Compliance Investigator

Montana Department Of Labor And Industry

Help protect the rights and well-being of Montana's workers, employers, and communities through meaningful public service. At the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, the work is grounded in people, purpose, and the impact made every day across the state. The department offers flexible schedules, casual dress, training opportunities, and room for professional growth in an open, supportive, and collaborative work environment. This opportunity is well suited for candidates who are energized by investigative work, public service, problem solving, and helping others navigate complex requirements.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity.

It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

This position conducts investigations into alleged violations involving Wage and Hour, Prevailing Wage, Workers' Compensation, and Independent Contractor programs. The role gathers facts and evidence, interprets documentation, analyzes records, and prepares investigative reports with findings, assessments, and fines when supported by the facts and applicable requirements. The position also provides customer service to workers, employers, attorneys, hiring agents, and other stakeholders by responding to questions and explaining program requirements and processes. In addition, this role supports the section manager with workload metrics, outcome tracking, and reporting that inform operational improvements. Wage claim and labor standards functions in Montana include claim intake, supporting documentation review, communication with workers and employers, and compliance-oriented follow-up.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Serve Montana communities: Contribute to work that helps protect employee rights, supports fair business practices, and strengthens lawful workplaces across the state. Montana's labor standards functions are designed to support both worker protections and employer compliance.
• Build investigative expertise: Develop and strengthen skills in fact-finding, documentation review, analysis, interviewing, and report writing in a role with real public impact. Wage and hour investigation standards emphasize applying legal provisions to specific facts, reviewing records, and drawing supported conclusions.
• Grow professionally: Gain experience in compliance, regulatory interpretation, customer service, and public-sector operations while working in an environment that values learning and development. The hiring language provided for this posting also emphasizes training opportunities, flexible schedules, and room for professional growth.
• Use transferable skills: Bring experience from investigations, compliance, customer service, legal support, HR, auditing, or operations and apply it in a mission-driven setting that values judgment and practical problem solving. OPM's wage-and-hour investigation standard recognizes qualifying experience from compliance, audits, records review, policy application, and related operational work.
• Work in a supportive culture: Join an open, collaborative, and service-focused team environment that values professionalism, communication, and shared success. The source language for this announcement emphasizes a supportive and collaborative workplace.
• Strengthen public service impact: Help improve how work is tracked, measured, and delivered by contributing to reporting, trends analysis, and process improvement efforts that support stronger program outcomes. The position overview provided by the manager includes assistance with workload statistics and outcomes reporting.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Explain processes and requirements: Guides parties through investigative procedures, timelines, legal standards, and possible outcomes so they understand their rights and responsibilities. Explains and clarifies Montana's wage claim process, required documentation, claim details, and department follow-up, reinforcing the need for clear process communication.
• Provide compliance guidance: Responds to questions from workers, employers, attorneys, and the public by explaining wage and hour requirements, labor standards, and related compliance expectations in practical terms. Montana Wage and Hour publishes public-facing guidance and contact points for these functions, underscoring the service component of the work.
• Manage wage claim investigations: Review disputed wage complaints, apply state and federal laws and statutes, rules, legal opinions, and case law to specific facts to determine if a violation of law has occurred.
• Analyze wage and hour violations: Evaluate payroll records, timesheets, employment agreements, contracts, and related documentation to determine whether pay violations occurred, calculate wages owed, and identify applicable penalties.
• Gather and verify information: Contacts workers, employers, attorneys, and other involved parties to obtain records, clarify discrepancies, and establish a complete factual record. Investigation work in this field relies heavily on interviews, records collection, and fact development.
• Maintain case documentation: Accurately records case activity, evidence, findings, and communications in the electronic case management system to support transparency, defensibility, and continuity of work. Investigative positions commonly require careful documentation of findings and case activity.
• Support data tracking and reporting: Assists in tracking caseload activity, workload trends, and case outcomes and contributes to reporting that supports program oversight, operational planning, and continuous improvement. The manager draft specifically identifies workload metrics and outcome reporting as part of the role's scope.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Regulatory interpretation and application: Interpret and apply laws, rules, policies, legal guidance, and technical requirements to real-world situations and explain them in clear, practical terms. Investigation standards for this field emphasize understanding legal provisions and applying them to specific situations.
• Analytical problem solving: Break down complex issues, evaluate information, identify relevant facts, and develop fair, well-reasoned conclusions supported by evidence. Wage and hour investigation roles routinely require analysis of written, verbal, and numerical information.
• Customer-focused communication: Communicate clearly, professionally, and respectfully with diverse audiences, including workers, employers, attorneys, and others involved in sensitive or disputed matters. Montana's wage claim process and public labor standards functions involve direct communication with workers, employers, and the public.
• Workload management and prioritization: Manage competing priorities, stay organized, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment with multiple active cases or assignments.
• Judgment and decision making: Make timely, sound decisions by balancing facts, legal standards, fairness, and practical outcomes within established program requirements.
• Initiative and ownership: Work independently, take action, follow through on assignments, and maintain momentum with limited supervision while knowing when to elevate complex matters.
• Technology and systems use: Use Microsoft Office tools effectively and quickly learn case management systems, reporting tools, and new technologies that support investigations and documentation.
• Documentation and reporting: Prepare clear, accurate, and defensible written findings, case notes, and investigative reports that support program integrity and decision making. Investigative roles in this field commonly require clear written communication of findings and conclusions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience):

• Demonstrated experience performing investigative, compliance, auditing, legal support, human resources, customer service, or closely related work where fact gathering, documentation review, policy application, interviews, compliance work, and issue resolution are central responsibilities.
• Experience interpreting and applying laws, regulations, policies, standards, or technical requirements and integrating them into day-to-day decision making.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience explaining complex processes, requirements, or findings to people with varied backgrounds and levels of understanding.
• Experience reviewing written, verbal, or numerical information, identifying discrepancies, and drawing supported conclusions based on facts and applicable standards.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools and the ability to learn and use case management, reporting, or electronic records systems.
• A degree in business, public administration, criminal justice, legal studies, labor relations, human resources, accounting, or a related field may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY:

A complete state application is not required; however, you will need to initiate the application and attach the resume, cover letter or other required documents at time of application to be considered for this position. Resume will auto fill the application, but the application will not be scored or reviewed.

Failure to attach the cover letter and resume will result in your application being considered incomplete and will not be considered further. Materials submitted but not requested will not be considered in the selection process.

Tip: When attaching your resume, cover letter or other required documents you must mark the attachments as "RELEVANT" or we will be unable to view your documents.

Required application materials:

• Cover Letter - Your Cover Letter should explain how your experience and education meet the identified required skills and competencies, with examples that demonstrate your qualifications.
• Resume - include all work experience you have held that would help you qualify for this position, including duties, dates of employment.

Only online applications will be accepted. By applying online, you can receive updates and monitor the status