Job Summary:

As a Vocational Services Specialist you will work in a WorkSource service location to provide the full range of vocational rehabilitation services to injured workers including Early Intervention, Assessment, Plan Development, Plan Implementation, and vocational assistance on special requests from claims administration. In addition you will participate in WorkSource activities such as attending all-staff meetings, providing resource room assistance, or teaching training modules to job seekers. As a regional employee you will report to the regional supervisor and work collaboratively with the regional Early Return to Work (ERTW) program staff.

The Vocational Services Specialist - WorkSource will:

• Examine case files and decide course of action.
• Interview injured worker, employer, and the medical provider, to address Return-to-Work options.
• Gather industrially injured workers' work and/or education histories and physical capacities information.
• Assess injured workers' employability.
• Develop, document, and write vocational rehabilitation plans
• Monitor injured workers' progress during training.
• Write progress reports.
• Analyze and document transferable skills of the injured worker and write transferable skills analyses.
• Perform occupational research, conduct labor market surveys and write labor market survey reports.
• Conduct and write job analyses.
• Communicate with injured workers, employers, physicians and others.
• Develop job modifications and work site modifications, as well as pre-job accommodations.
  
  
  

Required Qualifications:

A Master's Degree AND a CRC, CDMS or ABVE certification
AND ONE year of full time industrial insurance experience

OR

A Bachelor's Degree AND a CRC or CDMS certification
AND TWO years full time industrial insurance experience

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

Preferred/Desired Experience:

The above Required Vocational Services Specialist Qualification and a minimum of one year experience working in the Washington Worker Compensation system under WAC 296-19A, with experience in vocational counseling, job placement, vocational assessment, and other documented experience in rehabilitation services with industrially injured workers.

Demonstrated working knowledge of:
Laws, codes (i.e., WAC 296-19A), rules and policies regarding vocational rehabilitation services

Skills and Abilities:

• Good verbal and written communication skills; speaks and writes English well.
• Work in cooperative team focused environment.
• Develop action plans to assist with return to work.
• Identify, collect, organize and document data and information for assessment, analysis, and investigation.
• Build and maintain effective networks of contacts for work-related goals.
• Assess issues, evaluate options, form conclusions and make decisions.
• Consult and employ expertise, credibility and partnering to identify, evaluate, and resolve issues.
• Mediate disputes and negotiate agreements.
• Ability to travel to various worksites and to medical offices.
  
  
  
  
  

Special Note:

• Prior to any new appointment into L&I, a background check, including criminal record history, will be conducted.
• Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver’s license.  Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately-owned vehicle.

Application Process:

We are looking for evidence that you have the skills and abilities required for this job. The information you provide will be used to decide who will be selected for the next step in the process.

It is to your advantage to provide us with a complete application package, which consists of all the requested items below:

1. Fill out the L&I Employment Application and/ or resume
2. Submit a detailed letter of interest describing your skills, abilities, training and qualifications in the following areas:

• Certifications and accreditations (CRC, CDMS or ABVE).
• Washington State Worker Compensation system experience under WAC 296-19A.
• Experience in vocational counseling, job placement, vocational assessment, and other documented experience in rehabilitation services with industrially injured workers.
  
  

Submit your complete application package using one of the following methods:

NOTE: We are unable to accept .ZIP attachments.

Some locations where you may access computer terminals:

• Work Source Centers
  (See locations at: http://www.wa.gov/esd/work/localconnections.htm)
• Public libraries
  (See locations at: http://wlo.statelib.wa.gov/libsearch.cfm)
• Department of Personnel, 600 S. Franklin, Olympia, Washington
  

As a condition of employment the successful candidate accepting this position will be required to comply with the Union Security clause contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington and the Washington Federation of State Employees or the Coalition.

Persons with a disability, who need assistance in the application or assessment process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, may call (360) 902-9152. Applicants that are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1.

The State of Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer