functions to correct any errors detected during second-party reviews;
• Refer to all applicable policies, procedures, and NC DHHS communications required to complete the eligibility determination process;
• Serves on a shelter team during hurricanes, storms, and other disasters as determined by Emergency Management;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or GED and one year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker; or an Associates degree in accounting, business administration, human services, secretarial science, or a closely related field and at least two years of paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which includes negotiating, interviewing, obtaining, analyzing and/or evaluating data; or a high school diploma or GED and at least five years of paraprofessional, clerical or other public contact experience which includes negotiating, interviewing, obtaining, analyzing and/or evaluating data. Direct experience with NC Fast is preferred.

One year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker is necessary to fully qualify as an Income Maintenance Caseworker II. If a fully qualified Income Maintenance Caseworker II is not available, we will consider hiring an Income Maintenance Caseworker I with a work-against for one year.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of the economic program assigned (e.g., Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services);
• General knowledge of all agency and community programs and services that could affect the client/applicant;
• Ability to understand the needs and problems of the clients/applicants;
• Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills;
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret rules, regulations, and procedures;
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing;
• Ability to demonstrate excellent listening skills;
• Ability to obtain information through interviewing and observation;
• Ability to adapt to policy and practice changes;
• Ability to instruct and evaluate the work of lower-level employees;
• Ability to perform caseworker functions within structured time frames and manage assigned workloads;
• Ability to perform work using multiple local and state technology systems including NCFAST, Northwoods, iiReception, Microsoft Office, web browsers, virtual meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and other commonly used electronic programs;
• Skill in operating standard office equipment such as a computer, phone, fax machine, and calculator;
• Skill in maintaining a calm disposition in a variety of situations and maintaining confidentiality;
• Ability to demonstrate excellent customer service with the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals and provide equitable treatment to all;
• Ability to keep records;
• Ability to perform and organize work independently;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with county officials, department heads, peers, associates, and the general public.

Chatham County is fully committed to equal employment opportunity (EEO) principles and issues this anti-discrimination/EEO compliance clause to support and maintain employee’s rights and responsibilities relating to equal employment. The core of equal employment opportunity is the right to work and advance on the basis of merit, ability, and potential, free from prejudice or discrimination. In accordance with the applicable anti-discrimination statutes, executive orders, and other authorities, Chatham County protects employees against discrimination, to the fullest extent of law, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation, whistleblower activity, parental status, and military service (past, present, or future), and against retaliation for participation in EEO activity or opposition to discrimination.