Eligibility Specialist II – Food & Nutrition Services

New as of 01/01/2026:

Your well-being matters from the start — benefited new hires are eligible for up to 40 hours of advanced annual leave and 40 hours of advanced sick leave.

Position Description

Catawba County Social Services is seeking a detail-oriented and compassionate Eligibility Specialist II to join our Food & Nutrition Services team. This position plays a vital role in determining and maintaining eligibility for individuals and families seeking food assistance, ensuring benefits are calculated accurately and delivered within strict county, state, and federal deadlines.

• Salary is negotiable for applicants who are fully qualified. (1 year or more of Income Maintenance experience in Medicaid or Food and Nutrition Services eligibility)
• Applicants must possess 1 year of experience in income maintenance eligibility (IMC) in a Department of Social Services in order to be fully qualified. However, trainees may be accepted. Trainee pay is $44,366.96 per year.

Responsibilities

• Interview applicants and existing clients to gather information needed to determine eligibility for Food & Nutrition Services benefits
• Collect, verify, and analyze information from a variety of sources (employers, landlords, financial institutions, other agencies, and state systems) to certify households for benefits
• Manage an ongoing caseload, including redeterminations, changes in income or household composition, and other case updates
• Educate clients on the budgeting process, benefit calculation, and their rights and responsibilities, including how to report changes to avoid overpayment or fraud
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies, and refer suspected agency or client errors to the Program Integrity unit as needed
• Coordinate with other departments and agencies to ensure continuity of services and respond to reported changes
• Offer voter registration opportunities and issue Fishing License Waivers as required
• Refer applicants and recipients to additional community resources as appropriate
• Participate in public outreach efforts to promote awareness of the Food & Nutrition Services program
• Maintain strict confidentiality and security of sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, employment data, and medical records

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in Human Services, Business, or a closely related field and 1 year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker; OR
• High school diploma or GED equivalent and 3 years of demonstrated experience with mathematical work and/or public contact involving interviewing, gathering, and compiling information, and 1 year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker

Additional Requirements

• Ability to multitask and exercise sound, practical judgment in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures to a wide range of individual situations
• Ability to clearly explain complex program requirements to clients with varying levels of understanding
• Excellent computer, time management, and organizational skills
• Ability to maintain professionalism and composure when working with irate or distressed individuals
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with employers, landlords, community colleges, other agencies, and the public
• Commitment to treating all citizens with dignity and respect in every interaction

As of 7/1/2025:
You will find that Catawba County has one of the best benefits packages around. Our Human Resources staff are dedicated to keeping in touch with trends in benefits on both a local and national level, listening to employees' suggestions regarding benefits, and continually reviewing to ensure our benefits package is of good quality and meets the needs of both our employees and our organization.
Available benefits include:

Health Care

• Health: For a small bi-weekly premium, employees may choose between a traditional (co-pay) health plan and a high deductible health plan coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Coverage may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), or family.
• Dental Insurance: At no cost to full-time employees, the County covers preventive, routine, and non-routine care. Coverage for the same benefits may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), and family. In addition, a $2,000 benefit toward orthodontia coverage is provided for children up to age 19.
• Vision Care: Coverage is available, at group rates, for employee and dependents,with 2 plan options to choose from.
• Supplemental critical care and accident insurance plans: These optional coverage plans are available at a nominal cost.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax accounts that can be used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses.

• Employee Health Clinic (EHC): An employee medical clinic, available to all County employees, which operates 40 hours a week. Services provided include acute care, first aid, evaluation and care for workers' compensation injuries, pre-employment screenings, health education, and behavioral health referrals. Services are offered both in person and through telehealth. Acute care is available to employee’s children ages 3-17, regardless of health insurance coverage, and for employee’s adult children (ages 18-26) or employee’s spouse if covered on the county’s health insurance.
• Wellness: The County recognizes the importance of our health and well-being. We maintain a very proactive and effective Wellness Program, including reimbursement and discounts for gym membership, incentives for physical activity, on-site nutrition counseling, free exercise opportunities, wellness education, and more.
• Employee Assistance Program: Counseling services are available to all County employees and immediate family members in the home. Services are provided in a private and confidential setting (in-person or virtually). The County provides coverage for the first six visits.

• Annual Leave:Full-time employees earn from 10-24 days annually based on years of service. Service credit from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
  • To help new employees settle in, up to 40 hours of annual leave is advanced upon hire, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
• Sick Leave:Full-time employees earn one day (8 hours) of sick leave per month. Sick leave from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
  • New hires are advanced up to 40 hours of sick leave, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
• Holiday Leave: Throughout the year, 11 days of paid leave are provided in recognition of holidays.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Time off for activities that support our local schools.
• Continuing educational assistance.
• Discount tickets to recreational venues.
• Employee appreciation days/activities.
• Tax-free flexible spending account to pay for dependent care.

• Local Governmental Employees Retirement System: For employees assigned to work 20 hours per week or more in a benefitted position, participation in this program is automatic. Employees contribute 6% of their salary, which is tax-deferred. After (5) years of creditable service, you become fully vested in the retirement system. Employees may also take advantage of individual and group retirement counseling through the Human Resources department.
• 401K: The County provides a 2% contribution plus an additional 1% match (up to 3% total contribution by the County). Our sworn law enforcement officers receive a flat 5% contribution to their 401k.
• Other Tax Deferred Programs: Other tax-sheltering programs are available through IRS Code 125 (Cafeteria Plan), and a 457 supplemental retirement plan (Deferred Compensation).
• Longevity Pay: After 5 years of creditable service, employees receive an annual longevity payment that is paid every year thereafter. This lump sum payment rewards employees for their length of service to Catawba County. The amount is based on years of service.
• Life Insurance: Death benefit equal to one times the employee’s annual salary, with a minimum coverage amount of $25,000. Optional supplemental life insurance coverage is also available for both employee and dependents through payroll deduction at group rates.
• Short Term Disability: Available at no cost to employees, benefits are available after a 55-day waiting period.
• Long Term Disability: Available through payroll deduction at group rates.
• Eligibility for membership and financial services at State Employees Credit Union (SECU)/Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU).