JOB TITLE: CORRECTIONS EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL ASSISTANT

JOB CODE: 47130

DEFINITION: This is para-professional work in providing employment and skills development opportunities to inmates in a state correctional facility.

An employee in this job performs limited technical duties assisting the facility’s Corrections Employment and Vocational Coordinator. Work involves constructive face-to-face interviews with inmates to review employment opportunities and job assignments to facilitate the vocational/technical training and employment of the inmates, to resolve payroll problems, and interaction with other facility staff related to those areas. Work includes reviewing reports and recommendations prepared by psychological, educational, medical, caseworkers, and other facility personnel to determine inmates' suitability for employment; interacting with treatment staff to assess the physical and psychological conditions of inmates and the impact on their job assignments; and providing information regarding occupational opportunities and job performance to members of the facility's Support Team and Initial Reception Committee. Work may also include functioning as a lead worker for clerical support staff. Regularly assigned duties are performed with considerable independence. General supervision is provided by a Corrections Employment and Vocational Coordinator through direct observation, conferences, and review of the completed work.

   DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

     • Work is differentiated from the clerical series by involvement in the fundamental aspects of the inmate placement process within the correctional facility’s Employment and Vocational Coordinator’s office.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (Note: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples):

• Reviews reports and recommendations prepared by treatment staff to determine if inmates are suitable for assignment to specific types of jobs.

• Identifies inmates who meet established criteria for clearance for jobs outside the perimeter, and researches inmates' files and discusses their potential for consideration for outside clearance.

• Assists the Corrections Employment and Vocational Coordinator in assigning cells to inmates and making changes to cell assignments, and produces housing rosters.

• Assists the Corrections Employment and Vocational Coordinator in assigning inmates to jobs and writing job descriptions to create new work assignments for the employment of inmates.

• Provides information to members of the facility's Support Team concerning inmates' work performance and recommended employment changes.

• Provides information to members of the facility's Initial Reception Committee regarding occupational opportunities.

• Receives and responds to inmate requests and inquiries from staff related to employment and training opportunities, assignments, and problems.

• Conducts interviews with inmates to resolve payroll problems and review job opportunities.

• Conducts pre-release interviews with inmates to discuss their employment record and payroll issues.

• Distributes payroll forms to inmate workers' supervisors for completion.

• Trains inmate workers’ supervisors on proper procedures for completion of inmate payroll forms.

• Reviews completed inmate payroll and pay raise forms and enters information into the automated Inmate Information Compensation System (IICS).

• Maintains records of inmates' employment histories and work and training progress reports.

• Monitors the daily movement of inmates to include job changes, housing block moves, custody level changes, and transfers and produces and distributes the daily "move sheets."

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.

• Ability to operate a personal computer and related software.

• Ability to analyze and interpret data.

• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities.):

• Three years of clerical experience;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.