10/01/1984 40120

INCOME MAINTENANCE EXAMINER

DEFINITION: This is technical work examining and evaluating County Assistance Offices' (CAO) implementation of Federal and state income maintenance programs, polices and procedures.

Employees in this class are responsible for using Federal or state program evaluation criteria to systematically evaluate eligibility determinations and benefit payments. Employees evaluate eligibility determinations as recorded in County Assistance Office case records against requirements of Federal or state program policy and operational procedures. Work may involve evaluating OIM program policy against State Plan requirements and/or the Code of Federal Regulations requirements. Work may also involve evaluating banks' operational procedures related to issuance of food stamps, or CAOs experiencing operational or programmatic problems. Employees independently schedule and conduct review of CAO case records and automated files to identify deficiencies and/or problems in CAO functions. Employees identify or clarify problems and errors and their causes by applying Federal, state, and departmental standards; evaluate these problems and errors and code the findings to develop conclusions for corrective actions or for further statistical and interpretive analyses. Supervision is provided by an examiner supervisor who explains and controls general policies and procedures and critiques and edits submitted reports.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Systematically evaluates eligibility determinations and benefit payments issued by CAOs against requirements of program policy and operational procedures issued by Federal and state laws and regulations.

Interviews collateral contacts such as employers, landlords, courthouse officials, and other private or governmental contacts to obtain information and verifications; may initiate other contacts in order to develop verification or information for investigative findings.

Interviews benefit recipients in their homes to substantiate or verify the accuracy of recipient provided case record information.

Identifies eligibility and payment errors measured against program policies and operational procedures and evaluates findings to develop conclusions for corrective actions or to code forms for further statistical and interpretive analyses; clarifies policy or procedural misunderstandings with CAO staff.

Reviews CAOs, banks, or other service providers' administrative or operational procedures; interviews workers, observes procedures, and evaluates logs, records, and reports; and may make recommendations for corrective action.

Analyzes findings in order to prepare written reports detailing program deficiencies for CAO corrective action and prepares informational memoranda outlining policy or procedural misinterpretations which may not be program deficiencies but which need correction.

Assists supervisory or management staff in resolving program deficiency through discussion or written communications with CAO or OIM staff.

Assists in the development of data gathering forms necessary to evaluate CAO performance; assists in pilot testing of new evaluation procedures; and makes recommendations regarding retention or discontinuance of evaluation procedures and reporting.

Travels to work locations, i.e., CAOs, collateral contacts, benefit recipient homes, banks, or service provider sites in order to obtain or verify information.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of Federal, state and Departmental policies, procedures and regulations governing eligibility determination in income maintenance programs.

Knowledge of the principles and techniques in conducting interviews and investigations.

Ability to interpret policy in order to determine eligibility for the various income maintenance programs.

Ability to learn to select, interpret and apply various program evaluation criteria against income maintenance programs.

Ability to examine and evaluate manual and automated files.

Ability to analyze information from various sources and learn to encode that information onto statistical worksheets, forms, or into narrative form.

Ability to learn the Federal and state policies and procedures related to examination and evaluation criteria and Federal reporting requirements.

Ability to interpret income maintenance program policies, procedures and regulations.

Ability to travel to and from work locations.

Ability to establish positive relationships with clients, associates and the public.

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Three years of experience in determining eligibility for multi-function financial and related income maintenance programs in a County Assistance Office;

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Any equivalent combination of experience and training.