Legal Assistant 1, Labor and Industries Division, Tumwater

Full Job Description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary
The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Legal Assistant 1 in the Labor and Industries Division. This position is located in Tumwater, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Legal Assistant 1 (Range 42) salary range: $45,024 - $60,132 annually
The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities.

Excellent benefitsWashington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance.

Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more.

With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:

• Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
• A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources;
• Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!

About the Labor and Industries Division

The Labor & Industries (L&I) Division is comprised of 50 attorneys and 71 professional staff between Tumwater and Seattle.

The Tumwater Division also provides litigation support to even more attorneys and staff in the seven Regional Service Offices.

There is someone handling L&I litigation at every AGO location in the state, but the Division has primary responsibility for assigning cases and providing advice to the Department.

The L&I Division represents and advises the Department regarding the state’s industrial insurance program, workers’ compensation benefits, questions about fair wages and prevailing wage requirements, workplace conditions, and safe work environments, contractor and building issues, crime victim claims and other issues for workers and employers.

The division handles a wide variety of cases from entry level to highly complex matters, and has a robust appellate litigation program.

The work touches all businesses and workers in Washington and is of central importance to the business economy of our state.

Our attorneys defend L&I orders before the Board of Industrial Insurance appeals, Office of Administrative Hearings and state courts.

These cases involve, but are not limited to injured worker’s seeking benefits; worker fraud; employer premiums; penalties assessed for violations of WISHA standards; industrial insurance discrimination; WISHA discrimination; contractor, plumbing and electrical citations; wage and hour citations, prevailing wage citations, employment standards, elevator citations/standards; apprenticeship programs, as well as provide client advice on these matters.

With such a diverse practice, our professional staff are continuously engaged in challenging and interesting work.

Opportunities to learn and achieve professional growth through experience, mentorship and training are encouraged and supported. Our teams consist of attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants.

Duties and Essential Functions of a Legal Assistant 1

In support of AAG case assignors, this position creates new Employer Audit matters in the case management system and sets up electronic case folders for timely AAG/Paralegal case assignment.

• Upon receiving the initial order from the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, create a new matter in CMS and enter required case information by reviewing and extracting it from legal pleadings and client agency documents.
• Create electronic case folders according to office procedures. Download and save into case files Department documents from MFT sites for the Operational Division
• Communicate with client agency staff when documents are missing or corrupted information is received to ensure the AGO case folder is complete. Change passwords as indicated to maintain AGO access to the MFT site.
• Track case status and regularly discard information for appeals denied by the forum per established procedures. Email the AAG program advisor when case setup is finished and include hyperlink to electronic case folder. AAG program advisor reviews work.

In support of the AAGs and Paralegals in the LNI Operational Division this position retrieves injury claim specific information through a client MFT site.

This position manages a shared site with client contacts, regularly updates passwords and deletes information per agency and division protocols in the L&I Division Procedures Manual.

Uploads, names, and saves claim file information prepared by LNI claims consultants (CCAR information) into the shared cases directory for retrieval by LNI division AAGs and Paralegals.

In support of the AAGs and Paralegals in the LNI Operational Division this position processes and distributes incoming mail and deliveries to the appropriate recipients. This includes:

• Date stamping, scanning, naming, and reviewing incoming mail items and initial pleading for potential critical events and deciding on appropriate internal routing destination.
• Logging documents in the Case Management System per Division policies. Monitor division electronic mailboxes for electronically received legal documents and case information from outside parties, courts, and other AGO offices ger agency and division protocols and policies.
• Independently discarding routine pleadings from the administrative forum and outside parties where retention is not required for the AGO.

This position supports the Olympia Team by processing case specific cost vouchers, invoices, and routine correspondence.

This position prepares routine correspondence for obtaining records for AAGs or Paralegals. Prepares and e-files Paralegal NOAs with BIIA. Prints and mails correspondence via USPS. Supervisor and paralegal reviews correspondence.

This recruitment announcement may be used to fill multiple open positions for the same classification, in addition to the position(s) listed in this announcement.

Required Qualifications

Option 1: High School diploma or equivalent and two years of clerical experience including a minimum of one year of experience in a legal environment;

Option 2: Two years of legal office experience;

Option 3: A combination of three years of college education and/or relevant experience;

Option 4: A two year degree in Legal Secretary Studies, Paralegal studies or related field of study.

Skill & Abilities

Previous experience with a case management system preferred.

Conditions of Employment

• A valid non-probationary Washington State Driver's License is required for this position.

  • This position has daily runs for the office with taking records to the courts. In order to drive the state owned vehicles, the incumbent must have a valid driver’s license.
    
    

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney GeneralThe Attorney General’s Office (AGO) touches the lives of every resident in this state.

We serve more than 230 state agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities, as well as the Legislature and the Governor.

The Office is comprised of nearly 700 attorneys and 800 professional staff, all working together to deliver the highest quality professional legal services to Washington state officials, agencies, and entities.

This includes:

• Economic justice and consumer protections (safeguarding consumers, protecting youth, seniors, and other vulnerable populations)
• Social justice and civil rights (addressing discrimination, environmental protection, and veteran and military resources)
• Criminal justice and public safety (investigative and prosecutorial support, financial crimes)
• And much more!

Our agency also has national reach, representing the State of Washington before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and trial courts in all cases that involve the state’s interest. If you want to make a difference, we may be the perfect fit for you! Learn more about the AGO here.

Commitment to Diversity Diversity is critical to the success of the mission of the AGO.

This means recognizing, respecting, and appreciating all cultures and backgrounds-- and fostering the inclusion of differences between people.

Appreciating, valuing and implementing principles of diversity permits AGO employees to achieve their fullest potential in an inclusive, respectful environment.

One recent measure of the AGO's commitment to diversity can be found in its nomination for Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network's "Outstanding Agency Award" in 2019.

Our commitment to employee wellness is reflected in earning the 2024 Zo8 Washington Wellness Award.

Application Instructions

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest, describing your specific qualifications for the position;
• A current resume detailing experience and education.

Read the Following Information Completely:

• Carefully review your application for accuracy, spelling and grammar before submitting.
• You may not reapply to this posting for 30 days.
• The initial screening of applications will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the “work experience” and “education” sections of your application in www.careers.wa.gov, completeness of the application material submitted, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire.
• A resume will not substitute for completing the “work experience” section of the application.
• All information may be verified and documentation may be required.
• The Washington State Office of the Attorney General does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

The AGO complies with employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal employment eligibility verification form, I-9, and the selected candidate for these roles, on the first day of employment, must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the Unities States consistent with the requirements of form I-9.

In order to proceed in the consideration process at AGO, you will need to provide work authorization that would not require the AGO to sign a cooperative education agreement with a school.




Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations Requests

Honoring diversity, equity and inclusion means that as an agency, and as individuals, we are committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, safe and supportive working environment.

Only by fostering the inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures and attributes, can AGO employees and volunteers achieve their fullest potential and best advance the goals and mission of the AGO.

The AGO is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, retaliation or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

For questions regarding this recruitment or assistance with the application process, please contact the recruitment team at HREmployment@atg.wa.gov.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.