Child Support Specialist I/II/III - County of Shasta, CA : Job Details

Salary : $41,280.00 - $62,496.00 AnnuallyLocation : 96001, CAJob Type: Full-Time RegularJob Number: 1101-3_CSS_121224Department: Child Support Services DepartmentOpening Date: 12/17/2024Closing Date: 1/17/2025 12:00 PM PacificTHE CURRENT VACANCY IS IN THE SHASTA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICESWRITTEN EXAM IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 2025SEE SPECIAL REQUIREMENT SECTION REGARDING POSSESSION OF A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE RESPONSES TO SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS REQUIREDFINAL FILING DATE: JANUARY 17, 2025 AT 12:00 PMSALARY INFORMATIONChild Support Specialist I: $3,440 - $4,390 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $19.85 - $25.33 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*Child Support Specialist II: $3,886 - $4,960 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $22.42 - $28.61 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*Child Support Specialist III: $4,080 - $5,208 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $23.54 - $30.05 APPROXIMATE HOURLY**Please refer to the appropriate Bargaining Unit Memorandum of Understanding for potential future salary increases* Please visit ABOUT SHASTA COUNTYShasta County offers all the amenities of the big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and excellent quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTThe Department of Child Support Services establishes paternity; locates absent parents; establishes child support orders; and enforces child support and linked spousal support obligations.ABOUT THE POSITIONChild Support Specialist I/II: Performs a wide variety of child support duties consisting of maintaining a caseload, locating and interviewing custodial and non-custodial parents and others to elicit factual information for the purpose of establishing child support obligations and enforcing child support laws; arranges for support payments when possible; prepares cases for court hearings as necessary; and performs related work as required.Child Support Specialist III: Under limited supervision, the Child Support Specialist III performs a wide variety of child support duties involving the more difficult and/or sensitive cases; performs special assignments; maintains a caseload; acts as a senior case manager and performs related work as required.DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICSChild Support Specialist I: Working under close supervision, Child Support Specialist I is the entry/trainee level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees in this class receive in-service training and are given detailed instructions in the performance of duties related to child support laws, regulations, and a broad range of child support casework activities. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility are exercised. Employees are expected to promote to Child Support Specialist II after one (1) year of satisfactory performance at the entry/trainee level.Child Support Specialist II: Working under general supervision, Child Support Specialist II is the journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees at this level are expected to perform a broad range of child support casework from intake to establishment, enforcement, and case closure. Within legal requirements and departmental policies and procedures, incumbents operate with considerable independence and must exercise discretion and judgment in evaluating cases and determining the level of support and the methods of enforcement. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower level of Child Support Specialist I, or if filled from the outside, require prior related experience. Child Support Specialist II differs from the higher class of Child Support Specialist III in that the latter is the advanced journey level, and incumbents exercise detailed subject knowledge of a specific program area or specialized department system.Child Support Specialist III: The Child Support Specialist III is the advanced journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Incumbents exercise detailed subject matter knowledge of a specific program area or specialized system inherent to the operations of the department. Child Support Specialist III may provide lead worker assistance in the absence of the Child Support Specialist IV.Positions in this class differ from those in the class of Child Support Specialist II by the assignment of complex, sensitive or confidential cases requiring advanced technical skills. Incumbents may assist in training lower-level Child Support Specialists and may assist with special projects such as audits and/or quality control reviews.Child Support Specialist III differs from the next higher class of Child Support Specialist IV in that the latter serves as a lead worker of a unit of Child Support Specialists.IDEAL CANDIDATEThe ideal candidate for the position of Child Support Specialist I/II/III is a goal-oriented individual, who effectively communicates, both verbally and in writing, to customers, coworkers, members of the public, and other outside entities. The ideal candidate must display a positive, professional demeanor at all times and is dependable and willing to perform, within the scope of the job description, a variety of tasks and potentially changing job assignments. Shasta County Child Support Services' core values are Respect, Integrity, Service, Responsibility, and Communication. All employees are expected to follow these five tenants of behavior. EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIESChild Support Specialist I/II:Duties for the Child Support Specialist I and II may include, but are not limited to the following: Manages a general caseload consisting of child support legal actions and the establishment, enforcement and collection of child support payment obligations based on established guidelines; coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys; develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity; uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating information on custodial and non-custodial parents' assets, income, and liabilities; evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines; responds to general inquiries and explains general child support laws, court orders, rules, regulations, and policies to public and staff; participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action; prepares and processes legal documents necessary for the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support obligations; documents and updates customer information, contact information, case actions/history logs, and records using a state-wide automated system; provides case status information, explains the complaint resolution process, and answers case specific questions for all involved parties ensuring the verbiage used cannot be interpreted as legal advice; applies federal, state, and local codes, procedures, and rules in establishing and processing child support cases; coordinates and/or conducts genetic tests when needed; performs related duties as assigned, including support in new hire induction training and peer mentoring.Child Support Specialist III:Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Analyzes and evaluates the more difficult and sensitive cases; coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys; coordinates and/or conducts genetic tests when needed; uses a variety of methods and procedures for locating absent parents; develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity; evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines; participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action; assists or acts as a primary resource to Child Support Attorney; attends court hearings to obtain payments and to testify to financial or case matters; prepares and processes legal documents necessary for the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations; provides guidance to Child Support Specialists as a technical expert; may assist with reviews of lower level cases for quality control, audit, and/or training purposes; researches, may contribute to the development of trainings for new and existing staff, uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating absent parents, including contacting other agencies, utilizing databases and web-based searches; may perform State mandated functions, including but not limited to: ombudsperson, customer and community outreach, quality assurance and program improvement, training, and performs related duties as assigned, including developing and presenting new hire induction training and peer mentor. TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONSChild Support Specialist I:Knowledge of: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two (2) levels in the Definition section.Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment, and enforcement of child support obligations; sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities; techniques and methods for establishing paternity; Child Support specific collection methods and techniques; legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public; when and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner; the structure and content of the English language; basic mathematics and business arithmetic, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, and decimals.Ability to: Apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases; explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds; use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person; use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile; collect DNA samples to establish paternity; use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people; understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations; compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation; organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction; exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties; maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information; establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public; be flexible and supportive of change; prioritize multiple assignments having conflicting deadlines; effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.These standards are typically attained with EITHER two (2) years of full-time clerical experience which included interaction with the public; OR one (1) year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information; OR completion of sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units of college. Child Support Specialist II:Knowledge of: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two levels in the Definition section.Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment, and enforcement of child support obligations; sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities; techniques and methods for establishing paternity; Child Support specific collection methods and techniques; legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public; when and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner; the structure and content of the English language; basic mathematics and business arithmetic, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percentages, and decimals.Ability to: Apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases; explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds; use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person; use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile; collect DNA samples to establish paternity; use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people; understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations; compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation; organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction; exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties; maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information; establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public; be flexible and supportive of change; prioritize multiple assignments having conflicting deadlines; effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.These standards are typically attained with one (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist I in a state or local government agency. Child Support Specialist III: Knowledge of: Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations; effective investigative principles, research, techniques, and procedures to obtain information for child support cases; sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities; techniques and methods for establishing paternity; Child Support specific collection methods and techniques; legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public; when and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner.Ability to: Apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases; explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds; use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person; use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile; use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people; understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations; compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation; organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction; exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties; be flexible and supportive of change; assist and train newly assigned staff; maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information; promote harmony, good morale, establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public; effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.These standards are typically attained with one (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Specialist II in a state or local government agency.SPECIAL REQUIREMENTSome positions may require possession of special language proficiency as a bona fide qualifications standard. In these cases, candidates must demonstrate that they possess the required skills. Some positions in this classification may require possession of a valid California driver's license. Employees who drive on County business to carry out job-related duties must possess a valid California driver's license for the class of vehicle driven and meet automobile insurability requirements of the County. Eligibility for employment for those who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the appointing authority.SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONSResponses to the following must be submitted with a completed application.

Do you possess two (2) years of full-time clerical experience which included interaction with the public? If yes, please describe your clerical experience and interaction with the public including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type N/A .

Do you possess one (1) year of full-time experience performing debt collections duties which included interviewing others for the purpose of collecting information? If yes, please describe your experience including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type N/A .

Do you possess one (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to a Child Support Assistant I or Office Assistant II in a Child Support Services Department? If yes, please describe your experience including the number of years and with which organization. If no, please type N/A .

Have you completed sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units of college? Yes/ No

If yes, please list the courses and number of units. If no, please type N/A .

I understand that I will be privy to highly confidential information and misuse of such information is subject to criminal and civil actions and/or termination of employment. Yes/ No

I am willing to make decisions and recommendations that affect the lives of children and families. Yes/ No

I am willing to testify in court before judges, attorneys, and families. Yes/ No

I am willing to work with customers that may be in a highly emotional state. Yes/ No

I am willing to collect DNA samples, while following safety procedures, by swabbing the inside of customers' mouths. Yes/ No

I am willing to maintain the confidentiality of all child support customers. Yes/ No

I am willing and able to display empathy when appropriate, while maintaining professional boundaries. Yes/ No

I am willing to meet multiple deadlines and perform work under time-sensitive mandates. Yes/ No

I am willing to work in an environment where my actions and work product will impact the lives of customers and their families, both emotionally and financially. Yes/ No

I am willing to make debt collection calls to individuals who owe child support. Yes/ No

I am willing to take actions, such as attaching wages of noncustodial parents, impacting customers' credit ratings, intercepting state and federal tax returns, and revoking driver's licenses, in an effort to collect child support payments. Yes/ No

I am willing to accept customers' differences and interact with them in a non-judgmental manner. Yes/ No

I am willing to work in a high-volume work environment carrying a large caseload that is heavily deadline driven. Yes/ No

I am willing and have the ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize, and plan my work. Yes/ No

I am willing to work in a team environment while maintaining collaborative and effective working relationships. Yes/ No

I understand that my core responsibility is the establishment of paternity and child support orders, including enforcement and collection of child support money. Yes/ No

I understand that my work environment requires the ability to sit for long periods of time while working on a computer or telephone. Yes/ No

I understand that a Child Support case manager is not a social worker position. Yes/ No

I understand that a Child Support case manager does not interact with children. Yes/ No

I understand that the Department of Child Support Services is not Child Protective Services. Yes/ No

Do you possess working knowledge of accounting and audit procedures? Yes/ No

Do you have the ability to read, speak, and write Spanish, in addition to English? Yes/ No

I acknowledge that this position does require a valid California driver's license. Yes / No

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENTThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• All new employees are required to have their paycheck directly deposited to a bank account.
• Some positions may require a valid California driver's license and acceptable driving record according to County policy.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for those persons who are disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act to perform the essential functions of the position.
• As part of the selection process, all individuals provided with a preliminary offer of employment with Shasta County will be subject to a background investigation, including a criminal history check (primarily completed through the taking of fingerprints). An image of your fingerprints will be captured and sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history, (if any), will be evaluated along with the other information received in connection with your application. Except as otherwise required by law, a criminal conviction will not necessarily disqualify you from the position. The nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the surrounding circumstances, and the relevance of the offense to the position applied for may, however, be considered.
• Based on the results of the background investigation and criminal history check, applicants may then be provided with an offer of employment conditioned on the results of a medical examination, which includes drug/alcohol testing.

• Shasta County participates in E-Verify. For more information visit If you do not have internet access, contact Personnel at (530) ###-#### to request a flyer.

• In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, County employees, in the event of a disaster are considered disaster workers and may be asked to respond accordingly.
• Positions in this classification are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the County and the United Public Employees of California - General Unit.

• Employees in this classification are covered under the CalPERS retirement program. Depending on the provisions of the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) and other applicable laws, an employee in this classification will be covered under one of the following CalPERS retirement formulas: (1) 2% at 55, (2) 2% at 60, or (3) 2% at 62. An employee in this classification will also contribute up to 9.5% his/her pay to this plan or will contribute such other amount to the plan as authorized by PEPRA and other applicable laws. Please visit our employees benefit page at for additional information regarding benefits and CalPERS coverage information. The provisions in this flyer and on the County's website are for information purposes only. To the extent the provisions of the flyer or the County's website are inconsistent with PEPRA and other applicable laws, PEPRA and other applicable laws shall govern.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURESShasta County Personnel will accept applications and responses to the supplemental questions until 12:00 p.m., on January 17, 2025. A Resume and/or Cover Letter will be accepted in addition to the application form but will not serve as a substitute for a completed application. It is not acceptable to complete the application with statements such as, Refer to Resume and/or Cover Letter, or See Attached Resume and/or Cover Letter the employment application must be completed in its entirety prior to submission. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Closing date postmarks or faxes will NOT be accepted. This recruitment will establish a list that may or may not be used by other departments. Prior applicants must reapply to be considered. Applicants will be screened and those considered best qualified will be invited to appear for an oral and/or written examination. Meeting the announced requirements does not guarantee inclusion into the selection process. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of additional application screening, written and/or practical exam(s), oral interview, or any combination thereof. Veterans' Credit:Veterans (as defined by California Government Code section 18973) who have been discharged from military service under conditions other than dishonorable and who receive a passing score on all components of the employment examinations (up to and including oral examinations) shall receive credit for an additional five points to be added to their final examination score. To be considered for this credit, a veteran MUST provide a copy of his or her discharge document (DD-214 or equivalent) and information as to the type of discharge (honorable, dishonorable, etc.) WITH THE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION ON OR BEFORE THE FINAL FILING DATE. Applicants are encouraged to apply on-line at www.ShastaCountyCareers.com or submit an application to the Shasta County Personnel Office.Arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities. Requests for accommodations may be made to the Shasta County Personnel Office by the filing deadline posted on this bulletin. Shasta County does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you feel you are being denied service based on a disability, our ADA Coordinator may be reached at (530) ###-####; relay service (800) ###-####; fax (530) ###-####.Shasta County will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Shasta County is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act.SHASTA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERShasta County Personnel1450 Court Street, Suite 348; Redding, CA 96001; (530) ###-####NOTE: Various bargaining units may have benefits that alter from this general summary. This summary of benefits is not a binding document and is provided as a courtesy. Refer to labor agreements (MOUs) for specific benefit information. THESE BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES Holidays:

• 12 paid holidays (96 hours) per year.
• 1 Floating holiday annually.

Vacation:

• 10 working days a year during the first three years of service.
• 15 working days a year - 4 through 9 years of service.
• 17 working days a year - 10 through 15 years of service.
• 20 working days a year - 16 or more years of service.

Note - accrued vacation leave may not be used until after three months of employment. For purposes of vacation accrual, a working day is no more than 8 hours.Employees may elect to receive a payment for Vacation hours (in lieu of use) for up to twenty hours - in five whole hour increments - of accrued vacation. *Subject to criteria as outlined in section 13.9C in the UPEC-General MOU. Sick Leave:

• 96 hours of sick leave are earned each year with no maximum accrual.
  • Employees terminating in good standing after completion of 5 years of continuous service will receive a pro-rata payoff of accumulated sick leave.
  • Unused sick le