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Employee Benefits Law Specialist (Group Health Plans)

Employee Benefits Security Administration [EBSA]

(Washington DC / Hybrid)

Open date: April 8, 2026

Closing date: April 16, 2026

Pay scale & grade: GS 9-11

Salary: $70,623 - $111,087 per year

Several vacancies in Washington, D.C.

Telework eligible? Yes, as determined by agency policy

Duties

This position is in the Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance (OHPSCA). This office is the primary source of regulations and interpretive guidance related to private employer-sponsored group health plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The employee will provide education, compliance assistance, and other technical support to group health plans, their service providers, participants, stakeholders, and beneficiaries regarding health coverage-related matters. Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides oral and written technical advice and guidance to agency personnel and members of the public regarding interpretation and application of ERISA provisions, and related legislation.
• Presents recommendations to develop and write organized, concise, and effective opinions, and technical guidance.
• Maintains liaison with stakeholders to collaborate on joint projects, secure and furnish technical advice or assistance, provide interpretive guidance regarding ERISA, and discuss and resolve problems of mutual concern.
• Applies knowledge of laws, regulations, court proceedings, precedents, interpretations, and exemptions governing the employee benefit plan community.
• Develops technical presentations regarding ERISA to train agency personnel.
• Reviews group health plan, pension plan, or other welfare plan materials and guidance requests and develops recommendations.

Qualifications

Education - Undergraduate AND Graduate Education: Major study in one or a combination of the following fields - finance, banking, business administration, economics, mathematics, accounting or auditing, pension plan administration, law, industrial relations, public administration, or other related fields.

OR

Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible experience that demonstrated the ability to perform work in the field of pension and welfare plans. Such experience may have been gained in (1) management, administration, development, analysis, audit, financial management, or the termination of such plans or their funds; or (2) in closely related work such as taxation, securities, and investments. Specialized experience may have been gained in government, a welfare and pension plan administration or consulting firm, law firm, actuarial or accounting firm, labor union, welfare and pension association or research service, banking trust department, or investment firm. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Analysis and application of fiduciary, reporting and disclosure, bonding, funding, vesting, administration, and termination provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and related laws, regulations, court decisions, and precedent rulings.
• Development of proposals for new or revised pension or welfare plans, petitions for exemptions, or requests for rulings under governing law.
• Legal work, a substantial portion of which required interpretation of Federal laws and legal requirements concerning welfare and pension plans, or in such related fields as taxation, securities, real estate, corporations, trusts, bankruptcy, and investments.
• Auditing or accounting work that involved determining compliance with Federal and State laws governing welfare and pension plans, securities, banking, insurance, or corporations.
• Analysis of Federal laws or regulations, development of policy, and drafting of proposed changes in an employee welfare and benefit plan or a related function.

For the GS-09 grade level: In addition to meeting the requirements above, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in Federal service. You must meet 3 out of the 4 examples of specialized experience listed here:

• Experience assisting in explaining statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to group health plans and other welfare plans, including those under ERISA, the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and the No Surprises Act.
• Experience working in a health insurance oversight capacity or collaborating with health insurance issuers to ensure compliance with state or federal health insurance requirements, including requirements applicable both within and outside the health insurance exchanges.
• Experience performing research and conducting analytical reviews of statutory and regulatory requirements governing group health plans and other welfare plans.
• Experience drafting plain language interpretations and summaries of technical legal requirements for non-legal audiences.

OR

Posses a master's or equivalent graduate degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

Completed at least two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

Possess an LL.B. or J.D. in one or a combination of the following fields: a field such as finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

A combination of education and specialized experience to meet the requirements of this position.

For the GS-11 grade level: In addition to meeting the requirements above, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in Federal service. You must meet 3 out of the 4 examples of specialized experience listed here:

• Experience providing written analyses and delivering guidance in meetings, consultations, or presentations to help employers, plan sponsors, or group health plans comply with statutory and regulatory requirements under ERISA, the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and the No Surprises Act.
• Experience collaborating with health insurance issuers to ensure compliance with state and federal health insurance requirements, including those applicable both within and outside the health insurance exchanges.
• Experience drafting and reviewing ERISA required group health plan documents for example, summary plan descriptions, summaries of material modifications, summaries of benefits and coverage, and summary annual reports.
• Experience performing legal work that requires conducting legal research and analyzing case law to interpret Federal and State laws, regulations, and related requirements governing group health plans, welfare plans, or comparable areas such as health insurance.

OR

Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

Completed at least three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D in one or a combination of the following fields: finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

Possess an LL.M in one or a combination of the following fields: a field such as finance, banking, business administration, pension plan administration, law, or other related fields.

OR

Combination of education and specialized experience to meet the requirements of this position.

How to Apply

The text above consists of excerpts of a job posting currently online at USAJOBS.gov, which is operated by the federal government. Much of the information that has been omitted is critically important to a candidate, such as the complete application instructions, qualification requirements, and required documents, so an interested candidate should see the full text of the USAJOBS.gov job posting for the remaining necessary information, by using the Apply Now button below.

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