L&I Customer Service Specialist ; Spanish Bilingual

Overview

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working!
Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability

Language requirement: This position requires fluency in Spanish for interpretation/translation duties. A 5% increase in pay is associated with bilingual responsibilities.

The Department of Labor and Industries’ mission is to keep Washington safe and working. As a customer service specialist, you’ll act as a liaison between internal/external customers and program/agency, explaining Employment Standards policies, procedures, laws and processes, and more. You will need to communicate fluently with Spanish-speaking customers.

• Provide direct service to telephonic customers by interpreting laws, policies, and procedures or referring the customer to the proper agent/agency. This includes coordinating and participating in calls with non-English speaking customers using Language Line.
• Promptly answer phones, listen attentively, answer questions and discuss possible violations.
• Consult with the Industrial Relations Specialist and/or agents on unusual or more complex issues to ensure accurate and complete responses.
• Educate customers about the law in their specific situations, and email customer links for the laws and written policies applicable to inquiries.
• Check voice messages and poster mailbox lines and return calls.
• Use computer systems:
  Complaint Activity Tracking System (CATS), Excel, Atlas, and L&I Industrial Insurance System (LINIIS) for research or data entry when applicable.
• Mail out requested forms and publications.
• Monitor and respond to email inquiries received in the esgeneral.gov mailbox, and entering retaliation complaints, workers’ rights complaints, and forwarding other complaints to the appropriate specialist.
• Mail certified citations to employers and employees; create copies, scan documents, label files and prepare certified mailings.
• Because of the need for Spanish interpretation/translation, fluently speak, read, and write Spanish to act as the bilingual interpreter/translator for Spanish-speaking customers and interpreting complex Spanish language complaints and other documents.

Required:

• High school diploma or equivalent and two years of experience providing assistance to clients/customers regarding inquiries, complaints or problems.
• OR One year of experience as a Customer Service Specialist 1.
• OR Equivalent education/experience totaling two years.
• Note:
  
  Equivalent education/experience can be substituted year-for-year in the following areas: call center experience; experience handling customer inquiries, complaints, and complications; customer service experience; clerical office experience.

Additional:

• Due to the need for Spanish interpretation/translation, must fluently speak, read, and write Spanish to act as the bilingual interpreter/translator for Spanish-speaking customers and interpreting complex Spanish language complaints and other documents.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow; the ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

• Experience with statutes and regulations and explaining them clearly to customers.
• Public sector experience
• Call center experience
• Experience working with upset customers and de-escalation skills

Teleworking is available as a work schedule option for this position; flexible custom work schedules may also be offered. Telework is permitted part time after training or with supervisor approval during training. The assigned duty station is Tumwater, Washington. In-office work frequency will be discussed with the supervisor at the time of offer.

We will contact the top candidates directly to interview for this position. Please identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that address the required and desirable qualifications described in the announcement. Include the following documents with your application: a cover letter describing specific qualifications; a current resume detailing applicable experience and education; and a list of at least three professional references with current telephone numbers.

Do not attach any medical information (vaccination status included) with the application, resume, or cover letter. If included, the application will be rejected to safeguard confidentiality. You will need to remove confidential information before reapplying.

For more information on the hiring process at L&I, please visit the L&I recruiting page. If you would like to read our website in another language, select your language at the top of the page.

• For positions requiring travel, you must have a valid unrestricted driver’s license and insurance if driving a privately owned vehicle on state business.
• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
• Candidates must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship for a visa now or in the future.
• The…