Senior Administrative Law Judge

Senior Administrative Law Judge (Temporary)
Office of Administrative Hearings
Public Assistance & Health Division

The Opportunity:

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is seeking a temporary Senior Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to lead a team of ALJs in our Public Assistance & Health Division. This position reports to the Olympia, Tacoma, or Spokane Valley OAH facility and is eligible for part-time telework, as there are some in-person supervisory responsibilities. If teleworking, the alternate worksite must be in Washington state.

The position of Senior Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) is critical to the successful completion of the OAH mission. A Senior ALJ contributes to the mission by supervising a team of Pro Tem, Line, and Lead ALJs. This primarily includes training and coaching direct reports, assigning resources and mentors to ALJs, and overseeing work assignments, schedules and leave requests. The Senior ALJ monitors and prioritizes their own workload, and the cases assigned to direct reports in support of the agency’s mission and goals. The Senior ALJ assists the Division Chief ALJ (DIVC) in overseeing caseloads, communicating with stakeholders and employees, and filling in for the DIVC in their absence, as assigned. The Senior ALJ also completes pre-hearing work, conducts hearings that are fair in appearance and substance, and issues well-reasoned decisions within the agency’s timeliness standards.

This position oversees a team of ALJs holding hearings for the following caseloads:

Division of Child Support (DCS)
The Division of Child Support (DCS) is a program within the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). An ALJ holds a hearing to establish child support or modify an existing administrative child support order. These are typically telephonic hearings with minimal travel required. A Claims Officer/Attorney represents DCS. The non-custodial or custodial parent files a request for hearing that DCS forwards to OAH. OAH issues a final order that is due within 21 days of the close of record for all case types but OAH issues an initial order in an Address Disclosure case.

Division of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
DCYF is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children and supporting families. ALJs hold hearings on licensing and issues affecting children (i.e. foster care, daycare, childcare assistance, child protective services, etc). The ALJ will issue an initial order except in vendor overpayments and juvenile cases where the order is final. DCYF is represented by an Assistant Attorney General and appellants are often represented by counsel. Typically orders are due within 60 days from the close of record except adoption support orders and vendor overpayment orders are due 16 days from the close of record, background check and childcare assistance cases are due within 55 days from the close of record and in a juvenile parole revocation the ALJ must rule orally on the record and issue a written decision within 48 hours. These hearings are typically telephonic but parties may request an in-person hearing so some travel is required.

Health Care Authority (HCA)
The HCA is a state agency with overall responsibility for providing medical coverage and services. The HCA determines eligibility for health care coverage, long-term care, and in-home care services, which are funded, in part, through Medicaid. An ALJ holds hearings to determine an appellant’s financial and functional eligibility for coverage and services, participation rates for long-term care, and the amount of in-home care hours. The Department is represented by an administrative hearing specialist through the Department of Social and Health Services or other contracting agency, while appellants are self-represented or represented by a family member most often. Hearings may be telephonic or in-person and may be 30 minutes to three hours long. Some travel may be involved. HCA orders are initial decisions and are expected to be issued within 18 days of the close of record.

Licensing (LIC)
Licensing is a program within the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). ALJs hold a prehearing conference and hearing regarding vulnerable individuals in adult family homes and/or residential homes with issues relating to abuse and neglect by the individual provider or the facility. The alleged individual and/or facility files the request for appeal with OAH. The Department is represented by a Legal Benefits Attorney/Adviser and the Appellants are often represented by counsel. An initial order is issued within 60 days of the close of record except for the resident and client protection program where the initial order is due within 120 days of the request for hearing. A final order is issued in an assisted living facility license case within 60 days of the close of record. These hearings are typically telephonic but parties may request an in-person hearing so some travel is required

Public Assistance (PA)
The Public Assistance (PA) caseload is administered by the Economic Services Administration (ESA) of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Nearly one out of every four Washington residents turns to the DSHS ESA for assistance with cash, food, child support, disability determination, transition to employment, and other services known as “benefits” programs. ALJs hold hearings to make determinations including but not limited to: general eligibility, overpayments, and the correctness of departmental actions such as reduction, suspension, or termination of benefits. In PA cases, the department is represented by administrative hearings specialists. Hearings are scheduled for a duration of 30 minutes or more depending on the case type, involvement of interpreter services, and the complexity of the subject matter. There are a wide variety of PA programs; thus, PA decisions can be either initial or final orders (depending on the applicable regulations). ALJs are required to issue PA decisions as soon as possible but no later than 16, 21, or 60 days of the close of record, unless an earlier decision is required by regulation.

About the Agency:
The 1981 Legislature created the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) to offer Washingtonians an independent, fair, and neutral forum to hold administrative hearings on disputed matters referred by state and local government agencies. Operating out of field offices in Olympia, Tacoma, and Spokane Valley there are currently 230 employees, including 120 administrative law judges who preside over administrative hearings involving unemployment insurance benefits, child support, food assistance, medical benefits, business and professional licensing, and more.

OAH conducts hearings for more than 30 agencies and 160 programs. Our referring agencies include the Employment Security Department (ESD), Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Health Care Authority (HCA), Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB), Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and others.

For more information about OAH, please visit our website at oah.wa.gov.

OAH Mission: To hear and independently resolve disputes between the public and state agencies with an impartial, quick, and easy to access process.

OAH Vision: All people of Washington can meaningfully participate in their hearing and understand the result.

OAH Values:
•Fairness and independence
•Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect
•Performance excellence
•Integrity

OAH Goals:
•Performance Excellence: We deliver high quality, timely work.
•Convenience & Accessibility: We make it easy for people to do business with us.
•Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect: We promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect.
•Good Stewards: We are efficient, effective, and accountable.

OAH Offers:
•Work that is important and makes a difference.
•In-house training and professional development opportunities.
•Healthy work/life balance, including remote work options.
•Comprehensive benefits package.