FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ASSISTANT
GS-361-5

Incumbent serves in a position of public trust.

INTRODUCTION

This position is located in the FHEO Hubs, Program Centers Or Local FHEO sites. The Office is responsible for administering the fair housing enforcement programs and responsibilities in connection with equal opportunity and civil rights, including those under Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968; Americans with Disabilities Act, and Age Discrimination Act and relevant Executive Orders.

The incumbent serves as Equal opportunity Assistant and has responsibility for performing technical work; supporting higher level specialist; and providing program assistance on statutes and matters relating to equal opportunity in housing, federally assisted facilities, employment, economic opportunity, civil rights, and other matters relating to the mission of the Center.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Serves as contact person for persons wishing to file fair housing complaints. Responsible for the entire complaint referral process for fair housing complaints including complaint receipt, analysis, jurisdiction determination, and preparation of appropriate notices to parties involved. Independently explains 'the complaint process, the scope and purpose of the law in layman's terms and ensures that complaints filed are procedurally and technically correct. Assists in the investigative compliance activities relating to the processing of complaints pursuant to the above listed laws.

Participates in interviewing complainants and potential complainants and in summarizing information obtained for housing discrimination complaints. Technical assistance is given to the general public; public officials; fair housing and civic groups; housing authorities; local governments and other recipients to provide information and to prevent problems.   Provides written and oral technical assistance to program participants and HUD staff in preparation of a program application or implementation of a program to assist them in meeting the civil rights requirements of the program.

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Refers Title VIII complaints to substantially equivalent agencies and monitors, reviews and reactivates complaints.   Contacts complainants and FHAP agencies for additional information needed to determine the acceptability of a complaint under both HUD and MW agency jurisdiction.

Provides technical assistance to higher graded Equal Opportunity Specialists in conducting investigations, compliance reviews, and Fair Housing Act complaint intake.   Follows-up in program areas of CPD, Housing, Public Housing and FHEO voluntary programs. Assists in analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of client programs and adherence to HUD policies, programs and procedures. Accompanies and assists senior specialists in conferring with housing provider and CD grantee staff on all of parts of FHEO responsibilities and requirements.

Performs the Affirmative Fair, Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP) review function. Provides oral and technical assistance and recommends approval. If deficiencies are noted, coordinates for additional information or corrective action with the appropriate office. Contacts owners and rental managers and contacts owners directly to explain AFHMP deficiencies and requirements.

Follows instructions, researches, evaluates and assembles information pertaining to the complaints under investigations. Drafts simple analyses, summaries, and compilations for meetings with clients or other HUD staff, or for preparation of correspondence, reports or other documents.

Receives, reviews, analyzes and prepares informational and statistical reports from computer stored data banks on data concerning fair housing enforcement programs, fair housing assistance programs and grant recipients.   Performs ADP/microcomputer data entry, data tracking and report production related to data systems used to track the Office's activities. Conducts review and evaluation of assigned topics of a technical, administrative, or program nature and drafts statistical or narrative reports for use as reference material by higher level staff members. This may require reference to statutes, regulations, administrative decisions, judicial decisions, policy issuance materials and file materials. Personal contacts with officials within the jurisdictional and or the Department may also be required for background information on this subject matter.

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Performs technical, administrative and clerical work in support of the programs and activities of the office. Prepares all recurring reports presenting information and data in a form that will highlight problem areas and increase useability of the data. Uses word processing equipment to produce a variety of correspondence and keeps a variety of logs and automated management information systems on the computer, The incumbent receives calls and visitors; receives and reviews incoming mail; responds to requests for information; prepares travel requests; may track travel funds and may be responsible for the time and attendance function.

For the position in the Carribean Office, the incumbent must be fluent in English and Spanish, written and oral.

FACTOR 1- KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION

Detailed knowledge of the various Civil Rights laws, such as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968; Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination Act and relevant Executive orders. Skill in applying these knowledges to a variety of situations and skill in interviewing and writing to counsel persons and assist them in filing formal complaints.

Skill in fact finding and analysis to obtain, organize and report relevant information and to make conclusions about its meaning. This includes skill in interviewing persons to obtain facts and opinions in stressful situations and skill in planning and conducting interviews to obtain information and to determine the relevance of information necessary to answer specific questions or solve routine problems. The EO Assistant organizes the information, and assists in preparing findings for the report.

Knowledge of the English grammar, usage and style; knowledge of the specialized vocabulary of the various FHEO programs; and skill in writing to prepare reports, letters and memoranda on equal opportunity subjects.

Skill in oral communication to clearly explain to others complicated equal opportunity regulations, procedures and concepts.

Knowledge of domestic travel regulations to prepare and review travel vouchers and skill in maintaining records of travel expenditures and travel fund balances.

Skill in operating word processing and microcomputer equipment and in developing database tracking and reporting systems on the personal computer. 

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For the position in the Carribean Office, fluent in English and Spanish, both oral and written.

FACTOR 2- SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

The supervisor gives assignments by indicating what is to be done, limitations, quality and quantity of work expected, deadlines, and the priority of assignments.

The incumbent independently carries out recurring assignments without specific instructions, but refers unusual problems or cases involving circumstances encountered for the first time to the supervisor for assistance, or for a decision on what to do.

completed work is reviewed for timeliness, accuracy of facts and adequacy of counseling techniques employed. Review of the work is more intense on more difficult and first time assignments.

FACTOR 3- GUIDELINES

The number of similarity of guidelines and work situation requires the employee to use judgment in locating and selecting the most appropriate guidelines, references, and procedures for application and in making minor deviations to adapt the guidelines in specific cases. At this level, the employee may also determine which of several established alternatives to use situations to which the existing guidelines cannot be applied or significant proposed deviations from the guidelines are referred to the supervisor.

The guidelines followed are in the form of handbooks, executive orders, circulars and written information by memorandum. Guidelines include laws governing Civil Rights in Housing, employment, busines opportunities, and non discrimination in HUD programs, Departmental regulations and guides, and relevant precedent decisions.

FACTOR 4- COMPLEXITY

Decisions regarding what needs to be done involve choices of several clearly applicable courses of action at each step in the informal complaint process based on specific facts of each case.

The incumbent is responsible for providing overall information on program activity to the Director and staff. This work involves planning, methodology and the ability to balance statistical data.

The work involves obtaining information from persons knowledgeable about the complaint, identifying possible grounds for resolving the informal complaint, and attempting to resolve the matter informally through discussions with the parties.

FACTOR 5- SCOPE AND EFFECT

The work involves performing technical assignments to solve a variety of problems.

The work involves performing both technical and clerical assignments to solve a variety of problems. Technical work involves performance of assignments that comprise a portion of the complaint investigation process.   Clerical work involves controlling, reviewing, and maintaining files including filing and retrieving material, and reporting on the status of complaint investigations and compliance reviews.

FACTOR 6- PERSONAL CONTACTS

The personal contacts are with FHEO staff, Field office staff, general public and external HUD clients. Contacts are generally established for a specific purpose in connection with a complaint investigation, monitoring or compliance review or a housing discrimination complaint. Contacts are different, and the role and authority of each party is developed and identified during the course of the contact. Also communicates with housing providers and program recipients on a daily basis.   The facts and issues may not be clearly understood and must be clarified during the course of the contact by the incumbent.

FACTORS 7- PURPOSE OF CONTACTS

The purpose is to plan, coordinate, or advise on work efforts or to resolve operating problems by influencing or motivating individuals or groups who are working toward mutual goals and who have basically cooperative attitudes. Contacts with the general public are usually to provide information and assistance with regard to the Fair Housing Act and the housing discrimination process.

Contacts are for the purpose of planning-and coordinating selected phases of the monitoring, investigation or compliance review and discussing minor changes in the clients record keeping and management practices to comply with FHEO requirements.

FACTOR 8- PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items such as papers; driving an automobile, to and from project sites.

FACTOR 9 - WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, libraries, and residences or' commercial vehicles, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire regulations and traffic signals, etc. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.