Industrial Relations Agent 2

Title: Industrial Relations Agent 2

Location: Multiple Locations Statewide United States

Job Description:

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working!

 Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability

Job Highlights

Please Note: This posting represents multiple positions.

As an Industrial Relations Agent 2 (IRA) for L&I's Employment Standard program, you'll have a direct impact in fulfilling the "working" component of the agency's mission.

This position makes a clear contribution to our Strategic Goals of Service and Value. In this role, you'll investigate wage complaints to help preserve worker rights established by the Washington legislature, and assists employers in fulfilling their statutory

obligations.

Some of what you'll do:

• Communication with employers and employees via phone, email, in person, and letters to resolve wage disputes;
• Determine validity of wage complaints by applying regulations promulgated under the appropriate statutes and rules
• Review and audit of payroll records to determine unlawful payment of wages;
• Negotiating for restitution of wages, mediating settlement or compromise proposals that both parties might find acceptable;
• Unless otherwise resolved, recommend Citation and Notice of Assessment (NOA) or Determinations of Compliance (DOC);
• Follow the standard work process as set out by the Employment Standards Program and the Operations Manual
• Communication with employer and employee via phone, email, in person, and letters to resolve disputes;
• Request and review records to determine whether violations have occurred
• Compile investigation case files and recommend determinations per Standard Work and Operations Manual;
• Prepare and upload files when recommending WPA notices of assessment and determinations of compliance; or child labor notices of violation;
• Providing educational information to customer questions on wage and hour requirements and processes
• And much more!

Required:

• A combined total of five years of education and/or experience.

Experience in one or more of the following areas to reach a total of five years (see below how education and experience can contribute to the five-year requirement total)

• Education option includes:

• A Master's degree (five years) 

• A Bachelor's degree (4 years) and six months or more experience; types of qualifying experience listed below

• An Associate's degree (2 years) and 1.5 years or more experience; types of qualifying experience listed below

• Experience options (at the rate of one year of experience for two years of education):

• Experience as an Industrial Relations Agent

• Explanation, interpretation, understanding, and enforcement of rules and regulations regarding RCWs, WACs

• Investigating complaints of misconduct (criminal or civil)

• Collection of revenue/taxes from employers/businesses

• Audit of employer financial records

• Experience in labor/employment relations and regulations, collection of revenue/taxes from employers/businesses; criminal and administrative investigations; audit of employer financial records, interpretation and explanation of rules and regulations regarding employment law, wages and hours, and child labor laws or related experience.

Desired:

• Experience exercising judgement, and in conjunction with above cited statutes and WAC rules, applying and enforcing relevant administrative law and agency policies.
• Experience working with labor relations, general policies, principles and practices of labor, and management state wage and hour laws and regulations; contracts; ability to apply such knowledge in mediation, arbitration, and resolution principles; standards and techniques of personnel investigations; rules of evidence; auditing; accounting and bookkeeping procedures.
• Experience preparing written documents; organizing facts, arguments and conclusions in clear and logical sequence.
• Experience interpreting complex laws, rules and regulation; analyzing issues involving wage disputes; prepare written documents; organize facts; arguments and conclusions in clear and logical sequence; gather, preserve and present material; relevant and pertinent evidence; exercise judgement in a wide variety of public contact.
• Public Sector experience explaining RCWs and WACs for Employment Standards laws
• Working with applications or systems such as Outlook, Excel, Word, CATS, LINIIS, and BEAR

Things You Need To Know

To help you maintain a proper work-life balance, teleworking is one of the work schedule options for this position. L&I also offers flexible custom work schedules.

State employees who meet the qualifications will become eligible for a generous retirement package at the end of the employee's career. Click on the "Benefits" tab to learn more.

At L&I, your voice matters. In addition, L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3.3 million workers. Take a look at this brief video and learn more about why L&I is an employer of choice.

For this position, teleworking is permitted dependent on business needs and supervisor approval. The duty station of this position is Tumwater, Washington, with options to telework anywhere in the state. A duty station is the location a position is assigned, permanent worksite. This position is not eligible to receive King County premium pay, as the duty station is not in King County. 

For positions where in-office work is necessary, the frequency of telework will be discussed with the supervisor of the position at the time of offer.

To receive more information on opportunities at L&I sign up for GovDelivery and select L&I job alerts.

Application process

We will contact the top candidates directly to interview for this position. Because we base the selection on information provided by you, it is in your best interest to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that address the required and desirable qualifications described in the announcement.

Please include the following documents with your application:

• A cover letter describing specific qualifications.
• A current resume detailing applicable experience and education.
• A list of at least three professional references with current telephone numbers.

Please do not attach or place any medical information (vaccination status included) within the application, resume, or cover letter. If you do, we will have to reject your application to safeguard others from receiving your confidential information. You will have to remove the confidential information before you can apply again.

To learn more about our hiring process timeline at L&I please visit our L&I recruiting page atHiring Process at L&I. If you would like to read our website in a language other than English, scroll up to the top of the page to select your language of choice from the banner.

Background Check Notice

Prior to a placement in this position, a background check, including criminal history record will be conducted. Information from your background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining your eligibility to perform the requirements of the position.

Other information

For positions requiring travel, you must have a valid unrestricted driver's license and have insurance if driving a privately owned vehicle on state business.

• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
• Candidates who are offered a job with L&I must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa now or in the future.
• The Department of Labor & Industries complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal employment eligibility verification form, I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.
• Please note: L&I may use this announcement to fill multiple permanent and/or non-permanent positions.

Did You Know?

Washington is America's Top State to live, play, and work, according to U.S. News (2021). Join the L&I team and enjoy all the Evergreen State has to offer.

In addition to offering a positive balance between life and work, L&I provides one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation. We also believe your voice matters. We value our employees and their work-life balance by encouraging flexible schedules. L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3 million workers.

Veterans Preference 

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference should attach to their application a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as Social Security numbers. For further information, contact L&I's Jobs@lni.wa.gov.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

L&I employees come from all walks of life. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We believe in the importance of recognizing the value each of us contribute to the success of the agency mission. Having a diverse workforce is this agency's greatest resource of strength and knowledge. It is through the combination of talents and abilities that we can pursue finding effective measures to provide the best customer service. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone and we strongly mean everyone.

The State of Washington is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with a disability who need accommodation in the application process or testing process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, may call 360-902-5700. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our award-winning diverse and inclusive organization.

For more Information

If you have any questions regarding this job posting, program, or the agency, please contact Haleigh Missildine (she/her/hers) at miso235@Lni.wa.gov.