Description

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working!
Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability.

The Team:

ERTW staff work directly with the injured workers, employers, physicians, and claim managers to achieve the best possible outcomes by promoting and exploring return-to-work possibilities as early as medically appropriate.

The Role:

As the Field Vocational Services Specialist 2 (VSS2) you will provide consultative services under direction of the regional ERTW Supervisor and with the support and guidance of the Regional Program Manager and the Insurance Services Field Liaison Manager. As the VSS2, you will support the state’s economic well-being by assisting employers to return injured workers to work as quickly and safely as possible.

As the Field VSS2, you will utilize your professional vocational experience and knowledge to educate and assist employers in setting up return to work programs, providing return-to-work assistance to help keep employees working or returning employees to work at the earliest time possible following an industrial injury. You will provide vocational assistance to employers on special requests. You will work as part of a team and will access the expertise of other internal programs on an as needed basis.

Duties

Some of what you will do:

• Research and identify employers that could benefit from outreach services.
• Provide direct full-scope RTW assistance to the employer to allow for the development of Return to Work Programs.
• Assist employers in identifying and developing light duty jobs, job descriptions, job offer letters. Perform on-site evaluations of worksites to complete Stand Alone Job Analysis.
• Educate employers on RTW processes, best practices and assists them to implement an effective return to work program.
• Educate employers on how to identify and develop light duty jobs, job descriptions and job offer letters.
• Inform and educates employers on the Light Duty Return to Work, WA Stay at Work and Preferred Worker Programs.
• Develop job analyses, following WAC 296-19A-137 and WAC 296-19A-170.
• Conduct ergonomic evaluations.
• Provide on-site evaluations of worksites to complete job descriptions/analysis and modification of jobs.
• Refer employers to internal partners, such as Risk Management and Safety.
• Use flexible and agile communication skills to persuade and inform all stakeholders about requirements and expectations in the RTW process. Employ advanced strategies and problem solving skills to remove barriers.
• Present on-site educational workshops for employers, employees, and other professionals in the field of worker’s compensation on topics concerning return to work.
• Maintain a caseload of ERTW assignments received from Employer Services and Claims Administration.
• Interview workers to identify RTW motivation, potential psychosocial barriers, and develops and implements an action plan to remediate barriers and facilitate RTW in coordination with employer and worker.
• And much more!

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

OR

• Must be able to be registered as a vocational provider with the Department of Labor and Industries.
  
• Must have working knowledge of laws, rules and policies regarding vocational rehabilitation services.

Here is what we are looking for :

• Vocational Rehabilitation - Has a working knowledge of laws, rules (i.e., WAC 296-19A) and policies regarding vocational rehabilitation services and skill applying vocational laws, rules and policies to specific claims.

Supplemental Information

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 employee 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.

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified by Human Resources prior to your first day of employment. Please contact April Sharp (she/her/hers) at Elib235@lni.wa.gov if you need information on medical or religious accommodation.

For this position, telework is upon business needs and supervisor approval. The assigned duty station for this position is in any one of the following offices: Mt. Vernon, Everett or Bellingham, Washington.

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.

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 mandatory 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 information about your vaccination status, including listing the governor’s mandate as a reason for leaving employment, 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.

Other Information:

• Offer of hire is contingent upon completion of a background check that includes a criminal record history review.
• Positions requiring travel must have a valid unrestricted driver's license and must be insured 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 which 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 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: This announcement may be used 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 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 to their application. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For further information please contact us at: 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.

If you have any questions regarding this announcement, program, or the agency please contact April Sharp at elib235@lni.wa.gov.