Human Resource Consultant 4- Protected Leave & Accommodation Supervisor

Location: Lacey, WA

Closes: This posting will remain open until filled. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply before October 5th, 2026, when the first review of applicants will be completed. The hiring authority reserves the right to fill this position at any time after that date without notice.

Position Status: This is a permanent position.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is currently seeking an experienced Human Resource Consultant 4- Protected Leave & Accommodation Supervisor to join our human resources team. In this senior-level role, you will manage the agency’s reasonable accommodation and protected leave programs, facilitate interactive reasonable accommodation processes with employees and management, and supervise an HRC3 responsible for implementing protected leave programs and coordinating workers' compensation, return-to-work, and agency wellness initiatives.

The duty station for this position is located at Parks Headquarters in Lacey, WA.

Are you an experienced HR professional with a passion for guiding employees and managers through complex workplace accommodations? Do you excel at translating intricate laws into clear guidance while maintaining a thoughtful and considerate approach to problem-solving? This position offers a unique opportunity to influence organizational culture, guide agency leaders through complex workplace issues, and help shape a respectful, legally compliant workplace serving Parks' employees across Washington State.

Join our team of human resource professionals as State Parks’ Human Resource Consultant 4- Protected Leave & Accommodation Supervisor!

Please Note: This position is eligible for flexible schedule and/or hybrid telework subject to supervisory approval. The default assigned work location of all Parks positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions is within the State of Washington.

Duties

Reporting to the Deputy HR Director, this position serves as the reasonable accommodation and protected leave expert for the agency and is responsible for managing the reasonable accommodation and protected leave programs and providing oversight for workers compensation, return-to-work, and agency wellness programs. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provide expert level consultation advice, guidance, and support to agency managers, supervisors, and staff regarding reasonable accommodations and a variety of complex leave programs to include protected leave (FMLA, PFML, Shared Leave, etc.).
• Facilitate the interactive reasonable accommodation process from beginning to end, including drafting medical questionnaires, analyzing medical documentation, advising management on legally defensible courses of action, communicating decisions made by appointing authorities, and documenting the process.
• Maintain an electronic information tracking system to follow up on cases and provide monthly reports.
• Maintain confidential personnel and medical information.
• Interpret and provide clarification of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), Federal laws, Washington Administrative Code (WAC), pertinent rules and regulations, policies, and procedures with sound judgement offering legally defensible courses of action.
• Develop and deliver tools and resources, including training, to a wide variety of audiences, to promote knowledge and understanding of application of leave laws, related rules, reasonable accommodation process, and how to have professional and appropriate conversations with employees.
• Supervise an HR Consultant assigned to implement protected leave programs and coordinate worker’s compensation claims, return to work efforts, and agency wellness program.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Seven (7) years of broad-based professional human resource experience advising and consulting on complex issues (e.g., labor relations, employee relations, performance management, classification and compensation, reasonable accommodation and protected leave). With at least two (2) years of this experience must explicitly include professional-level administration of leave of absence programs (FMLA, PFML, Shared Leave) and reasonable accommodation interactive processes.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook).
• Substitution Note: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in human resources, business administration, social or organizational behavioral sciences, or a closely related field from an accredited institution may substitute for the general HR experience on a year-for-year basis. No substitution is permitted for the two years of dedicated leave and accommodation experience.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Technical Leave & Accommodation Expertise: Expert knowledge of employment, privacy, disability, and medical leave laws as they relate to employment; regarding protected leave, reasonable accommodation, worker's compensation claims; and when determining eligibility and evaluating medical documentation.
• Regulatory Compliance & Policy Interpretation: Experience considering and incorporating new information when interpreting Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), Federal laws, Washington Administrative Code (WAC), pertinent regulations; and when offering legally defensible courses of action.
• Consultation & Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to build trust and foster collaboration across internal teams and external oversight bodies (e.g., L&I, medical providers).
• Information Management & Data Analytics: Ability to organize highly confidential case files and present HR data in a clear way for executive decision-making.
• Business Communication: Experience independently composing precise, formal, and legally sound written communications tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Supervision & Collaborative Teamwork: Ability to coach, mentor, and motivate staff to support team effectiveness and individual career growth.
• Commitment to Learning and Growth: Experience considering and incorporating new information and different perspective; and practicing self-awareness by reflecting on personal strengths, growth areas, and biases.
• Takes action to meet the needs of others: Experience adapting communication and approaches to different communities and individuals, welcoming and valuing different identities and perspectives, and able to empathetically respond to the unique needs of co-workers and customers.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 2 years of experience managing a protected leave program and reasonable accommodation cases in a state environment.
• 2 years of supervisory experience including writing expectations and evaluations.
• Ability to research, evaluate and draw conclusions from data; support recommendations with facts and analysis; interpret and apply rules, laws, policies and procedures.
• Experience training varying sized groups of adult learners in Human Resources related content.
• Skilled in Microsoft Excel with the ability to manipulate complicated data and reports.
• Knowledge of collective bargaining agreements and labor relations.
• Ability to work with others who have a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experience.
• Ability to effectively manage and respond to frequent and rapid changes in workload and priorities.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Schedule: Standard business hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; however, an alternate work schedule and/or hybrid telework option may be considered at the employee's request, subject to supervisory approval.

Daily contact with internal and external customers, including some contact with those that may be angry, distraught, and/or frustrated.

Travel Requirements: Infrequent travel with occasional overnight may be required to perform the duties of this position to attend meetings or provide training. When driving for state business, the employee must be able to legally operate a state or privately-owned vehicle; or provide alternate transportation while on state business.

How to apply:

Only candidates who reflect the minimum qualifications on their NEOGOV profile will be considered. Failure to follow the application instructions below may lead to disqualification. To apply for this position, you will need to complete your profile which includes three professional references. You must attach the following: A cover letter that specifically addresses how you meet the qualifications and competencies required for this position. Current resume To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following: Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter. Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.

Diversity Policy Statement

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at (360) 902-8565. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

For information about this recruitment or Parks' hiring process, please contact Wendy Vandel at Wendy.vandel@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8688. For information about this position, please contact Alex Monroe at Alex.Monroe@Parks.wa.gov.

All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.