Support Services Specialist jobs in California

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play, and learn! For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

The Department of Child Support Services is currently hiring for multiple permanent Child Support Specialist - I positions. This position provides you the opportunity to work for a county that thrives on working collaboratively and overcoming challenges. An ideal candidate will be a team player who wants to make a difference in their community and will embrace the positive culture we foster in this department. If you find satisfaction in accomplishing meaningful tasks, take pride in your work and enjoy continuous professional development you may just be the perfect fit.

To learn more about the Child Support Services Department please visit our website - Child Support Services.

Depending on area of assignment, telecommute options may be available after completion of the probationary period, subject to approval by the Appointing Authority.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Placer Public Employees Organization (PPEO) benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To interview, collect and record a variety of legal and related documents, including financial information from individuals involved in child support cases; to establish support obligation(s) including determining the ability to pay and resolving payment issues; to review cases and payment records for compliance; to prepare and produce court documents specific to child support obligations including payment and medical support; and to initiate remedial steps to assure compliance.

This is the entry level class in the Child Support Specialist series.  This class is distinguished from the journey level by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within this series.  Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters allocated to the journey level.  Since this class is typically used as a training class, employees may have only limited or no directly related work experience.  Employees work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Receives immediate supervision from the Child Support Supervisor and technical and functional supervision from a Senior Child Support Specialist.

• Conduct, respond to, or initiate personal and/or telephone interview with involved parties concerning child support matters; collect, review and verify information shown on application forms; maintain case files; draft letters to individuals and agencies to obtain information; contact persons or agencies for information regarding validity of case data and information pertinent to the whereabouts of parents; explain and initiate support agreements with parents and enforce existing support orders.
• Apply federal, state and local laws, ordinance, rules and procedures to secure current and delinquent child support payments.
• Compile background documentation and information; examine financial background and determine ability to pay; attempt to secure stipulated agreements..
• Prepare, complete and submit routine legal and related documentation and forms in order to establish and/or enforce court orders, including but not limited to orders of examination, contempt citations, writs of execution, wage assignments, summons, complaints, notice of motions and warrants.
• Locate parents by checking various sources such as current address, past and present employers, commercially prepared reference materials and services and other governmental agency data.
• Review cases, payment records and complaints concerning failure to provide child support and initiate remedial enforcement actions to assure compliance with court orders.
• Provide routine support to attorneys in preparation for court including, but not limited to, preparing guideline calculations, contacting parties in an attempt to reach agreements and ensuring their presence at court; attend court hearings and prepare, review and serve court orders.
• Utilize a variety of local and state-wide databases to locate parents and research information regarding assets, income, and liabilities.
• Receive and respond to questions regarding general child support laws, court orders, rules, regulations and policies.
• May be requested to assist with on-the-job training of newly hired staff regarding routine policies and procedures.
• Complete necessary financial instructions to initiate support processes; conduct audits to ensure correctness of financial information and payments; receive, research and respond to questions from customers.
• Follow appropriate procedures to protect the rights and confidentiality of parties.
• Prepare documentation in establishing paternity.
• Prepare daily logs and evidence for legal staff; review cases and make recommendations for appropriate legal actions; may testify in court regarding case records.
• Prepare correspondence and maintain files as necessary.
• Provide general information to the public; make referrals to appropriate agencies regarding enforcement of criminal and civil procedures, visitation and related domestic problems.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Two years of responsible journey level clerical experience that includes substantial public contact involving interviewing customers, obtaining financial and personal history information.  Experience preparing legal documents or performing collection duties is desirable.

Training:  Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Required License or Certificate:

• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.
• Correct English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Business letter writing.
• Principles and practices of customer service.
• Basic mathematical principles. 

Ability to:

• Learn proper interviewing techniques and applications.
• Continuously, review case documents related to child support activities; interview individuals or parties; identify necessary documentation needed per legal requirements; problem solve case status and developments; understand and interpret Department policies and procedures; explain operations to the public.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk and/or stand at counter for long periods of time.  Intermittently twist and reach office equipment; kneel or twist to retrieve files; write or use keyboard to communicate through written means; lift light weight. 
• Learn to plan and maintain adequate records and procedures.
• Learn to understand and apply complex laws and regulations affecting child support activities.
• Compose general correspondence and letters.
• Learn to work independently in the absence of direct supervision; effectively prioritize work and apply sound time management principles.
• Learn to analyze, evaluate and process customer information including financial data from an extensive case load while ensuring compliance with time frames and regulatory requirements.
• Perform mathematical calculations accurately and rapidly.
• Learn to complete and produce a variety of routine legal documents and forms as they relate to the establishment and enforcement of child support. 
• Learn to analyze situations quickly and objectively and to determine proper course of action.
• Learn to exercise problem-solving abilities with sound independent judgment.
• Type at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Operate a variety of office equipment including computer equipment, cameras with ancillary equipment, and other equipment.
• Maintain a calm and unbiased perspective when interviewing customers.
• Maintain strict confidentiality.
• Apply principles of customer service. 
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Written Examination (100%) - Testing Tentatively Scheduled for June 6, 2024 - June 10, 2024

After the posted filing deadline, qualified candidates will receive a notification via email when the examination is available. The online examination may include multiple choice, true/false, fill-in, matching, and/or essay type questions directly related to the required knowledge and abilities for this classification.

Note: Candidates will have approximately five (5) calendar days from the date of notification to complete the online examination. Only one attempt will be permitted.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification. For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Preciosa Ayala-Burkhardt, Administrative Technician, at payala@placer.ca.gov or (530) 886-4637.