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Establish the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification and amend the Veterans Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classification specifications
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HUMAN RESOURCES' RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Human Resources recommends the Civil Service Commission establish the classification specification of Veterans Benefits Counselor (Supervising) and amend the Veterans Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classification specifications.
SUMMARY:
The Department of Human Resources recommends the Civil Service Commission establish the Veterans Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification. Minor changes have been made to the existing classifications in the class series to incorporate the new classification into the organizational structure and convert the existing classification specifications to the current format. Therefore, the Department of Human Resources also recommends amending the Veterans Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classification specifications.
DISCUSSION:
The Veteran Services Department is a small department with seven allocated employees. There is one Director of Veterans Services, one Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Senior), three Veterans’ Benefits Counselors, one Office Coordinator, and one Office Assistant II. On March 24, 2026, during the Midyear Financial Report, the Board of Supervisors approved the deletion of 1.0 FTE vacant Veterans’ Benefits Counselor allocation to create a Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification. The creation of this new classification will help provide staff training, quality assurance, and oversight of veterans’ benefits claims to ensure compliance with federal and State regulations.
The Veterans Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification will be represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021 Unit #8 - General Services Supervisors, which is the first line supervisory bargaining unit. The Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classifications are represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021 Unit #7 - Regulatory, Technical, and General Services Employees. These classifications are not allocated to any other departments in the County.
The Veterans Benefits Counselor (Supervising) is a single position first-level supervisory classification that will supervise and participate in assisting veterans and their dependents and survivors in understanding and obtaining benefits provided by Federal and State laws and regulations. This classification minimum qualifications (MQ) will require three (3) years of full-time paid journey experience in the area of veterans’ benefits counseling, which included completing and processing forms or applications. The MQ also requires one year of lead or supervisor experience which may be inclusive of determining eligibility for veteran’s benefits experience or separate experience. An associate’s degree or higher from an accredited college or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Sociology, Psychology or a related field is desired.
The Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classifications are existing classifications; minor edits have been made to incorporate the new classification into the organizational structure and convert the existing classification specifications to the current format.
Attached is the final version of the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification, copies of the “add/delete” version of the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classification specifications showing the amended text as well as copies of the final versions.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Civil Service Commission could elect not to establish the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification and amend the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Senior), Veterans’ Benefits Counselor, and Veterans’ Benefits Counselor Trainee classification specifications; however, this is not recommended as the new classification will provide for a stronger departmental organizational structure.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Human Resources staff worked with staff from the department of Veterans Services on the Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification and the modifications to the existing classification specifications in the series. On July 24, 2026, the County notified SEIU, Local 1021 of the new Veterans’ Benefits Counselor (Supervising) classification specification and proposed modifications of the existing classification specifications in the series. Also on July 24, 2026, all unions were notified of the unit determination placing the new classification in bargaining unit #8. SEIU, Local 1021 did not respond to the request to meet over the new classification specification or the amendments to the existing classification specifications in the series. No unions requested to meet over the bargaining unit determination. Therefore, the County has met its obligation to meet and confer over the revised classification specifications.