Position Description

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING
Position Number: 00122097	Description Activated On: 7/7/2026 3:56:27 PM

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively.

Advanced legal clerical work in the review, analysis and processing of appeals from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and PA Department of Aging actions, and review and preparation of related legal documents and correspondence. Ensures appeals are processed timely and in compliance with regulations. Provides legal clerical support for Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) in DHS’s Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA). Acts as a lead worker to Legal Assistant 1 classification employees.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.

1. Reviews and analyzes appeals for compliance with procedural regulations. Applies procedural regulations to make recommendations for appeals.

2. Computes Interim Relief (I.R.) due dates. Adjusts IR due date according to regulation when delay is caused by the Appellant. Tracks deadlines and prioritizes work to ensure timely processing of appeals.

3. Does all the master scheduling (i.e., setting the ALJ schedules). Assigns the scheduling packets to the LA1s. Determines venues and hearing dates in accordance with deadlines and Bureau needs; drafts Hearing Scheduling, Rescheduling and Continuance Orders as appropriate; determines the parties who require notification, as well as any appropriate enclosures, and timely sends appropriate notice. Contacts parties, legal counsel and physicians for Formal appeals and Doe appeals as well as recipient and Provider appeals (when applicable) to determine availability prior to scheduling the hearing date.

4. Schedules face-to-face interpreters.

5. Processes Formal, Provider and recipient appeals in the electronic database.

6. Prepares Rules to Show Cause, Subpoenas, Orders and other legal documents for signature of Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), Regional Manager, and/or the Chief ALJ. Reviews and proofreads documents prepared by Legal Assistant 1 staff and ALJs.

7. Reviews ALJs’ adjudications for inconsistencies in regulations and/or errors and makes recommendations for changes; reviews and makes changes to formats and mails the documents. Uploads final adjudications and stipulations to the appropriate electronic systems.

8. Acts as Liaison between the ALJs and the parties to hearings and their legal counsel and representatives. Independently handles written and telephone inquiries to prevent ex parte communication. Protects confidential information.

9. Maintains a master calendar of the Region’s scheduled hearings and ensures that the parties to appeals are not scheduled for overlapping hearings. Determines when a change of hearing venue is appropriate and processes changes of venue.

10. Determines disposition codes and enters disposition information in the Bureau databases.

11. Makes recommendations to the Legal Assistant Supervisor regarding Legal Assistant 1 assignments.

12. In the absence of an LA-1, will serve as back-up for the LA-1 assignments.

13. Makes decisions regarding the distribution and reallocation of Legal Assistant 1 work to ensure timely processing of appeals in compliance with regulations as well as telephone/desk coverage, and follows up with the supervisor. Equalizes work due to employee absence and/or among BHA site locations. Determines when the region needs to send work to the temporary staff/and LA’s in Harrisburg.

14. Maintains files of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) translated documents by language, and determines when additional translations of documents are required. Forwards LEP shell documents translations to be uploaded to the S-drive.

15. Knowledge of the content of procedures regulations at 1 Pa. Code and 55 Pa. Code Chapter 275. Ability to locate substantive regulations in the Pa. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and conduct legal research as assigned.

16. Assists the Legal Assistant Supervisor with training of new Legal Assistant 1 staff, and answers questions for both the LA1s and as a back-up to the Legal Assistant supervisor answering questions from the Department; updates and maintains a Legal Assistant training manual and Formals training handbook.

17. Keeps and updates the Formal stays and tasks. Checks the Formal calendar for correct dates.

18. Operates the following office equipment: videoconferencing equipment, personal computer, printer, fax machine, shredder, date and time stamp, copier, scanner, postage meter, tape recorder, digital recording device and multi-line telephone and the following software programs: Microsoft (MS) Windows Word, Access, Excel, Outlook, Lexis Nexis, electronic case management, and Docushare.

19. Knowledge of closed files and Non-CAO process and processes for reception desk operation to include proper handling of telephone calls, greeting parties who appear face-to-face in the office, incoming mail, appeal processing, out-going mail for all delivery vendors, to include interoffice envelopes, and being able to do certified mail. Able to cover for absent employees as necessary and to do overflow work as assigned.

20. Protects confidential from non-authorized individuals/entities. Ensures that documents, discs, etc containing protected information that are ready for disposal are shredded or otherwise properly handled.

21. Performs other duties when requested as Bureau needs require.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

Reviews and analyzes incoming appeals for compliance with procedural regulations. Makes recommendations for the dismissal of non-compliant appeals. Reviews correspondence and legal documents to determine the issue on appeal then forwards, handles, responds or files as appropriate. Computes and adjusts deadlines, prioritizes work and provides appropriate reminders to Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) to ensure the timely processing of appeals. Assigns and redistributes work to Legal Assistant 1 staff to ensure timeliness. Maintains a master calendar of the Region’s scheduled hearings and ensures that the parties to appeals are not scheduled for overlapping hearings. Determines when a change of hearing venue is appropriate and processes change of venue. Makes recommendations to the Legal Assistant Supervisor regarding the assignment of Legal Assistant 1 staff to ALJs. Provides training to new Legal Assistant 1 staff and maintains a Legal Assistant training manual and Formals training handbook. Determines the parties who require notification of hearing, withdrawal, reschedule and disposition of appeals. Makes recommendations to ALJs to grant or deny continuances/reschedules. Independently handles inquiries from parties to prevent ex parte communication. Protects confidential information. Reviews Adjudications for inconsistencies and/or errors and brings them to the attention of the supervisor or assigned ALJ. Analyzes appeals for Limited English Proficiency (LEP), documents LEP, schedules interpreters and requests translation of documents as appropriate. Maintains files of LEP translated documents and determines when additional translations of documents are required.

Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License

Experience:

Licenses, registrations, or certifications:

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2.   N/A

3.   N/A

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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.

1.	Reviews and analyzes appeals for compliance with procedural regulations, and makes recommendations for dismissal of non-compliant appeals.
2.	Computes, adjusts and tracks deadlines and keeps and updates the Formal stays and tasks.
3.	Maintains master calendar; schedules hearings; recommends changes; does master scheduling (setting the ALJ schedules), recipient, ADH, DOE, Provider.
4.	Independently handles written and telephone inquiries.
5.	Determines disposition codes.
6.	Edits and prepares documents such as Rules to Show Cause, Subpoenas, Orders and correspondence for ALJ signature.
7.	Assesses for LEP and documents findings; determines when additional translations are needed and schedules face-to-face interpreters.
8.	Functions as a Lead Worker and assigns the scheduling packets to the LA1s.
9.	Determines the parties who require notification; notifies parties of scheduled hearings, reschedules and disposition of appeals.
10.	Knowledge of the regulations at 1 PA Code and 55 PA Code Chapter 275. Ability to locate regulations in the PA Code. Conduct legal research as assigned