Legal Assistant 4 (LA 4) – DOH8617



Legal Assistant 4 (LA 4) – DOH8617

Salary

$4,194.00 - $5,643.00 Monthly

Location

Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

Job Type

Full Time - Permanent

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

DOH8617

Department

Dept. of Health

Division

Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA)

Opening Date

03/28/2025

Closing Date

4/3/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary Information

The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description


Equity and optimal health for all vision and photos of our employees and community

Do you have a background in complex legal support and experience leading others? We’re looking for someone to supervise seven legal assistants and provide senior level legal support. 


This position is a hybrid, full-time, permanent Legal Assistant 4 position located within the Office of Investigative and Legal Services (OILS) in the Health Services Quality Assurance Division which provides disciplinary and professional services to ensure patient safety under the Washington Uniform Disciplinary Act. This position is expected to be in office approximately 2-3 days per week. 


What You Will Do:

As Legal Assistant 4 (LA 4) you will supervise and direct legal assistant staff to ensure quality work product and that office protocols are followed. Our Legal Assistant 4 performs complex legal support for staff attorneys, case managers, and paralegals relating to the disciplinary process.   


Expectations and Responsibilities:

  • Supervises, trains, sets expectations, coaches, and identifies training needs of legal assistants.
  • Assigns, tracks, and monitors workflow and reviews work of legal assistants for quality assurance and ensures office protocols are being followed.
  • Acts as a resource to legal assistants concerning questions or problems they may have arising out of their work or concerning the litigation support systems used by the office.
  • Completes expectations and performance evaluations for the legal assistants.
  • Assists the Executive Director of Legal Services, Deputy Director, Director, and Operations Manager with personnel issues dealing with legal assistants.
  • Assists the Executive Director of Legal Services, Director, Deputy Director, and Operations Manager with interviewing and selecting legal assistant applicants for employment within the division, section, or regional office.
  • Assists in balancing work assignments among legal assistants by assigning work.


This position applies knowledge of disciplinary and adjudicative proceedings, policies, and procedures and provides research and background information pertaining to investigations. The LA 4 enters and updates information in the division’s enforcement database. The LA 4 also serves as a member of the Office of Investigative and Legal Services management team and participates in recruitment and hiring processes.  


You’re Our Ideal Candidate If: 

  • You embrace cultural humility by honoring diverse perspectives and cultures.
  • You are committed to equity and inclusion, removing barriers, championing social justice, and fostering a sense of belonging.
  • You use an outward mindset to make impactful contributions, blending your personal expertise with collaborative achievements.
  • You excel at problem-solving and crafting effective solutions while communicating clearly across different mediums.
  • You are dedicated to customer service and navigate diverse interactions to build strong organizational relationships.
  • Your technical competence shines, making you an invaluable asset to our team!


Location and Flexibility 

Enjoy the flexibility of our hybrid work environment, where you can balance working from home and collaborating in the office.  It is anticipated that you’ll be expected to report onsite at the DOH facility located in Tumwater, WA, to meet business and operational needs two (2) to three (3) days per week. 





Required Qualifications (you must meet ONE of the provided options and any additional criteria listed.)

Experience defined below 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: Five years of experience in a legal environment in support of an attorney, administrative law judge(s), review judge(s) or equivalent including at least two years of supervising, leading, mentoring, coaching, or training experience.

Option 2: One year as a Legal Assistant 3.

Option 3: A combination of six years of college education and/or relevant experience* including at least two years of supervising, leading, mentoring coaching or training experience.


*Relevant experience includes experience in a legal or judicial setting, supervising legal support staff positions that assist attorney(s), judge(s) or equivalent and perform expert level legal support duties.

AND the following Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Behaviors):

Collaborates – Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Customer Focus – Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer- centric solutions.

Decision Quality – Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.

Values Differences – Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.

Being Resilient – Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.

Demonstrates Self-Awareness – Using a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and weaknesses.

Self-Development – Actively seeking new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and information development channels.



Preferred Qualifications:

Two years recent experience in a legal environment in direct support of an attorney, administrative law judge(s), industrial insurance appeals judge(s), review judge(s), or equivalent.

One-year experience with Adobe Acrobat DC.

Intermediate user of Microsoft Word and Outlook. Able to create documents, edit, format, and move between programs.

Ability to proofread legal documents using proper grammar and editing skills.

Skilled at working with difficult customers and prioritizing tasks.

Ability to be a positive team member and seek continuous improvement.

Time management skills that ensure tasks are complete with quality and within established timelines.


Benefits and Lifestyle

We prioritize your work-life balance and offer one of the most competitive benefits packages nationwide, tailored to support your lifestyle. Discover more about "Why DOH" by visiting Work@Health.


Who We Are:


The Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) division is responsible for oversight of Washington State’s health care delivery system, which includes licensing and regulating over 463,000 health professionals in 83 health professions and 9,000 facilities. HSQA also works closely with communities and local health partners to build strong health systems and prevention programs across the state to help ensure communities have access to good health care and emergency medical services. 


The Office of Investigative and Legal Services (OILS) supports the agency and division mission by implementing licensing or discipline procedures, including investigating authorized complaints and providing legal assessments for health and health-related professionals and businesses as required under the Washington Uniform Disciplinary Act, RCW 18.130.


We are the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

At DOH, we safeguard public health in an ever-evolving world. Through collaboration with local health jurisdictions and state, federal, and private partners, our programs and services impact every Washingtonian and visitor daily. We're driven by Equity, Innovation, and Engagement, as outlined in our Transformational Plan for the future of Washington health.


Conditions of Employment:


This position is not represented by a Collective Bargaining Agreement. 


I am prepared, with or without accommodations, to do the following:

  • Commit to a full-time 40-hour workweek schedule (flexible work schedule requests must be approved supervisor).
  • Communicate through applications such as MS Teams and MS Outlook, and by phone while working remotely.
  • Adjust my work schedule occasionally to align with business needs, which may entail working evenings and weekends.
  • Perform my job duties either remotely from home or in-person at the designated DOH site location. In-person work at the Tumwater, WA DOH office is required approximately 2-3 days per week.
  • Legally drive a vehicle or arrange alternative transportation for state business.
  • Engage in emergency response exercises and high-priority assignments as assigned during emergency events. 




APPLICATION DIRECTIONS:

To apply, click "Apply" and complete the application. Attach your resume, and cover letter. In your Applicant Profile, include at least three professional references (including a supervisor, a peer, and someone you’ve supervised or led, if applicable). Please do not include private information such as social security number or year of birth.


Make sure to document your years of experience, skills, and abilities as listed in the qualifications section of this job posting.


Do attach the following:

  • Resume
  • Cover letter
  • DD-214 (if applicable)


Veterans Preference: Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference must attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or a signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. Please remove or cover any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers and birth year


Do not include or attach the following – these documents will not be reviewed:

  • REMOVE personal photos – do not submit any documents containing personal photos 
  • Transcripts (unless specifically requested in the Application Directions)
  • Certifications or Diplomas
  • Projects or Portfolios
  • Letters of Recommendation


Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:  We regard diversity as the foundation of our strength, recognizing that differing insights and abilities enable us to reflect the unique needs of the communities we serve.  


DOH is an equal-opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on race/ethnicity/color, creed, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, the presence or perception of a disability, veteran’s status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity. 


Questions and Accommodations: If you have questions about this position, please contact Kristina Cox at 360-485-5249 or kristina.cox@doh.wa.gov.  For general DOH recruitment questions, email the Talent Acquisition Team at employment@doh.wa.gov. For persons with disabilities, this document is available in other formats, please call 800-525-0127 (TDD/TTY 711) or email doh.information@doh.wa.gov.


Technical Support: Reach out to NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627 for technical support and login issues. 



Supplemental Information

This recruitment may be used to fill positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment are filled, the candidate pool may be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days. 

Only applicants who follow the directions and complete the Application Process in full will have their responses reviewed for consideration. 

Experience and education selected, listed, or detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable on the submitted applicant profile.

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note:  If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits. 

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the
Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.


Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS).  New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs.  For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).  This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays 
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday. 

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave 
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave. 

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.


As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.  

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave 
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, are entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 12-31-2022

01
Where did you first hear about this employment opportunity?
  • a. DOH Employment Site/Job Alerts
  • b. DOH Employee
  • c. Friend or Acquaintance
  • d. Indeed
  • e. LinkedIn
  • f. Careers.wa.gov
  • g. Job Fair – if selected, answer Question 2
  • h. Other – if selected, answer Question 2
02
If you selected "g" or "h" to Question 1: Where you first heard about this employment opportunity?
03
Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?
  • Yes
  • No
04
Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status? (e.g. H-1B, F1, TN, etc.) DOH is not an E-Verify agency]
  • Yes
  • No
05
I have read and I understand the Conditions of Employment/Working Conditions that are listed in the job posting and I am willing and able to accept these conditions if offered and accept the position. I have reviewed my responses to the supplemental questions to ensure their accuracy. I understand that once my application is submitted, these responses cannot be modified.
  • Yes
  • No
06
(Select One) How many years of experience do you have in a legal environment in support of an attorney, administrative law judge(s), review judge(s) or equivalent including at least two years of supervising, leading, mentoring, coaching, or training experience?
  • a. I do not have this experience.
  • b. I have less than 1 year of experience.
  • c. I have 1 year but less than 2 years of experience.
  • d. I have 2 years but less than 3 years of experience.
  • e. I have 3 years but less than 4 years of experience.
  • f. I have 4 years but less than 5 years of experience.
  • g. I have 5 years but less than 6 years of experience.
  • h. I have 6 or more years of experience.
07
(Select One) How many years of experience do you have as a Legal Assistant 3?
  • a. I do not have this experience.
  • b. I have less than 1 year of experience.
  • c. I have 1 year but less than 2 years of experience.
  • d. I have 2 years but less than 3 years of experience.
  • e. I have 3 years but less than 4 years of experience.
  • f. I have 4 years but less than 5 years of experience.
  • g. I have 5 or more years of experience.
08
(Select One) How many years of college education and relevant experience* combined, including at least two years of supervising, leading, mentoring coaching or training experience, do you have? (*Relevant experience includes experience in a legal or judicial setting, supervising legal support staff positions that assist attorney(s), judge(s) or equivalent and perform expert level legal support duties.)
  • a. I do not have this experience.
  • b. I have less than 1 year of experience.
  • c. I have 1 year but less than 2 years of experience.
  • d. I have 2 years but less than 3 years of experience.
  • e. I have 3 years but less than 4 years of experience.
  • f. I have 4 years but less than 5 years of experience.
  • g. I have 5 years but less than 6 years of experience.
  • h. I have 6 years but less than 7 years of experience.
  • g. I have 7 years but less than 8 years of experience.
  • i. I have 8 years but less than 9 years of experience.
  • j. I have 9 years but less than 10 years of experience.
  • k. I have 10 or more years of experience
09
(Select One) How many years of recent experience do you have in a legal environment in direct support of an attorney, administrative law judge(s), industrial insurance appeals judge(s), review judge(s), or equivalent?
  • a. I do not have this experience.
  • b. I have less than 1 year of experience.
  • c. I have 1 year but less than 2 years of experience.
  • d. I have 2 years but less than 3 years of experience.
  • e. I have 3 years but less than 4 years of experience.
  • f. I have 4 years or more years of experience.
10
(Select One) How many years of experience do you have in working with Adobe Acrobat DC?
  • a. I do not have this experience.
  • b. I have less than 1 year of experience.
  • c. I have 1 year but less than 2 years of experience.
  • d. I have 2 years but less than 3 years of experience.
  • e. I have 3 years or more years of experience.
11
How would you describe your experience as a user of Microsoft Word and Outlook?
  • a. No experience.
  • b. Some experience: A basic level of familiarity with the software applications, characterized by limited exposure to relevant tasks and responsibilities.
  • c. Intermediate or higher experience: Able to create documents, edit, format, and move between programs.
12
Select which best describes your skill in proofreading legal documents using proper grammar and editing skills.
  • a. None: I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill.
  • b. Aware: I am aware but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • c. Knowledgeable: I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • d. Proficient: I am very comfortable, considered an expert, and/or could teach this skill to others.
13
Select which best describes your skill at working with difficult customers and prioritizing tasks.
  • a. None: I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill.
  • b. Aware: I am aware but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • c. Knowledgeable: I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • d. Proficient: I am very comfortable, considered an expert, and/or could teach this skill to others.
14
Select which best describes your skill in using time management skills to ensure tasks are complete with quality and within established timelines.
  • a. None: I am unaware or have very little knowledge of the skill.
  • b. Aware: I am aware but have limited knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • c. Knowledgeable: I am comfortable with my knowledge or ability to apply the skill.
  • d. Proficient: I am very comfortable, considered an expert, and/or could teach this skill to others.

Required Question

Employer
State of Washington
Address
View Job Posting for Agency Information

View Job Posting for Location, Washington, 98504
Phone
View Posting for Agency Contact