L&I Vocational Services Specialist 2-Spokane

Vocational Services Specialist 2

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

Bring your skills and talents to L&I, the employer of choice. Join our team and work in a positive, goal-oriented atmosphere. Your reward at the end of each day is satisfaction of a job well done and knowing you have provided an invaluable service to our fellow citizens of Washington. Our Vocational Services Specialist 2 supports the agency goal of helping workers heal and return-to-work by assisting injured workers and all job seekers of Washington State to return to gainful employment. You will help support vocational recovery and prevent work disability and facilitate return to work (RTW) when an on-the-job injury or exposure occurs.

You will utilize professional vocational experience and knowledge to educate and assist employers in setting up return to work programs and navigate the return to work process.

This role supports vocational recovery under direction of the Regional Early Return to Work (ERTW) Supervisor and with the support and guidance of the Employer Outreach and ERTW Program Manager.

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health, and security of Washington's workers. We help employers meet safety and health standards and inspect workplaces when alerted to hazards. As administrators of the state's workers' compensation system, we are similar to a large insurance company, providing medical and limited wage-replacement coverage to workers who suffer job-related injuries and illness. Our rules and enforcement programs also help ensure workers are paid what they are owed, that children's and teens' work hours are limited, and that consumers are protected from unsound business practices.

Insurance Services is the largest division within the agency and administers one of the premier workers' compensation organizations in the nation serving over 3.8 million employees working for 260,000 employers.

The Employer Services program within the Insurance Services Division is responsible for establishing and maintaining industrial insurance accounts for over 180,000+ employers and 2.5 million employees doing business throughout the state of Washington. The program provides a wide array of services to employers in the State Fund from helping new businesses get workers' compensation coverage to specialized underwriting.

Duties

Some of what you'll do:

• Research and identify employers that could benefit from outreach services.
• Assist workers with understanding the RTW process.
• Assists employers in identifying and developing light duty jobs, job descriptions, and job offer letters.
• Educates employers on RTW processes, best practices and assists them to implement an effective return to work program.
• Informs and educates employers on the Early Return to Work, WA Stay at Work and Preferred Worker Programs.
• Develops job analyses, following WAC 296-19A-137 and WAC 296-19A-170.
• Conducts ergonomic evaluations.
• Provides on-site evaluations of worksites to complete job descriptions, job analysis, ergonomic evaluations, and modification of jobs.
• Refers employer to internal partners, such as Risk Management and Safety.
• Presents on-site educational workshops for employers, employees, and other professionals in the field of worker's compensation on topics concerning return to work.
• And much more!

Qualifications

Required:

• A Master's Degree AND CRC, CDMS or ABVE certification

AND

• ONE year of full-time industrial insurance, disability management, or related field experience.

OR

• A Bachelor's Degree AND a CRC or CDMS certification

AND

• TWO years of full-time industrial insurance, disability management, or related experience.

CRC = Certified Rehabilitation Counselor; CDMS = Certified Disability Management Specialist; ABVE =American Board of Vocational Experts.

AND

• Must possess a valid, unrestricted Washington State Driver's License and show proof of personal liability insurance.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Desired:

• Current experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or Vocational Services Specialist (VSS) in industrial insurance with the Department of Labor and Industries, and/or experience providing return-to-work or vocational services under other jurisdictions.

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 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 3.8 million workers. Take a look at this brief video and learn more about why L&I is an employer of choice.

Telework is dependent upon business needs and supervisor approval. 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.

The assigned duty station for this position is Spokane, Washington.

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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:

1. A cover letter describing specific qualifications.
2. A current resume detailing applicable experience and education.
3. 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 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.

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 3.8 million workers.

Veterans Preference

Applicants wishing