Closing Date: 28th July, 2026
Description:
Summary:This position is located in the Office of the Deputy Secretary, Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ). This office is responsible for conducting adjudicatory hearings and issuing decisions for the Department of Labor under more than 70 different laws and executive orders.
This position has is a TERM appointment NTE 14 Months
This is position is inside the bargaining unit
Duties:
Applicants should apply to the location(s) they are able to regularly report to. Location will be determined once selection(s) is made. Salary posted reflects pay range for all locations. Once the selection has been made, the salary will be set in accordance with the selectee's location.
The positions can be filled in any of the following locations:
Boston, MA: 84,579 - 109,959
Cincinnati, OH: 77,785 - 101,126
Covington, LA: 74,678 - 97,087
Newport News, VA: 75,788 - 98,530
Philadelphia, PA: 82,289 - 106,982
Pittsburgh, PA: 77,211 - 100,380
San Francisco, CA: 93,358 - 121,371
Washington, DC: 85,447 - 111,087
Major Duties:
Conducts a detailed analysis of the factual and legal issues presented in the case file.
Prepares complex orders which require legal research and discussions of points of law, to respond to motions or pleadings, to compel discovery, and to otherwise prepare the cases for hearing, drafts responses to pre- and post-hearing motions.
Confers with and responds to questions and correspondence from attorneys on procedural and legal aspects of cases; confers with the ALJ and provides advice on cases and points of law.
Prepares a written analysis and digest of the facts and legal issues in the proposed decision for review by the ALJ and prepares the decision in its final form to be issued to the parties.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- Must be at least 16 years old.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- Requires a trial period if the requirement has not been met.
- Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
- Term Appointment Not-To-Exceed 14 Months.
Qualifications:
This position requires completion of a first professional law degree (J.D. or LL.B)
Minimum Qualification Requirement: This position requires completion of a first professional law degree (LL.B or J.D.)
In addition to your transcripts applicants must also provide an unedited legal writing sample that is no more than ten (10) pages long with your application in order to receive further consideration.
Transcripts: You must provide a copy of your law school transcript to be considered for this position. Verification of your academic degree(s) is necessary to determine your qualifications or eligibility for this position, you will be required to submit an official transcripts for verification purposes before you are hired. However, unofficial transcripts may be submitted during the application phase of the process. Please note that your J.D. or LL. B degree must be conferred before you can begin working.
Appointments as a Law Clerk are limited to 14 months during which time the appointee must be admitted in good standing to the bar of a court of general jurisdiction of a State, territory, or possession of the United States. Thereafter, the appointee may be converted to an Attorney-Advisor appointment with the possibility of an additional two-year extension.
Education:
A J.D. or LL.B is a requirement for this position. If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.
Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.
If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#eva-foreign) for more information.
Additional Information:
Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements.
This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.
Click for Career Ladder Promotion Information (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#clp)
The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers.
Refer to these links for more information: General Information (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#gen-info), Reasonable Accommodation (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#Reasonable-Accommodations), Additional Documentation (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#add-docu), Former Federal Employees (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#former-fed)
As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: Background Investigation (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/background-investigation)
Click for Telework Eligibility Information (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#Telework)
Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.
The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. (http://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#fair-chance-act)
Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits. (https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits?_gl=1*i91hgf*_ga*NjQ0MjQ5MzQ5LjE3MjU1OTI5OTA.*_ga_CLZB1LJ1VZ*czE3ODQxNzQxOTAkbzIkZzEkdDE3ODQxNzUzMTAkajYwJGwwJGgw)
Review our benefits (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#ben-perm)
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This is an Excepted Service position and is open as well to Non-Citizens as allowed by law. This position will be filled through an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service.
Applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements for this position will be further evaluated against the following evaluation factors. Current and/or past supervisors may be contacted unless specified otherwise. A panel and/or the selecting official or his/her designee may interview applicants.
Evaluation Factors:
It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply sufficient information to provide a basis f
Review our benefits (https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/vacancy-information#ben-perm)
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This is an Excepted Service position and is open as well to Non-Citizens as allowed by law. This position will be filled through an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service.
Applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements for this position will be further evaluated against the following evaluation factors. Current and/or past supervisors may be contacted unless specified otherwise. A panel and/or the selecting official or his/her designee may interview applicants.
Evaluation Factors:
- Demonstrated skill in researching and preparing well-written, organized, and persuasive legal documents.
- Ability to make effective oral presentations in a clear and concise manner.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective liaison with high-level departmental officials, regional program officials, supervisors, agency staff, and the general public.
- Ability to multi-task in a complex and fast-paced inter-disciplinary legal environment, entailing timely collections of facts, identification and resolution of issues, enumeration of options, and formulation of recommendations.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply sufficient information to provide a basis f