HR Business Partner (HRC 4) DOH9011
State of Washington · King County - Shoreline, WA · hybrid
Description
This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, combining remote work with scheduled onsite work at the Public Health Laboratories located in Shoreline, WA.
The Office of People Services (OPS) manages employee experience and HR operations for the Department of Health. We are looking for an expert-level HR Business Partner (Human Resource Consultant 4) to join our HR Business Partner team and serve as a trusted advisor to agency leaders on their most complex workforce issues and opportunities.
In this role, you will serve as the HR generalist and business partner for your assigned DOH programs, including the Public Health Laboratories in Shoreline, where you will provide in-person support. You will bring expert knowledge of HR best practices, agency policy, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and Washington Administrative Codes (WACs) to consult, advise, and coach management on employee performance management, organizational structure and strategy, and employee and labor relations. You will partner closely with specialty teams in classification, compensation, reasonable accommodations, investigations, and talent acquisition. Your expertise in Equal Employment Opportunity requirements, the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, and anti-discrimination law will help the agency reduce risk and sustain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
You’ll take a human-centered approach, incorporating the needs, abilities, and experiences of people into your advice and consultation, to support leaders in managing our most valuable state resource, our workforce.
Key Responsibilities Include:
Consult, Advise, and Coach Leaders and Employees on Complex Workplace Issues
- Provide expert-level analysis and strategy, in person and remotely, drawing on HR best practices, CBAs, WACs, and agency policy to advise managers and employees on complex, multidimensional issues with long-range impact
- Resolve complex interpersonal and personnel issues by identifying and mitigating risk to the agency
- Consult with supervisors and managers on performance management, including corrective action and progressive discipline in accordance with WACs and CBAs
- Advise leaders on writing letters of expectations, memos of concern, and letters of reprimand, and review final products before delivery to ensure accuracy and consistency
Write Legally Defensible Decisions and Manage the Grievance Process
- Write pre-disciplinary and disciplinary decision letters on behalf of the Appointing Authority, consulting with the HR Business Partner Manager and the Assistant Attorney General when needed
- Advise Appointing Authorities on the Step Two grievance process and attend meetings to document the conversation
- Write Step Two grievance responses for the Appointing Authority, applying expert knowledge of the relevant CBA articles
Support Investigations, Accommodations, and Protected Leave
- Serve as the assigned investigator or assist with internal personnel investigations
- Act as the point of contact for external investigators when DOH contracts them to investigate personnel misconduct
- Advise employees and leaders on reasonable accommodations and protected leave options, including FMLA and Paid Family and Medical Leave, in partnership with the Reasonable Accommodation and Protected Leave team
- Refer employees to that team for direct support when they or a qualifying family member are facing a serious health condition
Guide Organizational Planning, Staffing Strategy, and Layoffs
- Consult with supervisors and managers on organizational planning and positional structure to meet agency business needs
- Analyze data in employee staffing reports to identify organizational needs and advise management on strategies to address them
- Provide consultation on the rules and process for administering layoffs in accordance with CBAs, WACs, and agency policy
- Assess employee layoff rights, advise employees on their unique employment history, determine legally defensible layoff position options, and facilitate the process between management and employees
- Analyze Employee Engagement Survey results in partnership with the Employee Experience Program to help leaders turn employee feedback into organizational planning and engagement strategies
Represent DOH and Build Leadership Capability
- Represent DOH in Unemployment Insurance hearings
- Partner with management and the Employee and Labor Relations Manager to represent the agency at mediations and arbitrations
- Represent DOH alongside management at appeals, including Personnel Resources Board and Director's Reviews
- Assist the Employee and Labor Relations Manager with written responses to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Human Rights Commission complaints
- Facilitate training and development workshops for supervisors and managers on topics such as performance management, Performance and Development Plans, hours of work, supervisory files, and leader onboarding
- Serve as a subject matter expert on internal workgroups, committees, and improvement initiatives as assigned
Process Personnel and Position Actions
- Process personnel and position actions in Service Central for your assigned programs in compliance with CBAs, civil service rules, and DOH policy
- Write letters to employees formally notifying them of approved actions, such as duty station changes, step increases, and review period extensions
Why You’ll Enjoy This Role
This is work that matters, and you will see the results of it. You will help managers navigate their hardest decisions, support employees through impactful moments, and protect the agency while treating people fairly. Because your assigned programs include the Public Health Laboratories, you will be a familiar face on site, close to the people you support and the mission they carry out every day.
You will also join a collaborative, supportive HR team that shares expertise across specialties, from labor relations and investigations to classification, accommodations, and talent acquisition. You will never be working through a tough situation alone. The role pairs regular time onsite at the Public Health Laboratories with hybrid flexibility to work from home or another location.
Required Qualifications
There are multiple pathways to qualify for this position. You must meet one of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.
Option 1: Six (6) or more years of complex professional human resource experience in assessing and facilitating solutions to resolve workplace complaints and advising on just cause principles and progressive discipline for complex workplace personnel issues.
Option 2: An Associate’s degree and four (4) or more years of professional human resource experience in assessing and facilitating solutions to resolve workplace complaints and advising on just cause principles and progressive discipline for complex workplace personnel issues.
Option 3: A Bachelor’s degree or higher in Business Administration, Human Resources, Social or Organizational Science, or a closely allied field, and two (2) or more years of professional human resource experience in assessing and facilitating solutions to resolve workplace complaints and advising on just cause principles and progressive discipline for complex workplace personnel issues.
And demonstrated experience in the following:
- Writing professional-level, legally defensible decision letters and responses on behalf of agency leadership.
- Interpreting and applying state civil service rules and collective bargaining agreements
- Strategically advising management in complex personnel scenarios using strong analytical skills and a human-centered approach
- Applying principles of job classification and e