2/23/11:  As part of an agreement negotiated by Chapter 293, SEC Paralegals and Case Management Specialists across the nation will soon be receiving higher grades.

Last year, as part of the memorandum of understanding negotiated by the Union regarding the reorganization of the Division of Enforcement, the SEC agreed to conduct classification studies for Paralegals and Case Management Specialists. To conduct these studies, the SEC retained a contractor whose consultants interviewed a representative sample of position incumbents and their managers to discuss the duties they performed.

As a consequence of these studies, the following changes will occur at the agency:

• Paralegals in the investigation units were found to be performing duties identified at the SK-950-11 level.  Therefore, the SEC will establish an SK-950-11 Paralegal full performance position description for the investigative work units and promote all SK-950-09’s assigned to investigation units non-competitively to the SK-11 position, if they otherwise meet eligibility criteria. Promotions will be effective the beginning of Pay Period 9 (April 10, 2011).
• Paralegals in the Trial and Litigation Units were found to be performing duties identified at the SK-950-12 level.  Therefore, the SEC will establish an SK-950-12 Paralegal full performance position description for the Trial/Litigation work units and promote all Paralegals assigned to Trial and Litigation Units to the SK-12 position, if they otherwise meet eligibility criteria. Promotions will be effective the beginning of Pay Period 9 (April 10, 2011).
• In situations when workload necessitates combined litigation and investigative paralegal work, the SEC will establish an SK-950-12 Paralegal full performance position description reflecting this combined work. ENF will work with OHR and NTEU to determine if the workload of any office supports the need for this position description.  For any offices in which the position description is appropriate, the affected paralegals will be place on the new PD and promoted to the SK-12.
• Paralegals in the Office of Collections and Distribution (OCD) at Headquarters were found to be performing duties identified at the SK-950-13 level. Therefore, OHR will establish an SK-950-13 Paralegal full performance position description and promote the SK-12 Paralegals assigned to OCD at Headquarters to the SK-13 position, if they otherwise meet eligibility criteria. Promotions will be effective the beginning of Pay Period 9 (April 10, 2011).
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  Both SK-301-11 and SK-301-12 Case Management Specialist work was found to exist within SEC. Therefore, the SEC will establish SK-301-12 and SK-301-11 Case Management Specialist full performance position descriptions and review the assigned and performed work of SK-11 Case Management Specialists. For SK-11 Case Management Specialists who perform regular and recurring SK-12 CMS work, the SEC will promote them non-competitively to the SK-12 position, if they otherwise meet eligibility criteria. Individuals who were interviewed as part of the study will be informed by OHR as to the results of their review.  Case Management Specialists who were not part of the study will be interviewed along with their supervisors/managers by Serco, Inc. consultants starting mid-March.  As a result of those interviews, CMS who are assigned and perform work at the SK-12 will be promoted within 3 pay periods of that determination.  You will be contacted by OHR to set up your interview, if applicable. 

In addition to the Paralegal and Case Management Specialist studies, the Union also negotiated a classification study for Enforcement Secretaries. The finding from this study was that the incumbents are performing in accordance with the position descriptions as SK-318 Secretaries. At the Union's urging, however, Enforcement has agreed to initiate, in conjunction with the Union, a community of practice with those in the Secretarial role. The intent of the community is to provide a forum for the sharing of ideas, the collaboration on potential training specifically targeted to the Secretarial community, and the establishment of a network to better foster the development of efficiencies.

 Individual Paralegals, Case Management Specialists and Secretaries who have questions regarding the studies or findings may contact Teri Ellison at [email protected]and 202-551-4105. In addition, NTEU Chapter 293 has designated Pat Copeland to work closely with the SEC on Paralegal and Secretary issues, and Eric Helmer for Case Management Specialist Issues. Pat may be reached at [email protected] and (202) 551-6855. Eric may be reached  at [email protected]and 215- 597-0235. Secretaries with questions about the community of practice may contact Diane Evans at[email protected] and 202-551-4914. 

at [email protected]and 215- 597-