This is the senior, specialist or lead worker level of the series.  In the Department of Labor and Industries, serves as a senior industrial relations agent for Central Office or as a lead worker for one or more regions in conducting complex wage and hour investigations/negotiations. 

Note:  For the purposes of this specification, a complex wage and hour investigation/negotiation must include three or more of the following:  

• multi-employer work sites;
• multiple act violations, including the Industrial Welfare Act, Public Works Act, Farm Labor Contractors Act, the Minimum Wage and Overtime Act, the Wage Payment Act, and other related statues; 
• multiple misclassifications of prevailing wage rates;
• legal or political sensitivity requiring coordination with central headquarters and/or other agencies and the Office of the Attorney General;
• a wage liability that would cause a significant financial hardship to a business.

Serves as a specialist, identified by a business need, on a statewide or regional basis; 

Applies specialized knowledge of state labor laws when conducting industry specific consultation and investigations for employers in technically diverse, difficult or new industries, and special case assignments, and provides technical support and guidance.  Responsible for the proper application, interpretation, and enforcement of state labor laws involving the Public Works Act, Minimum Wage and Overtime Act, Wage Payment Act, Farm Labor Contractors Act, Child Labor Law Regulations, Industrial Welfare Act, and other related statutes for business firms, groups of employees, school authorities, union officials, public officials, employer associates, law enforcement officers, and other interested groups; 

As a regional lead worker, conducts technical reviews of case files prepared by field Industrial Relations Agent 2s and 3s prior to referral to Central Office to corroborate recommendation and findings, and ensure the inclusion of required documentation and evidence and that they are compiled per the wage claim guidelines; 

As a central office specialist, conducts reviews of case files prepared by Industrial Relations Agents prior to referral to the Program Manager or to the Office of the Attorney General to ensure the inclusion of required documentation and evidence and that they are compiled per the wage claim guidelines; 

Assists Industrial Relations Agent 2s in wage negotiations where a significant wage liability exists or which may involve multiple legal and/or highly politically sensitive issues; 

Coordinates and participates in the on-the-job training of Industrial Relations Agents; 

Serves as lead worker on complex investigations.  Provides technical guidance and on-the-job training to Industrial Relations Agent 2s by acting as lead to two or more Industrial Relations Agent 2s in complex wage and hour investigations and negotiations. Complex wage and hour cases are characterized by three or more of the following: multi-employer work sites;multiple act violations, including the Industrial Welfare Act, Public Works Act, Farm Labor Contractors Act, the Minimum Wage and Overtime Act, the Wage Payment Act, and other related statues; multiple misclassifications of prevailing wage rates; legal or political sensitivity requiring coordination with central headquarters and/or other agencies and the Office of the Attorney General;a wage liability that would cause a significant financial hardship to a business. 

Acts as lead worker to two or more regional or statewide Industrial Relations Agent 2s in the coordination of documentation gathering from other sections of the Department and other public, state, and federal agencies regarding work sites with multiple employers; 

Mediates disputes and negotiates settlement for collection of unpaid wages, agreed wage rate and improper payment of overtime; attends hearings, issues subpoenas, resolves wage disputes, issues notices of violation, notices of infraction, and citations and assessments, and employment condition issues between employees and employers; reviews and audits payroll records to determine unlawful payment of wages; prepares case files for litigation if dispute is not resolved through mediation or negotiations; 

Assists the Program Manager and technical expert with strategic planning, development, promotion, and implementation of a proactive educational program for regulatory reform; 

Acts as lead for special projects, assigning tasks and overseeing completion of project; 

Assists the Program Manager by acting as lead worker by assigning and prioritizing work, providing training and technical guidance to Industrial Relation Agent 2s, and reviewing and reporting production of the unit; 

Participates in the development and on-going review of Interpretative Guidelines to promote the consistent education and enforcement of policy guidelines statewide; 

Represents the Department at various functions around the state, including attendance at educational conferences, labor-management seminars, and administrative hearings; organizes meetings and conferences addressing groups interested in labor laws and regulations;Responds to public disclosure requests and develops methods to maintain case file information to assure evidence can be released upon request and in compliance with departmental policies; 

Develops and/or participates in the development of policies and procedures and creation and/or revision of training and promotional materials; 

May supervise lower level staff.

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.

Four years of experience as an Industrial Relations Agent 2.

OR 

A Bachelor’s degree

AND 

three years of experience in labor/employment relations and regulations; collection of revenue/taxes from employers/businesses; investigation of complaints of misconduct; audit of employer financial records; interpretation and explanation of rules and regulations regarding employment standards, prevailing wages, wage and hour, and child labor laws; or related experience. 

Additional qualifying experience will substitute for education at the rate of one year of experience for one year of education.

New class, replaced 47985 Industrial Relations Specialist; effective January 1, 2006.
Revise class. Revises definition, typical work, and desirable qualifications; adopted May 10, 2007, effective July 1, 2007.
Base range salary adjustment adopted 6/30/2017, effective 7/1/2017.

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