See Support Enforcement Technician.

Performs entry-level professional child support enforcement activities. Responsibilities include establishment, collection, distribution, and/or modification and enforcement of financial, medical, interstate and other child support obligations.

This is the first working-level of the series. 

In a learning capacity working under close supervision, positions acquire distinct program knowledge and abilities progressing to the independent handling of a full caseload. Receives extensive and advanced level training and works closely with senior support enforcement officers. Positions are not generally delegated signature authority of legal documents until they have completed formalized training and demonstrate mastery of legal concepts. Upon the authorization to initiate and prepare legal and program actions, incumbents assume progressive responsibility to manage a full caseload.

Receives close supervision for planned, progressive, assignment based experiences and performs child support services while receiving formal classroom instruction and/or on-the-job training; 

Reviews and recommends actions on applications for non-assistance services, electronic public assistance and foster care referrals, requests from out-of-state child support agencies and other specialized applications, including cases with domestic violence issues, to identify appropriate levels of services and enforcement actions; 

Provides direct service to customers and partners through: agency interpretation on complex policies, procedures, and laws; explanations on forms, pamphlets, and other materials; by in-person contact, telephone, written and electronic correspondence, and referral to internet resources; provides formal and informal referral service to community resources, programs and partner agencies to assist in elimination of barriers to self-sufficiency; 

Locates absent parent to establish orders and enforce outstanding child support debts utilizing professional skip tracing methods such as interviewing; accessing multiple confidential and sensitive databases; issuing subpoenas; inquiries to other agencies, employers, and persons; and directly corresponding with jurisdictions including professional law enforcement; 

Exercises signature authority under close supervision to initiate and enforce legal notices of debt, liens, certification of licenses, and garnishments; authorizes and executes the seizure of assets to collect support obligations within the State of Washington and in cooperation with Tribes and other jurisdictions; utilizes long-arm enforcement, reconciling interstate, federal and international regulations and treaties, and maintaining and monitoring such cooperation, payments and exchange rates; 

Researches, reviews and analyzes existing orders of support; reconciles multiple and/or conflicting orders and determines continuing exclusive jurisdiction, to ascertain and calculate support arrearages and, upon authorization, service notice of support debt; 

Performs ongoing debt balance calculations consisting of many different and connected parts utilizing specialized programs; variables may include: children associated with multiple cases and jurisdictions, multiple debt periods owed to various payees and jurisdictions, varied types of debt including post-secondary, unreimbursed medical, spousal maintenance, and dependent benefit credits; incorporates termination of debt due to emancipation, debt offsets and statute of limitations; and ensures timely and appropriate distribution of payments; 

Attends and completes required training courses in person, one-on-one and electronically as mandated by the agency; 

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of:  applicable Revised Codes of Washington and Washington Administrative Codes; federal and state laws, regulations, policies and procedures related to child support establishment and collection; methods of obtaining information regarding financial backgrounds and program eligibility; professional skip-training techniques and/or locate processes; collection practices; extracting and compiling confidential information from secure databases.   

Ability to:  comprehend and assimilate state and federal statutes, court decisions, departmental regulations and programs; compile and verify incoming information in a timely manner to determine and analyze financial and household information from a variety of sources to calculate obligations; communicate and present information effectively and efficiently with coworkers, customers, and stakeholders; articulate information clearly, concisely, and accurately, using a variety of formats including over the phone, in-person, and written in a high-volume, cross-functional work environment; exercise sound, professional judgment and accurately document decisions made; effectively work in and encourage a positive team environment; practice professional and courteous customer service techniques and deal effectively with irate or hostile customers; model expected work behaviors and demonstrate ethical business practices; support continuous process improvement; work efficiently in a computer-based environment with multiple databases and software programs. 

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Two years of college level coursework,

AND 

Two years of experience in child support enforcement and/or debt collection related functions.

OR 

Two years of experience as a child Support Enforcement Technician. 

Note: Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute year for year.

Establishment effective December 3, 1971.
Revised definition and general revision effective January 12, 1977.
Revised definition, minimum qualifications, added distinguishing characteristics adopted November 14, 1991, effective December 1, 1991.
New class code: effective July 1, 2007; formerly 46700.
Base range salary adjustment adopted June 30, 2017, effective July1, 2017. 
Revised definition and distinguishing characteristics, added class series concept, and salary adjustment adopted 6/13/2019, effective 7/1/2019.
Typical work, knowledge and abilities, and desirable qualifications revised 6/14/2019.
Desirable qualifications revised administratively 9/3/2019.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.