Administrative Specialist I

The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. The department works with local, regional, national and international organizations to fulfill its mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians.

The Department connects businesses with the site locations, workforce and infrastructure they need to succeed in one of the nation's top states for business. We also connect local communities with the grants and funding they need to attract new business and ensure future prosperity.

This position serves as a key administrative and case-processing support role for the Appeals section. The employee ensures appeals are properly reviewed, scheduled, documented, and prepared for hearings, while exercising independent judgment and maintaining compliance with applicable laws, procedures, and deadlines.

This individual is responsible for processing, validating, and scheduling unemployment insurance (UI) appeals so Appeals Referees can conduct hearings. The position handles appeals received electronically through the system as well as those submitted by email, fax, and mail.

Key responsibilities include:

• Reviewing and validating appeals to determine whether they meet applicable laws, rules, and procedures before scheduling.
• Processing and scheduling hearings, including continuance requests, while ensuring proper notice is provided to all parties.
• Managing case timelines and ensuring federally mandated case-aging requirements are met.
• Routing correspondence and documents to the appropriate sections within the Division of Employment Security (DES).
• Preparing appeal case files by locating, organizing, reviewing, and assigning necessary documents for Appeals Referees.
• Using electronic document systems, such as DocViewer and NCUI Benefits, to retrieve and manage case records.
• Reviewing documents independently, including determining which documents should be included, excluded, or redacted.
• Researching electronic records to ensure the appeal file contains a complete and accurate record.
• Communicating and distributing case documents to Appeals Referees, managers, hearing parties, attorneys, and authorized representatives by email or fax.
• Processing unidentified or improperly submitted appeal documents and assisting other staff with delegated assignments.
• Working with the Board of Review and DES Legal Services when cases involve higher-level appeals from Appeals Referee decisions.
• Handling special projects and other UI-related assignments as directed by management.
• Maintaining professional communication with Appeals Referees, managers, DES employees, claimants, employers, attorneys, and other parties.

The posting will close and stop accepting applications at 11:59 pm on the night prior to the closing date posted above.

The Division of Employment Security is responsible for the administration of the unemployment insurance program in the state of North Carolina.  This program is a federal-state partnership, funded by federal and state

unemployment taxes, which employers pay on the wages of their employees.  Benefits are paid to eligible workers who lose their job through no fault of their own and are able, available, and actively seeking work.

The Appeals Section of the Division of Employment Security provides the “hearing of record” on contested claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, allowing aggrieved appellants and relevant, associated appellees a quasi-judicial, neutral appellate tribunal for a decision on the facts of their case and the legal entitlement to benefits based on those facts and the associated liability for benefits paid, as required by state and federal law.

Appeals heard by the Appeals Section include qualification or eligibility for UI benefits; appeals of fraud and non-fraud overpayments; misrepresentation; federal programs including Disaster Unemployment Assistance, TRA and TAA; denials of claim withdrawals; and petitions for relief of benefit charges. The Appeals Section receives, validates and schedules appeals to first-level agency decisions, and is composed of management, Appeals Referees and administrative support staff.

• Knowledge of office or work unit procedures, methods and practices.
• Demonstrated experience explaining and interpreting information to clients/customers and staff.
• Demonstrated experience performing a high volume of detailed oriented and repetitive work under strict time guidelines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in order to interact with the public

We value our employees and offer a wide variety of competitive and family-friendly benefits. Benefits to include:

·       12 Annual Paid Holidays and monthly accrual of vacation and sick leave 

·       North Carolina State Health Plan administered by Aetna 

·       Supplemental Benefits including Flexible Spending Accounts, Accident Insurance, Cancer & Specified Disease, Critical Illness, Dental, and Vision 

·       NC State Retirement (TSERS), 401(k), and 457 savings plans

·       WeSave Employee Discounts

·       Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Learn more about new hire resources, safety, health, and wellness information, leave options, employee discounts and more by selecting the benefits link.

It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive information. Please make sure you complete the application in full.  Information should be provided in the appropriate areas to include all work experience, the beginning and ending dates of jobs worked, education with the graduation date, and certificates/licenses.  Any information omitted from the application cannot be considered in screening for qualifying credit.  Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

If applicants earned a foreign degree, foreign degrees require an official evaluation for U.S. equivalency and must be submitted to Human Resources for verification. There are several organizations that perform this specialized service, feel free to use any service of your choosing. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options on their website that can provide credential verification. 

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.