Summary This position is located at Veterans Affairs Connecticut, in West Haven Connecticut. The payroll technician will work in the Finance Department. Responsibilities The primary purpose of this position is to perform duties under the pay system as a Customer Service Representative (CSR). Major Duties: Receives and examines complex payroll authorization documents and makes computations, and prepares proper forms for the pay of the full variety of civilian positions (e.g., doctors and nurses under Title 38, etc.); Reviews time and attendance actions and utilizes databases to ensure employees are paid accurately and on time; Reviews payroll situations which affect pay, leave, entitlements, taxes, benefits, and other deductions and master pay record information for all employees in the group during the pay cycle; Makes retroactive adjustments and traces errors involving the correction of pay covering long periods of time (e.g., a year or more); Conducts extensive research to identify and resolve problems; Audits pay and leave accounts to identify and correct delinquent and/or erroneous personnel actions or time-keeping errors; Reviews source, substantiating, and supporting pay authorization documents for propriety, authentication, accuracy, and compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and precedents; Certifies all disbursement and collection vouchers involving civilian pay funds; Audits automated listings for accuracy of changes made to permanent records and ensures pay files are updated and balance; Conducts extensive record searches, traces discrepancies that occurred in the past, and determines the appropriate corrective actions based on existing guidelines; Computes and corrects any irregularities and/or provides specific guidance for corrective actions; Reviews time and attendance reports for a diversified assigned time and leave units; Audits timekeepers within time and leave units on a semi-annual basis as mandated; Provides customer service in person or by telephone, and completes correspondence related to employee pay. Interprets customer's inquiries and resolves discrepancies and complex problems based on an extensive knowledge of civilian pay rules, regulations, laws, procedures, or operations; Researches and coordinates with Data Processing Center (Austin, TX), HR personnel, or other sources to solve complex problems and provide information; Provides instructions to resource advisors with payroll problems/issues; Assists customers in a professional, courteous manner; Performs miscellaneous duties in support of the payroll function; Carries out special projects which require research and thorough knowledge and application of civilian pay statutes, provisions, operations, and guidelines; Responsible for the day-to-day operations of databases; Works with appropriate personnel to coordinate and download updates to computer programs for the civilian payroll system, and initiate batch processing procedures of payroll input; Prepares timesheets and special reports required for management control, payroll reconciliation, budget, or accounting purposes; Provides timekeeper training through one-on-one training sessions and group briefings; Prepares written correspondence and other documentation. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Civilian Pay Technician/PD00495ARelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/09/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Processing and verifying payroll transactions; performing payroll and/or timekeeping duties such as extracting and entering data; reviewing payroll records/ documents and making computations; reviewing and researching pay and leave issues; and answering pay questions and explaining payroll requirements (This experience must be reflected in your resume to be credited to your rating.). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Compensation Computer Skills Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Reading Comprehension Technical Competence 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily performed while sitting, but requires some walking, standing, carrying light objects, and occasionally driving an automobile. Manual dexterity is also required to operate a CRT and/or data entry console. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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.
