L&I Industrial Relations Agent 2 (Spanish Bilingual)

DescriptionOur Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working! Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability When hired as bilingual, our top applicant will be required to pass an assessment of your ability to write and speak Spanish fluently. We do not use translating software. Employees with bilingual responsibilities receive a 5% increase in pay.Job HighlightsProvide education, outreach, consultation, and compliance enforcement to English and Spanish-speaking customers as an Industrial Relations Agent 2! In this role, you’ll focus on aspects of enforcement and administration of anti-retaliation provisions of the Minimum Wage Act. You’ll elevate awareness and understanding of Washington’s fair labor requirements, processes, and obligations from both employers and employees.DutiesSome Of What You’ll DoWork independently to investigate and resolve Minimum Wage Act Retaliation complaints and Administrative Violations. With a substantial amount of discretional authority for exercising judgement, and in conjunction with above cited statutes and WAC rules, the employee in this position is expected to be fully knowledgeable, conversant and capable of applying and enforcing relevant administrative law and agency policies. Identify and analyze issues in dispute, recommend solutions, and negotiate settlement or otherwise mediate and resolve disputes between employers and employees resulting from the alleged retaliation. Collect documentary information and other substantiating evidence through interviews, observations, and examination of records. Obtain witness statements through telephone or in-person interviews.Communicate with employers, employer representatives and employees via phone, email, and letters to resolve retaliation complaints as well as other Employment Standards disputes. Provide parties with copies of laws, rules, and administrative policies. Determine validity of complaints by applying rules and regulations promulgated under the appropriate statutes e.g. whether a protected activity exists under RCW 49.46 and whether there was a materially adverse action against said employee.Communicate with employers and employees in Spanish and English via phone, email, in person, and letters to resolve disputes.Investigate other Employment Standards complaints. This includes, but is not limited to, WPA paid sick leave, and tips & service charges complaints.Assist Retaliation Specialist with educational consultations for employers, workers, and others regarding retaliation rules and regulations, as well as other state labor and employment law in English and Spanish. QualificationsRequired:4 years of experience in labor/employment relations and regulationsORA relevant Bachelor's Degree and one year of experience in labor/employment relations and regulationsORA relevant Associate's Degree and two years of experience in labor/employment relations and regulationsANDThe ability to read, write, and speak fluently in Spanish and English.ANDThe ability to take action to learn and grow.The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.DesiredExperience working with employees who have experienced retaliation, and/or investigating allegations of discrimination/retaliation. Knowledge of laws governing all phases of labor relations, general policies, principles and practices of labor, and management state wage and hour laws and regulations; contracts and related labor relations; 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. Understanding of interaction between federal and state statutory schemes concerning employment standards. Ability to interpret complex laws, rules and regulation; analyze 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 in explaining laws and regulations. Experience working with applications or systems such as Outlook, Excel, Word, CATS, LINIIS, and BEAR. Ability to apply knowledge to mediation, arbitration, and resolution; the principles, standards and techniques of personal investigations, rules of evidence, auditing, accounting and bookkeeping procedures. Ability to develop methods and techniques for solving employer wage and hour problems; establish and maintain productive working relationships; prioritize and manage work schedule; work independently. Experience researching and gathering information Experience working with limited English proficient communities and explaining RCWs and WACs.Supplemental InformationThings You Need To KnowTo 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, telework is dependent upon 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 at Hiring 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 InformationFor 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 bytheWashington 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 EmployerL&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.