Lead Financial Eligibility Worker

Closing Date: April 25, 2025

Apply online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mnmeritsystem

$31.96 to $42.09

Position Objective

Performs intermediate work determining eligibility at intake and throughout case management for a variety for public assistance programs, developing, maintaining and presenting training materials to staff members throughout the Health and Human Services Department, serving as a liaison between internal Health and Human Services Department and other departments to interpret and present new information to impacted groups of individuals, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the limited supervision of Financial Assistance Supervisor.  Supervision may be exercised over assigned personnel.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

            Training – New workers & ongoing                                                  Discretion A % 40

• Determine training needs and format of training.
• Plan and conduct training to current and new agency staff on federal, state and local policy and procedures related to the eligibility for public assistance and health care programs.
• Provide staff with technical assistance on eligibility are based on policy and rule and provide the client with the maximum benefit and service.
• Determine when new financial workers have satisfied training requirements and are able to approve eligibility on their own.
• Interpret correct program policy.
• Answer policy and procedure questions for staff, researching issues when needed, and consulting Department of Human Services or County Attorney Office if appropriate.
• Write and revise procedures and forms to implement legislative and procedural changes.
• Serve as a security liaison to DHS.
  • Request new access for all HHS workers that need MAXIS, MMIS, METS, and additional systems, using the ROD service hub.
  • Request new passwords or user ID unlocks as needed.
  • Verify user access to systems in the absence of the primary security liaison. Verify primary liaison’s access.
• Complete supervisory case reviews to determine accuracy of eligibility determination and completeness of case documentation and evaluate agency needs for training.
• Ascertain, based on supervisory case reviews, problem areas a worker may need training.
• Advise supervisor of staff performance.
• Act as a consultant on agency programs and procedures for Income Maintenance staff, other human services agency staff and for outside agency inquiries.
• In supervisor’s absence, determine when staff/client problems should be referred to the director.
• Determine Emergency Assistance eligibility and authorize all amounts exceeding $700.00.
• Work cooperatively with supervisor and colleagues so that work related issues are communicated and resolved professionally.
• Assist supervisor and director in the resolution of client complaints, problems or emergency situations.
• Acts on behalf of supervisor in supervisor’s absence.
• Assists with the financial workers duties during periods of mass program changes or absences due to illness or vacation.
• Coordinate, plan, and conduct presentations on public assistance programs for other county departments and community organizations.
• Participate in agency and community committees and task forces to help establish             policies and procedures.

Fraud Referrals and Fraud Overpayments                                      Discretion A % 15

• Work with Financial Workers to initiate fraud referrals and compile evidence necessary for investigations.
• Work with Financial Workers to prepare and provide overpayments data to the fraud investigator. Track fraud proceedings.
• Enter fraud referrals on computer and work with the referring Financial Worker to disqualify clients from Public Assistance when required.

Computer Mentor for MAXIS, MMIS, MEC2 & METS.                         Discretion A % 10

• Assist staff with problems and questions in difficult cases and to provide training or facilitate training with a worker familiar with a given system when changes are made in the State eligibility systems.
• Decide appropriate computer training for Financial Workers.
• Update staff on changes and techniques of computer systems.
• Plan and conduct OR plan and schedule computer training of new and current financial workers and other agency staff.
• Attend DHS meetings and updated training and relay that training to staff accordingly.
• Identify problems and determine appropriate corrective action for malfunctioning of computer system.

Special Payments to Clients                                                            Discretion A % 5 

• Evaluate health insurance policies to determine if they are cost effective in terms of paying premiums versus medical reimbursement to the client monthly.
• Evaluate MSA Special Needs Payment requests for Home Repairs & Household Furnishings.

Advocacy                                                                                           Discretion A % 5

• Act as a mediator for conflicts between staff and clients, clients, and vendors, such as medical providers, utility companies, landlords, etc., and conflicts with other resource agencies such as Social Security Administration, health care plans and legal issues.
• Decide through research if correct provisions were followed in the denial, termination, or reduction of benefits.
• Determine the merit of client complaint and course of action to resolve conflict.
• Be knowledgeable of community resources.
• Offer options to resolve conflict.
• Develop an unbiased rapport with staff/clients.
• Ascertain which programs, resources and agencies would best meet the clients’ needs.
• Determine the most cost-effective method of resolving client issues.
• Assess client needs that cannot be met by public assistance and health care programs and make referral to appropriate agencies.

Intake                                                                                                 Discretion A % 10

• Assess and explain technical and sensitive information to clients or other individuals. Determine initial eligibility for the public assistance programs in accordance with Federal, State, and County regulations.
• Conducts initial client assessment offering application forms to person (home or office), by phone, email, or written requests, explaining application procedures for the financial assistance programs.
• Conducts thorough investigative interviews with clients, vendors, and collateral contacts to obtain factual information and subsequently verifies the information in the office or clients’ home.
• Respond to emergent situations aggressively analyzing life threatening situations, needs, and issues, determining further services needed, such as: Social Services Intake, Law Enforcement, Public Health, emergency programs, expedited food support or referrals to other agencies.
• Explain agency services and other community programs and services appropriate such as Social Services, WIC, PMAP, Public Health, Child Support, SSI/RSDI Advocate, Fraud, Employment Services, food shelves, energy assistance, legal assistance, unemployment compensation, Work Force Centers, Veteran Services, and complete MFIP Overview.
• Interpret complex rules and regulations and explain to clients, agency staff, and community members.
• Determine initial eligibility for Financial Assistance programs. Meet processing standards and deadlines.  Opening the correct programs with accuracy in the various computer data systems.

Case Management                                                                            Discretion A % 10

• Process eligibility reviews, income reviews, vouchers, HRF’s, change report forms, addendums and status updates. Review for completeness and documentation.
• Process all changes in eligibility accurately and within program processing standards.
• Compose fraud referrals and appeal summaries. Provide expert testimony regarding public assistance programs and present case information in appeals, court hearings and trials.
• Facilitate integrated services with multi county departments and outside agencies to provide a seamless, holistic approach to case management.
• Conduct home visits to assess barriers to self-sufficiency.
• Participate and conduct multi-disciplinary staffing to assess client needs and strategies to assure integrated case planning.
• Interpret diagnostic assessments for possible severely persisted mental ill, severely emotionally disturbed, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities and other diagnosis to determine eligibility for exemptions, extensions, housing and income programs, and/or program benefits.
• Advocate and research problems for clientele such as, accessing medical treatment through prepaid medical assistance, straight medical assistance, medical transportation, dental services, housing problems, transportation issues, past due medical and/or past due bills.

Miscellaneous Services                                                                       Discretion A % 5

• Perform other work and special projects as assigned.
• Research and implement program policy.
• Provide back up and coverage for co-workers.
• Act as a resource for staff by maintaining a current knowledge, community resources, and referral process.
• Maintain a good working relationship with clientele, co-workers, and supervisor.
• Compose correspondence and reports.
• Assistance to trainees as necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to manage time and organize large volumes of work with deadlines.
• Skill to interpret and implement complex statute, rules, and duties.
• Considerable knowledge of principles and techniques of investigative interviews.
• Considerable knowledge of individual and group behavior.
• Considerable knowledge of social-economic factors, which promote stable family lie and understanding of the elements, which affect family security.
• Knowledge of relevant federal, state and local laws and regulation pertaining to social services.
• Work constructively with the agency and utilize appropriate resources and services.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to navigate a variety of computerized data systems and case management systems.
• Ability to make conceptually sound decisions.
• Ability to organize and coordinate job activities to make decisions and remain objective.
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations and analysis, and interpret financial documents such as IRS, insurance policies, true retirement accounts, etc.
• Knowledge of Social Security Administration and programs such as RSDI, SSI, SSDI, Medicare parts A, B, C, D 1619 AB status, etc.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to make objective decisions.
• Ability to analyze problems and assist in establishing procedures for their resolution.
• Ability to provide consultation and direction to financial staff.
• Ability to interpret legal documents, complex rules, manual materials and bulletins as they apply to income maintenance programs.

Desired Minimum Qualifications

Associate or Technical degree and considerable experience, or a combination of equivalent education and experience.

Special Qualifications

None

Tools and Equipment Used

Computer, copier, phone, fax, automobile, other miscellaneous equipment relative to position.

Working Conditions

The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands, physical agility, sensory requirements, and environmental exposures required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• This classification occasionally involves physical agility requirements such as: climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, pushing, pulling, repetitive motions and manual dexterity.
• Sensory requirements include standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; and hearing is required to receive detailed information through oral communication and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
• The noise level can range from moderately quiet in the office to loud and noisy in the field.

Applicants for appointment to this position will be required to submit a formal application and may be subject to rating of education and experience, oral interview and/or reference check, background investigation, criminal history check, drug testing.  Job related tests may be required of any applicant.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee as is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Salary : $32 - $42