Disability Services Consultant (Special Duty or Term Limited Temporary)

Full Job Description

This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Term-Limited Temporary/Special Duty position. The duration of the assignment is anticipated to be 12 months.

The Central Employee Services Division (CESD) within the Department of Human Resources (DHR) seeks an experienced, collaborative, and motivated professional Disability Services Consultant (Senior HR Analyst) to join DHR’s Disability Services Team. This position provides critical support and case management for King County Employees seeking disability services.

As a Disability Services Consultant, you will be one of five professional staff providing consultation and coordination in the areas of medical leave, reasonable accommodations, and disability services for King County, which employs over 18,000 employees.

Our ideal candidate complies with all applicable State and Federal disability and leave laws, collective bargaining agreements, and court decisions. They must advise management of their responsibilities and employees of their rights under Federal and State laws as well as King County policies and regulations. They will also provide expert testimony in medical separation, arbitration hearings, and other related litigation. The body of work for this position is critically important to employees who seek assistance and support through the reasonable accommodation and medical leave processes as well as providing countywide consultation and technical assistance with the recruitment and retention of supported employees, coordination with management and employment service agencies, and other partners who provide employee support services. This position requires strong coaching skills, collaborative coordination skills, and empathy on a regular basis.

About DHR’s Disability Services Team:
The Disability Services Team is an interdisciplinary team dedicated to providing services to King County employees who have an illness or injury that impacts them at work. We work with employees, healthcare providers, and supervisors to assist with reasonable accommodations and return to work plans for employees whose medical conditions affect their ability to perform the essential functions of their job. The team also manages the County’s Transitional Duty Assignment (TDA) program; the Reassignment Program (RAP); and the Supported Employment Program (SEP).

The Central Employee Services Division supports a thriving King County employment experience and provides integrated compensation, benefits, work/life well-being, safety, and retirement planning services. Ensuring the health and safety of employees is our number one priority.

Requirements

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and foundational expectation for all King County employees. This role will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices in all aspects of the work. As the Disability Services Consultant, you will:

• Provide advice and consultation to management and leadership on the administration of leaves in accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, King County Family and Medical Leave ordinance, and other federal, state, and local leave laws and statutes.
• Perform case management duties in a high volume, fast-paced environment for employees who need assistance and have been diagnosed with a medical condition that impacts their ability to work.
• Work with employees, supervisors, managers, and Department and Division leadership to facilitate reasonable accommodation and interactive processes, including researching, identifying, and recommending reasonable accommodations.
• Provide technical expertise and consulting services in analyzing, comparing, and contrasting the various Federal, State, and local disability statutes, regulations, and case law to determine appropriate actions/solutions.
• Coordinate job modification evaluations and appropriate actions prompted by requests for reasonable accommodation, transitional return-to-work and stay-at-work needs of King County employees.
• Track disability services and accommodations, to ensure consistency and compliance with regulatory requirements, worker's compensation guidelines, county personnel rules, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide education and training, and communicate legal updates in reasonable accommodation, disability and leave laws, and policies to King County supervisors, managers, and leadership.
• Provide direct support to identify and facilitate resources for employees who may be facing a medical crisis; provide information about benefits, FMLA/KCFML, Washington state leave laws, and other assistance as appropriate.
• Review and analyze confidential medical information, essential job functions and employee records, and prepare written correspondence and communicate with health care providers to identify and clarify medical and work restrictions.
• Maintain comprehensive and complete case notes for assigned cases, preserve the confidentiality of case information, and ensure the accommodations that are provided to employees are documented.
• Other duties assigned in support of DHR’s Disability Services team.

Qualifications

We'd love to hear from those who have:

• Experience interpreting and applying the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Title VII, and applicable WAC, RCWs, and court rulings related to disability, supported employment and industrial insurance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information to non-technical audiences, preparing correspondence for medical providers, and the ability to adapt communication style to suit situations that include advising leadership and staff, suggesting workable solutions, and providing support and training.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of best practices in delivering quality customer service, including effective interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and the ability to promote collaboration.
• Ability to communicate policies and legal/medical terminology to clients and staff.
• Ability to adapt communication style to suit situations that will include meetings with senior managers, correspondence with medical personnel.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative, respectful, and equitable working relationships with centralized disability services staff, department leaders, and a diverse workforce in order to effectively implement King County's Reasonable Accommodation in Employment for Individuals with Disabilities policy.
• Knowledge of and ability to read and understand medical terminology, interpret technical reports, and understand medical aspects of impairments or disabilities.
• Skill in effective time-management, planning, prioritizing, and coordinating multiple projects with critical timelines.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel. Data entry experience in a case management system.
• Experience in the design and implementation of disability accommodations training to various levels of employees within an organization.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Human Resource Management, Occupational Therapy, or closely related field; AND
• Two years of experience facilitating the interactive process on behalf of an employer to identify and provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities, including the coordination of medical leaves; OR
• Two years of experience interacting with employees who may have a variety of physical, psychiatric, sensory, cognitive and/or developmental disabilities, and their treatment providers. OR
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work.

Highly competitive candidates will also have:

• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and/or Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) or Certified Professional Disability Management (CPDM) designation.
• Professional Human Resource designation (SPHR, PHR, SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, or IPMA-HR).
• Experience in the public sector.
• Experience in a unionized environment.
• Knowledge of benefits programs related to people with disabilities.
• Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or related field.

Necessary Special Requirements:
This position requires travel to various King County worksites to meet with employees. Must have a valid Washington State Driver's license to operate a Non-Revenue County Vehicle or the ability to travel to remote King County worksites in a timely manner.

Additional Information

Who May Apply

This recruitment is open to King County employees and the public and will be used to fill one Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) or Special Duty Assignment (SDA) position. The duration of the assignment is anticipated to be 12 months.

• TLT’s are open to all King County employees and the public. King County values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

SDA’s are open to current King County career service or appointed employees who have passed their initial probationary period.

Employees selected for special duty will be compensated based upon the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement or Coalition Labor Agreement for their base assignment.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Forms and Materials Required

An online employment application completed at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs.

The employment history should go back at least 10 years if you have 10 years of employment, or more to include all relevant experience. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

All relevant experience must be included in the application.

Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more interviews.

Teleworking Requirement

The Disability Services team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change.

The primary onsite location is the King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Union Status
This position is represented by Teamsters Local 117 Professional and Technical and is classified as Human Resource Analyst - Senior (class code: 2311300).

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

For more information on this recruitment, please contact:
Michael Strutynski, HR Business Transformation Manager, at michael.strutynski@kingcounty.gov