Legal Office Assistant, Labor and Industries Division, Olympia

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 SalaryThe Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Legal Office Assistant in the Labor and Industries Division.

This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Salary range 40: $42,972 - $57,252The 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 following stipends may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to a position designated as requiring dual language skills will receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend.

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 benefits Washington 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 Office Assistant

Answer and screen telephone calls from the public, other state agencies, courts, clients, and attorneys.

Assist with answering basic or routine questions or directs the caller to the appropriate attorney or professional staff. Takes messages and forwards to staff as needed.

Seek assistance for non-routine questions.

Process daily incoming mail per division procedures: open hard copy mail and review electronic mail, date stamp, scan, name, and docket into the Case Management System (CMS). Prepares outgoing mail using USPS, FedEx and Legal Messenger Services following DES and AGO mailing guidelines.

Receives service of legal documents via USPS, FedEx, or Legal Messenger, reviews and consults the Case Management System (CMS) to determine who the matter is assigned to and immediately routes to the appropriate AAG or Paralegal.

Performs delivery/messenger services; serves and files legal documents and obtains signatures in order to meet critical deadlines.

Organize and maintain supply room. Actively monitor and request office supplies as needed. Regularly check safety supplies and replace expired items. Keep track of inventory of electronic items, request replacements as needed.

As directed by the AOM, assist with new hires by using the onboarding check list maintained in OneNote. Set up new office or work station and ensure supplies are available and equipment is clean.

Create office name plate and order employee ID tag, update phone lists, birthday lists, and gather emergency contact information from the employee.

Assists the AOM with division furniture requests and office moves by coordinating with the AGO Facilities team when a request is received.

Processes items for surplus on quarterly basis and coordinates with the AGO Facilities team to retrieve the surplus supplies for delivery to either DES or the AGO Warehouse.

Maintain division’s multi-function devices (MFD) and associated supplies such as paper and toner. Routinely check devices and order supplies as needed.

Troubleshoot basic problems with the MFDs and ensures proper maintenance as recommended by the vendor. Make service calls as needed and keeps the AOM apprised of the status.

Manage and maintain the archival process for the Division; types transmittals and prepares boxes for shipment to the Washington State Records Center; enters and updates records retention information into the Case Management System (CMS); calls back and returns files as requested.

Reviews files scheduled for destruction to pull transactional documents.

Create Notices of Appearances for the Mediation team, sending copies to the pro se claimants. Docket Notices once complete per division case processing procedures. Schedule conference rooms, teleconference lines, and agency car reservations. Backup travel arrangements (flights, hotel, and cars).

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.

Qualifications

Option 1: High School diploma or equivalent and two years of clerical experience including a minimum of six months of experience in a legal office environment.

Option 2: One year of legal office experience. Option 3: A combination of two 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.

About the Washington State Office of the Attorney General

The 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.

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.