Summary The incumbent is responsible for but not limited to receiving, sorting, pick-up and delivery of clean and soiled linen of the facility laundry plant. Loading, unloading, and operating washers, extractors and tumblers. Work also involves classifying, checking, marking, and sorting soiled linen and/or appeal. In addition, the incumbent will perform flatwork operations, i.e., shaking out wet laundry, catching, folding, and stacking ironed flatwork. Responsibilities Major Duties: Works independently and will be able to understand and interpret written and verbal instructions to complete assigned duties. Provides customer service to all ward, clinical, and surgical areas of the medical center. This involves the use of carts, baskets and assorted delivery and processing equipment, and use of the ergo power equipment to move carts with. Must be able to recognize the difference between different fabric for sorting and washing purposes so that the appropriate chemicals are used for washing, processing, and assuring the appropriate equipment is used. During normal work routine, incumbent will fold rough dry items, operate the various machines, such as feeder, ironer, and small piece folder and appropriately stack, bundle, and store for shipment to using areas of the medical center. Incumbent must also be able to recognize items that need to be surveyed, rewashed, or repaired and placed in proper areas for further evaluation. Responsible for the cleanliness and neatness of the patient clothing room, clean linen area, all offices in the laundry, the break room, sewing room, baggage room and storage rooms which involves vacuuming, high dusting, using air pressure, wet mopping and damp dusting. Routinely comes in contact with patients, visitors, and medical center staff while working in laundry and linen operations. Incumbent has direct dealings with the medical center staff of issuing of uniforms and delivery of linens towards or picking up soiled linens from wards. When dealing with patients, visitors, and medical center staff, considerable courtesy, tact, and diplomacy is necessary. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday,6:00am-2:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Laundry Worker/26180-A Physical Requirements: Incumbent is in physically demanding production environment that requires continual pushing, pulling, lifting, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching for hours at a time. These factors are encountered daily in the regular operations of handling clean and soiled linen. Weight of the linen handled varies to as much as 75 pounds from both the processing and delivery areas. Incumbent is responsible to move heavy carts of clean and soiled linens throughout the medical center. Working Conditions: Incumbent is exposed to normal hospital hazards as well as those hazards encountered with working around and in proximity of fast-moving equipment and transport cars. The area assigned is clean and well-ventilated. Area is hot during the summer months and comfortable for winter. Area has associated noise level found in normal plant operations with concurrent drafts from loading doc areas being left open for pick up and delivery of clean and soiled linen. The incumbent will be exposed to all conditions inherent in the laundry/linen process: dust, lint, detergent burns, skin irritations, chapped hands, discomfort of the respiratory system, and possible contamination from souled linens and isolation linens. Incumbent is frequently exposed to disagreeable signs and odors. Incumbent shall use all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while handling soiled linen, such as patient gowns, masks, gloves, etc. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Operation of Equipment/Machinery Special Aptitude Technical Practices Work Practices Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Education Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
