General Attorney (Employment Law)

Summary

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Law & Policy (L&P) seeks Employment Law attorneys to provide legal guidance on a wide variety of employment related issues. Our Employment Law attorneys represent the agency before multiple tribunals including arbitrators, the EEOC, the MSPB, and the FLRA. Attorneys may also have the opportunity to work with the DOJ in representing SSA in federal district and appellate courts, and on complex litigation.

Duties

The incumbent serves as a General Attorney within Law and Policy (LP), providing legal services to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The incumbent advises other LP attorneys, Supervisory Attorneys, Senior Supervisory Counsel (SSC), and Executive Counsel (EC) (Cont'd) on unique, critical, and sensitive matters involving the individual's areas of responsibility, which may include program, non-program or personnel matters. Social Security touches the lives of millions, providing vital services and a social safety net through retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Join the talented and dedicated attorney team supporting these services. LP is a modern public service law office with a highly skilled, engaged, and diverse workforce dedicated to protecting SSA's legal interests. We strategically shape a large national workload through effective collaboration and coordination. We offer the opportunity to handle meaningful and challenging legal work in a professional, team-oriented, and flexible work environment. We seek candidates with strong legal acumen in employment/labor law, litigation experience, research and writing skills, proficiency with eDiscovery, and the ability to quickly form positive relationships with internal clients and partners. We encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds, qualities, and experiences to apply.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information. The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Law & Policy (L&P) seeks Employment Law attorneys to provide legal guidance on a wide variety of employment related issues including performance management, employee misconduct, labor and employee relations, EEO issues, and reasonable accommodation requests. Our Employment Law attorneys represent the agency before multiple tribunals including arbitrators, the EEOC, the MSPB, and the FLRA. Attorneys may also have the opportunity to work with the DOJ in representing SSA in federal district and appellate courts, and on complex litigation. Positions will be filled in the Excepted through the use of Schedule A 213.3102(d) appointing authority. Competitive examining procedures will not be conducted. Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirements below: Law Degree: Applicants must hold a law degree from a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association. Bar Membership: Applicants must also be an active member of the bar, and in good standing. You must be duly licensed, authorized and eligible to practice as an attorney under the laws of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a U.S. Territory. This is a continuing requirement of the position. Below is a list of acceptable documents. To be considered, at least one of the following three documents is required. Any proof of bar document submitted must include your name, status, state, and must be dated within one year of the closing date of the announcement: Letter or Certificate of Good Standing dated within one year of the announcement; OR Copy of your Bar card with the current year if it reflects a date that is within one year of the announcement; OR Screen print from a Bar website that reflects your active Bar membership (must include the state and be dated within one year of the announcement). In addition to the above requirements, applicants must also meet the following criteria to qualify at each grade level: For the GS-12: Requires at least 2 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. For the GS-13: Requires at least 3 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. For the GS-14: Requires at least 4 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Please note: your resume must specifically document your experience as an attorney providing legal guidance on labor and employment related issues e.g. performance management, employee misconduct, labor and employee relations, EEO issues, and reasonable accommodation requests, or you will be found ineligible. Applicants MUST meet all eligibility requirements on or before the closing date of the announcement to be considered for the position. SSA has discretion to determine what grade level and salary may be offered.

Education

Submit a copy of your law school transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and degree award date. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. Self-prepared transcripts will not be accepted. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position. Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application will be compared to the requirements for the position. It is your responsibility to include all information in your application that is needed to evaluate your qualifications and determine if you meet the requirements for the position. If there is insufficient information, your application will be found ineligible. Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12985933

Required Documents

You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will not be considered. To be considered, your resume must: Be no longer than two pages Clearly demonstrate your qualifications for the position Include your contact information We recommend using a clear, easy-to-read format and focusing on information most relevant to the job announcement. RESUME: Include the following information: 1) personal information (full name, mailing address, work and home phone numbers); 2) education; 3) work experience (paid and unpaid, including clerkships/internships). Show job title, including series and grade if Federal employment, detailed duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, supervisor's name and phone number, starting and ending dates (mm/dd/yy), hours per week, and salary; 4) other qualifications (skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses). Please note that providing the mm/dd/yy for all work experience is critical for evaluating your application. If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes. Please refer to How to Build a Resume for instructions. PROOF OF EDUCATION: Submit a copy of your law school transcripts with the course title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application; however, self-prepared transcripts WILL NOT be accepted. The degree must be from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education completed in a foreign institution must be certified as equivalent to coursework completed at a U.S. college or university. Certification of equivalency must be submitted at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services. (See Education section for specific transcript information.) PROOF OF CURRENT BAR MEMBERSHIP: Proof of active Bar Membership e.g., screen print of your profile from a bar web site which reflects your name and active status, a letter from the bar certifying that you are licensed and authorized to practice law, OR copy of a recent bar card. Such proof must include the state, status, and be dated within one year of the closing date of the announcement! (See Qualifications section for specific Bar Membership information.) WRITING SAMPLE: One current substantive legal writing sample that reflects your own work and is no more than 15 pages in length. Your sample must be sanitized or redacted to prevent possible Privacy Act violations. Writing samples will be critiqued based on your ability to analyze a legal problem and clearly and concisely articulate legal rationale. REFERENCES: List of three professional references. (Note: We will not contact references without first obtaining your permission to do so). VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15) and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters. For more information visit the Vet Guide.

How to Apply

Please note that this announcement is open to attorneys who are members of a bar in good standing only. If you have passed the bar but have not been sworn in or do not have proof of being sworn in, you are not eligible to apply and your application will not be considered. A complete application consists of the following: Occupational questionnaire Resume (must not exceed two pages) Law school transcript Proof of bar membership (dated within one year of the closing date of the announcement) Legal writing sample List of three professional references SF-50s (if applicable) Proof of veteran's preference (if applicable) - DD-214 with member 4 copy, this document MUST show character of service. If you are claiming 10-point preference, you MUST also submit with your DD-214 a completed SF-15 along with the required documentation specified on the reverse side of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. NOTE: It is your responsibility to include all information needed to evaluate your qualifications and determine if you meet the requirements for the position. If there is insufficient information or if you do not include all of the required documents you will be found ineligible. This office will not solicit for additional information. The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 07/03/2026. To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at Careers@ssa.gov. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.

What to Expect Next

Once you have successfully submitted your application materials, you can expect to receive at least two or more of the following email notifications concerning your application status: (1) Receipt of application; (2) Qualifications status and whether your application has been Referred/Not Referred to the selecting official; and (3) Selection status for the position. Due to the high volume of applications received, we will be unable to provide status updates to applicants via email or telephone. Selection interviews may be conducted with one or more of the candidates, but there is no requirement that interviews be conducted. The hiring office will contact candidates directly for interviews. Interviews...

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information. The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Law & Policy (L&P) seeks Employment Law attorneys to provide legal guidance on a wide variety of employment related issues including performance management, employee misconduct, labor and employee relations, EEO issues, and reasonable accommodation requests. Our Employment Law attorneys represent the agency before multiple tribunals including arbitrators, the EEOC, the MSPB, and the FLRA. Attorneys may also have the opportunity to work with the DOJ in representing SSA in federal district and appellate courts, and on complex litigation. Positions will be filled in the Excepted through the use of Schedule A 213.3102(d) appointing authority. Competitive examining procedures will not be conducted. Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirements below: Law Degree: Applicants must hold a law degree from a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association. Bar Membership: Applicants must also be an active member of the bar, and in good standing. You must be duly licensed, authorized and eligible to practice as an attorney under the laws of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a U.S. Territory. This is a continuing requirement of the position. Below is a list of acceptable documents. To be considered, at least one of the following three documents is required. Any proof of bar document submitted must include your name, status, state, and must be dated within one year of the closing date of the announcement: Letter or Certificate of Good Standing dated within one year of the announcement; OR Copy of your Bar card with the current year if it reflects a date that is within one year of the announcement; OR Screen print from a Bar website that reflects your active Bar membership (must include the state and be dated within one year of the announcement). In addition to the above requirements, applicants must also meet the following criteria to qualify at each grade level: For the GS-12: Requires at least 2 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. For the GS-13: Requires at least 3 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. For the GS-14: Requires at least 4 years of professional legal experience working as an attorney handling some aspects of labor and employment law with at least one year of this experience being equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Please note: your resume must specifically document your experience as an attorney providing legal guidance on labor and employment related issues e.g. performance management, employee misconduct, labor and employee relations, EEO issues, and reasonable accommodation requests, or you will be found ineligible. Applicants MUST meet all eligibility requirements on or before the closing date of the announcement to be considered for the position. SSA has discretion to determine what grade level and salary may be offered.