This is the supervisory or expert level of the series. Supervises Labor and Industries Auditors encompassing one or multiple work groups whose responsibilities are to identify non-compliance employers and perform professional audits and educational services to increase compliance with the Industrial Insurance laws, rules, and regulations.

OR

Serves as a statewide technical expert providing technical advice to audit supervisors and audit staff.

OR

Serves as a statewide audit trainer responsible for developing and conducting statewide training for the audit program and the statewide audit conference.

OR

Serves as a statewide audit consultation expert providing predetermination letters to employer, workers and employer associations.

OR

Serves as a litigation specialist conducting Industrial Insurance protest reconsiderations covering classification, rates, collections, and audit determinations, and assists the Attorney General’s Office in appeals before the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.  The Litigation Specialist has settlement authority in cases reconsidered or appealed.

Plans and coordinates with management, other supervisors, and multi-disciplined agency personnel to determine the direction of the audit program and effect its implementation; 

Assists teams or individuals in goal setting and approves audit plan developed by subordinates; 

Coaches auditors; 

Interviews, recommends hiring and terminating, and evaluates work performance of subordinate auditors; initiates disciplinary action, and approves leave; 

Analyzes, manages, and assigns audits; evaluates audit information for program development and management reports; 

Disseminates current departmental information and coordinates policy procedure matters between management and audit staff; 

Communicates with the business and labor communities regarding rights and responsibilities under the industrial insurance laws, and leads problem-solving activities; 

Maintains standards of conduct and performance of the staff in accordance with departmental policy and personnel department regulations; 

Conducts staff meetings with work groups to examine and evaluate audit programs; 

Reviews audits to ensure consistent application of the laws, rules, and regulations; 

Performs formal audit reconsiderations with the goal of reaching agreement with employers on audit results; 

Leads in developing employer or provider education modules; 

Develops education to individual employers or providers or in workshops; 

Interprets RCWs, WACs, and department policies and consults with the field staff to ensure uniformity and program consistency; 

Supervises lower level staff; plans and organizes work of staff; reviews and approves work for accuracy and completeness.  Develops performance expectations and evaluates staff performance;

Plans and coordinates with management, other supervisors, and multi-disciplined agency personnel to determine the direction of the employer audit or provider fraud program and effect its implementation;

Assists teams or individuals with goal setting and approves audit plans developed by subordinates;

Coaches and mentors auditors;

Evaluates and monitors the work of staff and/or unit to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures and agency set standards and goals; develops and implements corrective action plans to correct deficiencies;

Assists staff in investigating and resolving complex tax issues to include audit findings, misrepresentation, fraud, petitions for appeal, tax evasion, employer liability determinations, correct tax rate assignments or other legal issues;

Coordinates and/or represents the agency at appeal hearings for complex cases, represents the department as the expert witness for appeal hearings;

Conducts interviews, recommends hiring and terminating; evaluates work performance of subordinate auditors; initiates disciplinary action, and approves leave;

Analyzes, manages, and assigns audits; evaluates audit information for program development and management reports;

Communicates with the business and labor communities regarding rights and responsibilities under the industrial insurance laws and leads problem-solving activities;

Maintains standards of conduct and performance for staff in accordance with departmental policy and personnel department regulations;

Reviews audits to ensure consistent application of the laws, rules, and regulations, agency policies, procedures, legal precedent and audit program guidelines;

Ensures that complex processes and audits are fully managed, using lead workers, trainers and fraud auditors as necessary to ensure that civil and criminal fraud cases are handled with the utmost professionalism and recognition of potential pitfalls;

Validates that prime contract liability audits involving business successorship and businesses with revoked accounts are done appropriately based on the cross-business assessment involved;

Builds connections with counterparts at other taxing agencies, and ensures staff make appropriate      connection with counterparts and is sharing information and coordinating audit activities when appropriate;

Statewide Technical Expert: Researches complex issues for the audit supervisors and provides technical advice and guidance. Updates audit policy and procedures; disseminates current departmental information and coordinates policy procedure matters between management and audit staff; completes second level reviews; responsible for coordination of agency IRS sharing agreement. Completes bill analysis and fiscal impact statements; reviews bill to determine possible impact to audit program;

Statewide Audit Consultation Expert: Provides predetermination letters to employer, workers and employer associations; coordinates outreach with other programs and external stakeholders; obtains information from employers and workers to determine coverage issues and provide education;

Statewide Audit Trainer:  Responsible for developing and conducting statewide training for the audit program and the statewide audit conference; conducts statewide quality assurance reviews; develops statewide training for new and journey level audit staff to be delivered by statewide audit trainer or regional audit trainers; plans, develops and coordinates the statewide audit conferences as needed; serves as a mentor and coach for regional audit trainers;

Litigation Specialist: Reviews, researches and analyzes protests from industrial insurance employer determinations; serves as the agency lead during reconsideration and appeal processes, including potential settlement negotiation as delegated; briefs the Head of Firm Appeals and other management on unique cases that may bring broad exposure to the agency or serve as cases of precedent. Assists the Attorney General in preparation and defense of appeals; coordinates testimony of witnesses in appeal cases; testifies as an expert witness in appeals cases;

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of: Title 51 RCW; Washington Workers Compensation Insurance Manual, WAC 296.17; rules, policies and procedures of the Department of Labor and Industries; auditing and accounting theory and practices; analytical procedures; industry practices; computerized accounting systems, modern business methods, procedures and equipment; effective supervisory practices and procedures, and effective communication, education and workshop techniques. 

Ability to: plan and direct the audit activity of an audit region; develop skills of individual auditors; coordinate policy and procedure matters between management and audit staff; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; review and evaluate audit programs and audit reports prepared by others; provide technical assistance and guidance to auditors; evaluate auditor’s performance; direct the work of professional staff; conduct workshops and educate employers or providers and direct others in this endeavor.

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.

A Bachelor’s degree that includes at least 20 semester or 30 quarter hours in accounting  

AND 

Four (4) years of professional accounting or auditing experience.

OR 

Successful completion of the Labor and Industries Auditor Training Program.

OR

Equivalent education/experience will be considered but must include at least 20 semester or 30 quarter hours in accounting (may include credits from one (1) Finance class or one (1) Business Law class).

New class, effective June 13, 1986.
Revised definition and distinguishing characteristics, effective March 9, 1990.
Revised definition, distinguishing characteristics, minimum qualifications, title change (formerly Field.
Auditor 3, L&I); effective September 15, 1995.
New class code, formerly 13790; effective July 1, 2007.
Salary adjustment adopted 6/30/2015, effective 7/1/2015.
Revised definition; adopted November 12, 2015, effective November 13, 2015.
Revised typical work, knowledge and abilities, and desirable qualifications; updated November 12, 2015.

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