L&I Program Specialist 2

State of Washington•Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program Specialist 2 supports the Employment Standards Program by promoting equitable access to services and providing education and efficient service to internal and external customers. The role supports enforcement of Washington labor laws and employment standards, including the Wage Payment Act (RCW 49.48), Industrial Welfare Act (RCW 49.12), and Minimum Wage Act (RCW 49.46). It helps ensure operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and enhance program productivity. The position oversees worker complaint intake and triage, offers technical guidance about employment rights and complaint pathways, and develops and improves program standards, tools, correspondence, and workflows. It also maintains and analyzes program data, assesses service needs, recommends enhancements to leadership, and coordinates daily intake and triage operations. Telework is permitted part time with supervisor approval; the assigned duty station may be any L&I service location statewide except King County, and the employee must reside in Washington or near the Oregon/Washington or Idaho/Washington borders.

Requirements

A combined total of four years of education and/or qualifying experience.
Qualifying experience may include work as a Customer Service Specialist, Industrial Relations Agent, or Program Specialist; explaining, interpreting, understanding, or enforcing RCWs and WACs; investigating criminal or civil misconduct complaints; collecting revenue or taxes from employers or businesses; or auditing employer financial records.
Experience may substitute for education at a rate of one year of experience for one year of education, toward the four-year combined requirement.
Ability to take action to learn and grow.
Ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of laws governing labor relations, labor and management policies and practices, state wage and hour laws and regulations, contracts and labor relations, personal investigation techniques, rules of evidence, auditing, accounting, and bookkeeping procedures.
Human resources experience.
Call center experience explaining RCWs and WACs.
Understanding of interactions between federal and state laws.
Ability to present complex information clearly, concisely, and logically; gather, preserve, and present relevant evidence; and exercise mature judgment in public contacts.
Experience managing special projects.
Experience completing specialized tasks and investigations; prioritizing staff workload; monitoring workload output; providing on-the-job training; and compiling and analyzing service data reports.
Experience serving as an initial customer contact, conducting labor-law investigations or record audits, and supporting internal teams with triage and administrative intake tasks.
Experience helping reduce case-management backlogs and prevent delays.
Ability to identify outreach needs and create content tailored to intended audiences.
Familiarity with Complaint Activity Tracking System (CATS), LINIIS, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, Excel, Word, and Adobe PDF.

Responsibilities

Oversee intake, initial screening, submission, and assignment of worker complaints related to employment standards.
Ensure intake and triage processes align with program procedures, policies, and legal requirements.
Serve as a subject matter expert on intake policies and procedures, providing guidance to internal and external partners and agency leadership.
Provide technical assistance to workers, employers, and the public about employment rights, complaint options, and referral pathways.
Lead development, implementation, and continuous improvement of program standards, intake tools, correspondence templates, and workflows.
Maintain accurate and timely data tracking and reporting systems; analyze trends, access barriers, and opportunities for operational improvement and program development.
Assess program needs using quantitative and qualitative data, including customer experience feedback, and propose service enhancements.
Resolve program service issues by developing and presenting recommendations to program and division leadership.
Direct, coordinate, and organize daily intake and triage operations to ensure efficiency and quality.
Monitor program activities for alignment with established service goals.
Plan, organize, and resolve non-wage, non-jurisdictional, and non-actionable complaints.
Promote intake and triage services and resources to internal and external customers.
Develop and deliver presentations on intake and triage services and related topics.