Work Program Specialist I

This recruitment is being conducted to fill one Work Program Specialist I vacancy in the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office and to establish an eligible list which may be used to fill future vacancies.

Work Program Specialist I is the first level in the Work Program Specialist series. Incumbents demonstrate journey-level skill in dealing with inmates, site coordinators, and others, as well as in processing and maintaining inmate records.

Pre-Employment Drug Screening and Background: Potential new hires into this classification are required to successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen and a background investigation as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made unless the eligible has passed the drug screen and successfully completed the background process.  The County pays for the initial drug screen.

The following incentives and bonuses may be available for eligible new hires. Incentives and bonuses are subject to approval by Human Resources:

• Vacation Accrual Rate: San Joaquin County vacation accrual rate consistent with the candidate's total years of public service. 

• Sick Leave: Candidates leaving other employment may receive credit for actual non-reimbursable sick leave hours (up to 160 hours) from their last agency. Hours shall be subject to San Joaquin County's minimum sick leave cash out provisions.

• New Hire Retention Bonus:

$2,000 upon completion of first year equivalent employment (2,080 hours)

$1,000 upon completion of third year equivalent employment (6,240 hours)

$3,000 upon completion of sixth year equivalent employment (12,480 hours)

 

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. A completed application must be postmarked or received online by the final filing deadline.

NOTE: All correspondences relating to this recruitment will be delivered via e-mail. The e-mail account used will be the one provided on your employment application during time of submittal. Please be sure to check your e-mail often for updates. If you do not have an e-mail account on file, Human Resources will send you correspondences via US Mail.

Under general supervision, performs responsible interviewing, monitoring and clerical work in the inmate work furlough, alternative work and related programs; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3, of the Civil Service Rules.

• Interviews and screens work program applicants; determines initial eligibility following established guidelines; may contact employers, other agencies and others to process applicants and determine eligibility.
• Advises applicants of program requirements and procedures; counsels applicants and participants on their rights and responsibilities.
• Supervises work program participants; contacts site supervisors to verify participation; conducts site inspections and audits to monitor compliance with the program.
• Investigates violations of program regulations and procedures; prepares documents to return to custody participants who fail to comply with program regulations and procedures.
• Maintains program records and files; computes and collects fees; issues receipts; maintains statistical and financial records; prepares and types a variety of correspondence, forms, and reports.
• Operates a variety of equipment including calculators, typewriters and computer terminals.
• Gathers and processes information from a variety of sources; furnishes information to inmates and the public to promote the program.
• May act as lead worker over others.

Either: Two years of general clerical experience involving substantial public contact, one year of which must be at a level equivalent to Senior Office Assistant in San Joaquin County service.

Principles and techniques of interviewing; basic mathematics; principles and techniques of maintaining statistical and simple financial records; personal computer systems and office computer software; methods of locating and verifying information and of using source materials; language mechanics public relations techniques; general psychology; cultural and normal and abnormal human behavior; general procedures and practices of an inmate custodial facility.

Collect accurate information from interviews and correspondence; gather, record and evaluate information; read, understand and apply written regulations and other job related material; understand and follow oral and written instructions; review work for accuracy and procedural conformance; deal tactfully and firmly with hostile and anti-social clients; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; utilize advanced office procedures and equipment; ability to perform extensive keyboarding on one or more computer software programs; ability to input data at the rate of 40 words per minute.

Mobility – operation of a data entry device, repetitive motion, sitting for long periods, walking; occasional standing, pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, climbing; Lifting – frequently 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 30 pounds; Visual – constant good overall vision and reading/close-up work; frequent color perception and use of eye hand coordination; occasional use of depth perception and peripheral vision; Hearing/Talking – frequent hearing of normal speech, hearing/talking on the telephone, talking in person; Emotional/Psychological - frequent decision making, concentration, public contact, and potential contact with hostile individuals; Special Requirements – some assignments may require working weekends, nights, and/or occasional overtime; Environmental – occasional exposure to varied weather conditions.

San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Employees hired into this classification are members of a bargaining unit which is represented by SEIU Local 1021. 

Health Insurance:  San Joaquin County provides employees with a choice of three health plans:  a Kaiser Plan, a Select Plan, and a Premier Plan.  Employees pay a portion of the cost of the premium. Dependent coverage is also available. 

Dental Insurance:  The County provides employees with a choice of two dental plans:  Delta Dental and United Health Care-Select Managed Care Direct Compensation Plan.  There is no cost for employee only coverage in either plan; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

Vision Insurance:  The County provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP).  There is no cost for employee only coverage; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

For more detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Employee Benefits. 

Life Insurance:  The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows: 

 1 but less than 3 years of continuous service:                   $1,000
 3 but less than 5 years of continuous service:                   $3,000
 5 but less than 10 years of continuous service:                 $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more:                           $10,000 

Employee may purchase additional term life insurance at the group rate.

125 Flexible Benefits Plan:  This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan (Health Flexible Spending Account $2550 annual limit with a $500 carry over); and dependent care costs (Dependent Care Assistance Plan $5000 annual limit). 

Retirement Plan:  Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Law of 1937.  Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information.  NOTE:  If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Employees’ Retirement Act of 1937 or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.

Deferred Compensation:  The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $22,500 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less.  Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $30,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available.

Vacation:  Maximum earned vacation is 10 days each year up to 3 years; 15 days after 3 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years.

Holidays:  Effective July 1, 2017, all civil service status employees earn 14 paid holidays each year.  Please see the appopriate MOU for details regarding holidays, accruals, use, and cashability of accrued time.

Sick Leave:  12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation.  Sick leave incentive:  An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one- half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue.  The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year.

Bereavement Leave:  3 days of paid leave for the death of qualifying family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child.

Merit Salary Increase:  New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range.  After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step.

Job Sharing:  Employees may agree to job-share a position, subject to approval by a Department Head and the Director of Human Resources.

Educational Reimbursement Program:  Eligible employees may be reimbursed for career-related course work up to a maximum of $850 per fiscal year.  Eligible employees enrolled in an approved four (4) year College or University academic program may be reimbursed up to $800 per semester for a maximum of $1600 per fiscal year.

Parking Supplemental Downtown Stockton:  The County contributes up to $20 per pay period for employees who pay for parking and are assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area.

School Activities:  Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.