Job Description

The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill one (1) regular, full-time position in the class of Welfare Fraud Investigator I/II at the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) within the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The level of hire will be determined by the hiring manager at the time of offer – prior experience will be a factor considered for hiring level.

The ideal candidate for this position:

• Will be a positive, well-organized, self-starter, capable of working with limited supervision;
• Must have excellent interpersonal and customer service skills;
• Must possess tactical awareness, firearms handling proficiency, and a strong safety mindset, coupled with a demonstrated ability to assess and mitigate risks in dynamic situations;
• Must have proficient de-escalation skills and a mindset focused on defusing tense or difficult situations as a first priority, whenever possible;
• Will have a history of working well in a team environment and enjoy working with diverse, sometimes challenging, populations of the community;
• Will be proficient in writing detailed investigative reports and should have experience with the process and legal requirements for writing and obtaining search warrants;
• Will have experience working with sensitive and complex investigations, advanced interview and interrogation skills, and should be familiar with public assistance laws and regulations;
• Will have excellent writing skills and should also have knowledge of Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, and Access;
• Will exercise sound judgment in dealing with confidential client and law enforcement-sensitive information and will be required to keep such information guarded; AND
• Must have the ability to pass an extensive Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) background, medical exam and psychological exam.

Welfare Fraud Investigator I:

$41.04-$49.87/hourly

$7,113-$8,644/monthly

$85,363-$103,729/annually

Welfare Fraud Investigator II:

$45.13-$54.86/monthly

$7,822-$9,509/monthly

$93,870-$114,108/annually

Up to an additional 15% Education/POST Incentives

DEFINITION

Under supervision, performs investigative work for cases of suspected welfare fraud and violations of Public Assistance laws and regulations, including assignments to the most difficult and sensitive investigations; locates and interviews witnesses and persons suspected of violations; and obtains and presents facts and evidence to support administrative action or prosecution.

 
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The Welfare Fraud Investigator I/II is a single class with two salary levels, and positions in this class are flexibly staffed. This class is a sworn peace officer, utilized in the Special Investigation Unit of the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). Incumbents in this class conduct investigations of known or suspected violations of the law related to the fraudulent receipt of welfare funds.

 
The Welfare Fraud Investigator I is the entry level in this class series. Under close supervision, incumbents are given detailed instructions in the performance of routine investigative tasks that are more structured and repetitive than those assigned at Level II. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, incumbents are expected to perform increasingly responsible and difficult assignments. Incumbents may advance to the higher level after demonstrating the ability to perform the full journey level duties of the class, which generally requires twelve months of experience at Level I.

 
The Welfare Fraud Investigator II is the journey level in this class series. This is the targeted competency and performance level of all Welfare Fraud Investigators. Working under general supervision, incumbents are expected to be proficient in performing a variety of responsible and difficult investigative assignments. The Welfare Fraud Investigator differs from the lower class series of Welfare Fraud Technician in that the Welfare Fraud Investigator is a sworn peace officer, whereas the latter is a non-sworn paraprofessional class that performed technical and specialized work.Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Plans, organizes and conducts office and field investigations of suspected fraudulent receipt of public assistance.
• Locates suspected persons, witnesses, and other relevant parties using a variety of surveillance and tracing methods; obtains and/or assists with search warrants; serves subpoenas.
• Interviews and obtains statements from a variety of parties including suspected persons, witnesses, complainants, public assistance workers, and representatives of businesses or other governmental agencies to ascertain facts and evidence verifying or refuting allegations of fraud.
• Analyzes and evaluates statements for credibility and potential testimony.
• Reports facts, statements, or affidavits and other evidence for use in legal action; and writes detailed case reports.
• Gathers, reviews, analyzes and evaluates a variety of files, records, technical reference material or other related data to secure evidence concerning suspected violations; develops reasonable and deliverable options and makes appropriate recommendations.
• Interprets and explains the provisions of applicable laws, rules or regulations related to welfare fraud.
• Acts in a liaison capacity between the District Attorney's Office and other public agencies, State, Federal and Local law enforcement and regulatory agencies and courts.
• Refers appropriate cases to the District Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution; assists the District Attorney's Office with pretrial briefings; testifies in court or State hearings regarding case records and investigative process and results.
• Conducts in-service training programs for departmental staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Welfare Fraud Investigator I:
Education: Equivalent to completion of 60 college semester units,  AND;
Experience:   Two (2) years of paid full-time experience in investigative work or law enforcement.

Welfare Fraud Investigator II:
Experience: One (1) year of experience in the class of Welfare Fraud Investigator I in Yolo County.  OR  
Education: Equivalent to completion of 60 college semester units,  AND;
Experience:   Three (3) years of paid full-time experience in investigative work or law enforcement.

BOTH POSITIONS Substitution:  For the external pattern only, additional years of experience may substitute for the required education on a ratio of one year equivalent to 30 semester units, up to 60 semester units. Additional education may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis for a maximum of one (1) year.

 
Certification:  For all levels within the class, one of the following is required:

• Successful completion of a Regular Basic Course (Law Enforcement Academy) or Successful completion of a Specialized Investigator's Basic Course (SIBC) approved by California Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) (to meet the requirements specified in 832.25 (a) of the Penal Code) within three years prior to appointment to the class OR;  
• Possession of a valid and current P.O.S.T. Basic, Intermediate or Advanced Peace Officer Certificate within three years prior to appointment to the class, or Possession of a Basic Course Waiver (BCW).

Note: All training must be in compliance with the P.O.S.T. three-year rule, and all licenses must be kept current while employed in this class.

Peace Officer Status: At the time of appointment, incumbents must meet the Peace Officer Standards stipulated in Section 1029 – 1031 of the Government Code. Individuals in this position are peace officers as defined in 830.35(a) of the Penal Code.

 
License: Positions in this classification require incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California driver's license, Class C or higher, to carry out job related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and techniques of conducting criminal investigations, including appropriate and effective interview and interrogation techniques
• Methods of surveillance, skip tracing methods, and other sources of information used in locating persons or obtaining facts
• Public assistance programs, eligibility, laws, regulations and procedures
• Methods and techniques of gathering, evaluating, screening and preserving evidence, including preparing exhibits for trial
• Structure and activities of the criminal justice system and related agencies
• Report writing and record keeping techniques
• English composition, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation for both written and oral communications
• Techniques for making effective oral presentations
• Standard office procedures, practices, equipment, personal computers, and software 

Ability to:

• Understand, interpret, explain and appropriately apply applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures
• Plan, organize, prioritize and execute multiple projects simultaneously
• Develop and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with others, including those from diverse backgrounds
• Apply tact and diplomacy during interactions with staff, citizens, law enforcement representatives and public officials
• Research and evaluate work problems, and recommend logical solutions
• Prepare and present clear, concise and comprehensive reports and other correspondence
• Gather, assemble, analyze and evaluate facts and evidence and draw logical and valid conclusions
• Maintain confidentiality of records and information per pertinent laws/regulations
• Maintain composure and accurately testify in court

Application Process

It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.

Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date. Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement. A resume should be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. In addition to a completed application, applicants are required to submit a completed supplemental questionnaire, and verification of education> for this position. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.

Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Office in any one or more of the following ways: 

• As an attachment to the online application 
• By e-mail to hhsa.jobs@yolocounty.gov 
• By hand-delivery to 625 Court Street, Room 101, Woodland, CA 95695. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

All required documents must be received by the Human Resources Office by the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted. Human Resources is not responsible for the untimely delivery of materials sent via U.S./specialized mail, or County interoffice mail.

Selection Procedure

The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process. The selection process steps, and all listed dates, may change with or without notice.

• Screen for Minimum Qualifications
• Screen for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Reference Checks
• Background Investigation 
• Conditional Job Offer, pending:
  1. Pre-Employment Exams 
     • Drug & Alcohol Screen
     • Department of Justice LiveScan
  2. Proof of Vaccination or Exemption
• Confirmed Job Offer
• Estimated Start Date: February 2025

 

Verification of Education Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded. 

For recent graduates  who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.

Please do not  send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.

All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site ( ). Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following: 1. A written statement from a U.S. accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required. 2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.

Note : Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only. EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE 601 University Ave., Suite 127 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 921-0790  FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE P.O. Box 151739 San Diego, CA 92175 (619) 265-5810  CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC. P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817 (714) 237-9272  GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC. 409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393 Redondo Beach, CA 90277 (310) 828-5709  INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS EVALUATION SERVICE P.O. Box 3665 Culver City, CA 90231-3665 (310) 258-9451   

Verification of Certification Acceptable forms of certification and/or formal training documentation are certificates that list the applicant's name, institution name, course title and date the certificate was awarded. If applicable, the verifying documentation should include a certification/license number as well as an expiration date.

Screening for Best Qualified

The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate’s experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification. If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely. Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question. Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated to determine those applicants that are best qualified.

Contact Information

For questions about the position or about employment with the County, please contact Human Resources by e-mail at hhsa.jobs@yolocounty.gov.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity : It is the policy of the County of Yolo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance. The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants. Reasonable testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities or who are unable to attend a scheduled test due to religious reasons in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call the County of Yolo Human Resources Office at (530) 666-8055 at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled test date to request accommodation. Documentation from a medical doctor, rehabilitation counselor, or other qualified professional will be required.

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Full time, Local area, Monday to Friday,

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