NPS Essential Competencies: Worker's Compensation Program Manager

WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAM MANAGER

Essential Competencies

ENTRY LEVEL

Description: These competencies identify the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required to perform basic workers' compensation management functions. Duties are performed under the direct supervision or technical leadership of a senior safety professional. Emphasis at the entry level is on developing and acquiring work skills with movement to developmental level.

I.Bureau Orientation and Administration

A.Government and bureau organization and function

B.Bureau philosophy and mission

C.Diversity

D.Workers' Compensation (OWCP)

E.Travel regulations and budget

F.Personnel and payroll

G.Career development

II.Safety Management

A.Advanced Safety/Risk Management

B.Regulatory compliance; laws and regulations

C.Safety and Occupational Health program management

D.Introduction to Federal Tort Claims Act

III.Communication

A.Interpersonal communication skills

B.Writing basic reports and instructions

C.Computer skills; DOS, Windows, word processing, Dbase

D.Basic instructional skills

IV.Workers' Compensation

A.Standards, laws and guidelines

B.Claims examination

C.Theory and practice of compensation insurance

D.Emergency services/employee assistance

E.Understanding relationship between disability and job performance

F.On-the-job training

G.Collaborating with risk managers

V.Personnel Management

A.Introduction to Federal Employment System

B.Introduction to laws, OPM regulations, DOI, NPS

1.Benefits

2.Conduct

3.Performance

4.Fitness for duty; baseline; minimum physical standards

C.Introduction to position management

D.Bureau employee development program

VI.Supervisory and Management - None

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of bureau mission, policy and guidelines.

Knowledge of safety and health standards and regulations.

Knowledge of personnel management and workers' compensation laws and regulations

Basic knowledge of workers' compensation case management, investigation, statistics and medical reports.

DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL

Description: These competencies identify the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required to perform intermediate workers' compensation management functions. Duties are performed under general supervision or technical leadership of a senior safety professional. Emphasis at the developmental level is on developing and acquiring additional work skills with movement to full performance level.

I.Bureau Orientation and Administration

A.Government and bureau organization and function

B.Bureau philosophy and mission

C.Diversity

D.Workers' Compensation (OWCP)

E.Travel regulations and budget

F.Personnel and payroll

G.Career development

II.Safety Management

A.Advanced Safety/Risk Management

B.Regulatory compliance; laws and regulations

C.Safety and Occupational Health program management

D.Introduction to Federal Tort Claims Act

E.Theory of accident causation and prevention

F.Psychology of human behavior relating to accidents

G.Medical monitoring

III.Communication

A.Interpersonal communication skills

B.Writing reports and instructions

C.Advanced computer skills as required; Safety Management Information System data retrieval

D.Instructional skills

E.Public speaking

F.Negotiation skills

G.Meeting organization and management

IV.Workers' Compensation

A.Standards, laws and guidelines

B.Claims examination

C.Theory and practice of compensation insurance

D.Emergency services/employee assistance

E.Understanding relationship between disability and job performance

F.On-the-job training

G.Collaborating with risk managers

H.Labor relations/union negotiation

I.Case Management

1.Techniques of investigation

2.Determining pre-existing conditions

3.Interviewing techniques

4.Fraud, malingering

J.Introduction to medical terminology

1.Lay knowledge of physiology

2.Lay knowledge of physical impairments relating to occupational injuries and illnesses

3.Evaluating medical evidence and psychiatric conditions

K.Supervisor's role in case management

1.Employee contacts

2.Light duty jobs

3.Retraining

4.Working with OWCP and risk managers

L.Vocational rehabilitation

M.Liaison with health care providers and unions

V.Personnel Management

A.Federal Employment System

B.Personnel Management laws, OPM regulations, DOI, NPS and interpretation

1.Benefits

2.Conduct

3.Performance

4.Fitness for duty; baseline; minimum physical standards

C.Advanced position management; retraining, upward mobility, etc.

D.Bureau employee development program

E.Mentoring

F.Counseling

1.Techniques of employee counseling

2.Troubled employees

G.Adverse and disciplinary actions

H.Stress management

I.Social services

J.Dynamics of career changes

VI.Supervisory and Management

A.Supervision and leadership

1.Accountability

2.Leave administration

3.Effective supervision

4.Employee Evaluations

5.Employee development/career counseling

6.Principles of human behavior

7.Conflict management

B.Decision making

C.Organizational skills

1.Managing work groups

2.Team building

D.The budget process

E.Public policy administration

F.Liabilities, bureau and personal

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of bureau mission, philosophy, policy and guidelines; and Federal government administrative procedures.

Knowledge and understanding of safety and health standards and regulations apply to NPS operations.

Knowledge of personnel management and workers' compensation laws and regulations

Knowledge of workers' compensation case management, investigation, statistics and medical reports.

Ability to assist employees with the OWCP process and to reenter the workforce

Ability to supervise a few lower graded personnel.

FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL

Description: These competencies identify the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required to perform advanced workers' compensation management functions. Work is performed without direct supervision. Individual has competence to effectively manage a workers' compensation management program and supervise subordinate personnel; and routinely advises management on programmatic matters.

I.Bureau Orientation and Administration

A.Government and bureau organization and function

B.Bureau philosophy and mission

C.Diversity

D.Workers' Compensation (OWCP)

E.Travel regulations and budget

F.Personnel and payroll

G.Career development

II.Safety Management

A.Advanced Safety/Risk Management

B.Regulatory compliance; laws and regulations

C.Safety and Occupational Health program management

D.Introduction to Federal Tort Claims Act

E.Theory of accident causation and prevention

F.Psychology of human behavior relating to accidents

G.Medical monitoring

III.Communication

A.Interpersonal communication skills

B.Writing reports and instructions

C.Advanced computer skills as required; Safety Management Information System data retrieval

D.Instructional skills

E.Public speaking

F.Negotiation skills

G.Meeting organization and management

IV.Workers' Compensation

A.Advanced standards, laws and guidelines interpretation

B.Advanced claims examination and adjudication

C.Advanced legal aspects of workers' compensation

D.Emergency services/employee assistance

E.Understanding relationship between disability and job performance

F.On-the-job training

G.Collaborating with risk managers

H.Labor relations/union negotiation

I.Case Management

1.Techniques of investigation

2.Determining pre-existing conditions

3.Interviewing techniques

4.Fraud, malingering

J.Introduction to medical terminology

1.Lay knowledge of physiology

2.Lay knowledge of physical impairments relating to occupational injuries and illnesses

3.Evaluating medical evidence and psychiatric conditions

K.Supervisor's role in case management

1.Employee contacts

2.Light duty jobs

3.Retraining

4.Working with OWCP and risk managers

L.Vocational rehabilitation

M.Liaison with health care providers and unions

N.Impairments and disease relating to safety and occupational health

V.Personnel Management

A.Federal Employment System

B.Personnel Management laws, OPM regulations, DOI, NPS and interpretation

1.Benefits

2.Conduct

3.Performance

4.Fitness for duty; baseline; minimum physical standards

C.Advanced position management; retraining, upward mobility, etc.

D.Bureau employee development program

E.Mentoring

F.Counseling

1.Techniques of employee counseling

2.Troubled employees

G.Adverse and disciplinary actions

H.Stress management

I.Social services

J.Dynamics of career changes

VI.Supervisory and Management

A.Supervision and leadership

1.Accountability

2.Leave administration

3.Effective supervision

4.Employee Evaluations

5.Employee development/career counseling

6.Principles of human behavior

7.Conflict management

B.Develop position descriptions and evaluation standards

C.Advanced Management

1.Management by objective (and other current management theories)

2.Integrated management/resource sharing/partnerships

3.Project management/program planning

4.Executive development

5.Analytical skills

D.Organizational skills

1.Managing work groups

2.Team building

E.Plan and administer budget

F.Formulate and administer policy

G.Liabilities, bureau and personal

H.EEO training

I.Ethics

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge and understanding of bureau mission, philosophy, policy and guidelines; and Federal government administrative procedures.

Ability to interpret and apply safety and health standards, laws and regulations.

Ability to interpret and apply personnel management and workers' compensation laws and regulations

Ability to effectively manage workers' compensation cases, investigate claims and identify fraud, interpret statistics and interpret medical reports to understand the nature and extent of the injury/illness.

Ability to assist employees with the OWCP process and to reenter the workforce

Ability to negotiate with management and with employee representatives regarding workers' compensation.

Ability to supervise a multi-level staff at several locations.

National Park Service
Training and Development Division
Essential Competencies
safeowcp.htm