Job Description

If you are hired provisionally in this title, you must take and pass the Civil Service Exam, when it becomes available, to be eligible for continued employment.

Family Independence Administration’s provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency via essential and diverse programs/services, such as: temporary cash assistance, SNAP, childcare, eviction prevention services, adult protective services, job training, employment plans/support, domestic violence assistance, child support enforcement, etc.

The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency via essential and diverse programs/services, such as: temporary cash assistance, supplemental nutrition assistance (also known as SNAP), child care, eviction prevention services, adult protective services, job training, employment plans/support, domestic violence assistance, child support enforcement, etc. The employees of the Family Independence Administration (FIA) help provide unique individual services to eligible New Yorkers aimed toward the achievement of long-term self-sufficiency.

The Division of Job Support Services provides temporary cash assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and public health insurance benefits to individuals and families who reside within the five boroughs of New York City. Job Center staff determines and monitors clients’ eligibility for assistance which brings resources to people to help them move toward self-sufficiency.


The Family Independence Administration (FIA) is recruiting for eleven (11) Benefits Opportunity Specialists, to function as Case Managers, who will:

- Discuss, in a center, in assigned location, over the telephone, or participant’s home, cash
assistance eligibility requirements, conduct an interview, advise on the various benefits that may
be available to an applicant or participant, request necessary eligibility documents, alternative to
temporary cash assistance, elicit and record information concerning responsible relatives who may
provide financial support and/or other supportive services; makes appropriate eligibility referrals,
including referrals for eligibility verification, referrals for child support, employment/education services
through discussion of participants and other household members’ educational and employment
background.

- Direct participants/clients to employment services for job search, training, and placement.

- Discuss barriers to employment and refer clients to additional services needed to remove these
barriers; link participants to childcare, substance use screening and services, medical and/or other
services, as appropriate. Initiate sanctions for clients who fail to meet their obligations. Ensure that
supportive services are in place to allow clients to successful complete their employment/
engagement appointments.

- Screen applicants to determine whether an emergency need for cash, SNAP and/or medical
assistance is apparent, or whether applicants may be assisted on a non-emergency basis, direct
applicants through appropriate channels accordingly. Interview applicants in crisis, determine
nature and extent of need; provides emergency assistance.

- Interview applicants to establish eligibility for assistance; elicit and record information concerning
family composition, income, financial and other resources, employment history, responsible
relatives, status of children, citizenship, and other relevant information.

- Describe the various services provided by the Agency, as well as the rules and regulations policies
governing acceptance for and continuance of public assistance and other services; elicit and answer
questions.

- Review available information and assesses current and/or potential financial resources, such as
saving accounts, trust funds, property/real estate, insurance, securities, motor vehicles, as directed
by agency policies related to financial eligibility.

- Make separate eligibility determinations for cash, SNAP and/or medical assistance; make financial
calculations to determine cash assistance levels, include financial resources of the participants/
clients in these calculations and forward to supervisor for approval.

- Make manual and system driven, as well as written referrals; keep and update client records using
agency tools and resources that operate in the Agency’s system(s) of record and/or make computer
entries; ensure that all records are complete and accurate and include all necessary documentation.



Work Locations:
Various work locations

Hours/Schedule:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and two years of full time satisfactory experience in social/human services, call centers, customer
service or a related setting performing the following:
a) Interviewing, determining eligibility for, and/or providing client benefits and
services; or
b) Interviewing, determining eligibility for, and/or providing employment
planning and counseling services including job development, skill
assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity
programming.
c) College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this
experience, on the basis pf 30 semester credits for 6 months of work
experience.