Child Support Specialist
Are you passionate about serving your community and eager to grow in a supportive environment?
Join La Crosse County and take the next step in your career.
Embrace a full-time position with a work schedule that allows for work-life balance. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment and offer the opportunity to become part of an organization that values all team members and respects diversity.
A Child Support Specialist establishes paternity and establishes and enforces child support orders by using the KIDS state wide computer system and by locating absent parents; gathering relevant information and legal evidence from interviews, correspondence and computer searches; organizing and evaluating information; determining the appropriate enforcement action; preparing paperwork for the attorneys to initiate necessary legal actions; monitoring the status of cases; and performing confidential investigations. This role requires the ability to interpret and explain child support court orders, payment records and financial reports.
Wage Range: $22.01- $27.07
We offer:
A supportive, collaborative, inclusive, and diverse workforce.
Ample opportunities for career learning, development, and growth.
A culture of respect, teamwork, honesty, and integrity.
The chance to serve your community in a purposeful and meaningful way.
Flexibility with generous paid time-off benefits.
In addition, we provide excellent benefits, including:
The Wisconsin Retirement System
Great health insurance
Comprehensive dental coverage
Life insurance with disability options
Essential Job Functions
Acts with integrity and builds trust. Speaks openly and honestly. Listens deeply and demonstrates curiosity for other’s point of view.
Demonstrates self-awareness and treats others with dignity and respect.
Contacts or interviews parents, employers, social service agencies, other child support agencies, and other government agencies to obtain necessary information to explain the status of cases and case processing options to case participants.
Conducts investigations to obtain information to process cases or locate non-custodial/custodial parents. Uses a variety of avenues to identify, research, and verify name, address, location, place of work, and other important information such as income.
Works through the legal process and prepares correspondence and legal documents such as stipulations, orders, motions, affidavits, subpoenas, summons, petitions, warrants, income withholding, and other legal documents required to establish, enforce, or modify child support.
Takes appropriate action on KIDS work list items; processes cases and works reports to meet KIDS time lines as required by federal regulation.
Negotiates with case parties and other agencies; confers with support attorneys regarding unusual or difficult cases.
Enters in the KIDS system a record of all actions taken.
Maintains confidentiality of work-related matters.
This is a public service position, and employee is required to be courteous, cooperative and respectful at all times, with the public and clients. Also establishes and maintains a courteous, cooperative and respectful working relationship with other employees, supervisors, and public officials.
Employee is expected to report to work when scheduled, with minimum use of sick leave, to build up sick leave balance for income protection for unexpected illness.
Physical demands: Sits/stands at desk, uses hearing, near vision and fingering for typing, word processing, calculators or other office machines. Talks to clients, callers, department staff. Sits, stands, bends, reaches, and moves about the office intermittently throughout the day. Handles papers and manuals, etc., lift files, copy paper and other office materials.
RELATED JOB FUNCTIONS
Backs up front-office receptionist, as necessary or required, in that person’s absence. This job description is not intended to encompass every job duty or responsibility, but is only illustrative. This position is required to perform other duties as may be assigned or required.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
•A person in this position must have a high level of resiliency to receive negative feedback and not take it personally.
•Knowledge of relevant laws, regulations and guidelines.
•Knowledge of family law procedures and practices.
•Knowledge of legal terms and documents.
•Knowledge of financial statements, such as income tax forms and personal budgets.
•Knowledge of court orders; knowledge of child support payment distribution.
•Basic computer skills.
•Skills in grammar and spelling.
•Skills in typing, writing, organization and prioritization.
•Skills in critical thinking and problem solving for the purpose of gathering, organizing and evaluating information for the purpose of determining the next appropriate action.
•Skills in interpreting and applying complex rules, regulations, guidelines and statutes.
•Skills in in investigative interviewing, research and communication.
•Ability to remain impartial and diplomatic when interacting with clients with competing interests.
•Ability to exercise independent judgment and carryout assignments with minimal supervision, while recognizing when it is appropriate to ask for guidance.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality of records.
•Ability to negotiate financial agreements with parties.
•Ability to effectively communicate and maintain a professional demeanor, especially in instances when the information being communicated, may not be well-received.
•Ability to adapt to ever-changing scenarios and accept outcomes that may be beyond the scope of this role to control.
•Ability to relate to people in an unprejudiced and understanding manner, while maintaining appropriate emotional boundaries.
•Ability to continuously learn from unique scenarios and apply that learning in future similar scenarios.
Training, Experience and Other Requirements
•Education and experience related to business, family law, legal processes, human services and/or review and interpretation of financial data.
•Preference for training or experience using the State of Wisconsin’s KIDS (Kids Information Data System) software.
•Experience in office using up-to-date equipment, computers, word processing, windows and various software packages. Must have Microsoft Office experience.
•Proven work history of organizational skills, meeting deadlines, and handling job duties with minimal errors.
•Excellent interpersonal skills and maturity in dealing with the public and effective communications skills to deal with case participants in all situations which sometimes become difficult.
•Appointment will be conditional upon successful completion of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finger-print based criminal background check conducted by the State Department of Justice.
Deadline Note: