Labor Department Community Services Representative

Are you looking to take the next step in your career? Are you driven and motivated to making a positive impact?  If so, we invite you to read on and learn more about this exciting opportunity!   

The State of Connecticut, Department of Labor (DOL) is currently seeking Labor Department Community Services Representatives to join our team within the Consumer Contact Center.  

You will discover the opportunity to:

• Engage in a rewarding career;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting environment;
• Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do;
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.  

Position Highlights:

• Monday – Friday
• 8:00am – 4:30pm
• 40 hours per week
• Hybrid telework schedule available
• Location: Wethersfield, CT
• May be required to travel to the Department of Labor’s Wethersfield location for operational needs and training.  

The Role:  

In the Consumer Contact Center, this position serves as a front-line service provider for all services necessary for the determination of monetary eligibility for Unemployment Compensation benefits.

Job duties include, but are not limited to:  

• Provides technical assistance and consultation re: Claim Intake, Weekly Certification and troubleshooting of accounts.
• Intake of New Claim, Weekly Certification and unlocking of user accounts.
• Vast Knowledge of Unemployment Compensations laws and procedures.
• Obtain and verify data; apply federal and/or state laws and guidelines.
• Perform basic technical tasks within Consumer Contact Center; investigate issues and makes initial decisions.
• Correspond with claimants on a variety of matters related to Unemployment Compensation claims; provide technical support in pertinent areas; create, update, and maintain claim management files in Salesforce Lightning.

About Us:

We are committed to protecting and promoting the interests of Connecticut workers. In order to accomplish this in an ever-changing environment, we assist workers and employers to become competitive in the global economy.  We take a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of workers and employers, and the other agencies that serve them.  We ensure the supply of high-quality integrated services that serve the needs of our customers.  

We hope you take this opportunity to continue your career with us and make an impact by serving your state!

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.   

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.   

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.

 If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

In the Department of Labor this class is accountable for providing client services in the areas of unemployment compensation, assessment of clients needs, placement of workers and employer services; in the Central Office this class is accountable for performing basic technical tasks in the following functional areas: claims examination, benefit payment control and merit rating.

• Knowledge of
  • job service, unemployment compensation and employment and training laws, regulations, policies and procedures;
  • interviewing techniques and principles;
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
  • analytical skills;
• Ability to
  • make decisions;
  • establish cooperative relationships with staff, employers, diverse client population and the public;
  • use automated systems;
  • maintain good public relations;
  • understand, apply and explain relevant laws, regulations, policies, programs and procedures;
  • create and maintain case management records.

Five (5) years of technical level experience in counseling, employment placement, public contact work, human service programs, community action programs, Job Service, Unemployment Insurance or Employment and Training functions.

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• For state employees, two (2) years of experience as a Social Services Trainee with the target class of Labor Department Community Services Representative may be substituted for the General Experience.
• For state employees, two (2) years of experience as an Employment Security Intermittent Interviewer may be substituted for the General Experience.
• Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.

• Experience with unemployment compensation programs and procedures.  
• Experience with Salesforce Lightning application, case acceptance, case creation and case resolution.  
• Experience with Microsoft products including – Word, Outlook, Excel, and Teams.  
• Experience with ReEmployCT application, claim intake, troubleshooting claim, weekly claim processing, and unlocking accounts.  
• Bi-lingual to understand and converse with Spanish speaking individuals.  
• Experience speaking and writing clearly and concisely both in English and Spanish or any other languages. 

• Incumbents in this class assigned to veterans program positions will be required to meet the qualifications set forth in Title 38, i.e. must be veterans, preferably disabled veterans, or other qualified, eligible persons. Any employee who bumps a Labor Department Community Service Representative in a veterans program position must meet the eligibility requirements under Title 38.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to speak a foreign language.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.