Job Description

Posting number: 2026-07475

Department: Employment Security Department

Division: Leave and Care Division

Job classification: ES BENEFITS SPECIALIST 2

Posting type: Open

Categories: Legal, Customer Service, Records Management, Tax Administration, Public Records, Research, Audit

Summary

This posting will be used to fill multiple vacancies. This position is eligible for full-time telework; however, occasional in-office presence may be required based on business needs. The duty station for this role is Maple Park in Olympia, and flexible or hybrid work arrangements may be utilized as appropriate.

The ideal candidate for the ES Benefit Specialist 2 – Employer Support Specialist role is a dedicated, detail-oriented professional who thrives in a service-focused environment and is motivated by the opportunity to strengthen community well-being across Washington State. You bring proven experience in benefits administration, compliance, or enforcement—ideally within public programs—and you’re skilled at interpreting policy, navigating complex regulations, and supporting employers with clarity and confidence.

You are someone who approaches complex employer situations with patience, professionalism, and sound judgment. You’re comfortable researching and interpreting statutes, rules, and policies, and you can translate that information into clear, actionable guidance. You value accuracy and consistency, but you’re also adaptable—able to shift between detailed case review, employer outreach, and collaborative problem-solving with internal partners. Most importantly, you take pride in supporting programs that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and are committed to ensuring employers have the tools and knowledge they need to meet their obligations with confidence.

Examples of duties

The ES Benefit Specialist 2 - Employer Support Specialist is a vital member of the Operations Unit of the Leave and Care Division and reports to the Employer Support Supervisor. The position's main objective is to ensure employers, third-party employer agents, and elective coverage customers receive the support needed to adequately adhere to Washington State's Paid Leave and WA Cares program requirements and support the agency's mission, vision, and values.

Some of your daily duties may include but not limited to:

• Act as an escalation pathway from frontline employer assistance workstreams via electronic and telephonic inquires providing subject matter expert support.
• Assist and advise third-party employer agents in their reporting obligations, premium payments, and any other issues concerning the representing of employers as outlined in state law and ESD policies.
• Provide excellent customer service on a large volume of inbound and outbound customer communications via phone, letters, and email in a timely and accurate manner.
• Detect and resolve complex account management issues regarding the Paid Family and Medical Leave and WA Cares programs including (but not limited to) quarterly report troubleshooting, registration, premium calculations, voluntary plan administration, payment instructions, technical support, and new law implementation.
• Adjudicate small business assistance grant applications by reviewing application materials, including documentation against grant requirements and understanding the Paid Leave benefit system to determine monetary amount to be paid to the employer under an approved grant.
• Assist employers in understanding the small business assistance grants program under RCW 50a, including eligibility requirements and premium liability.
• Report potential employer account fraud per compliance regulations.
• Process all case actions in accordance with RCW, WAC and ESD’s established policies and procedures.

To request a detailed position description, click here.

Qualifications

Qualifying candidates will meet one of the following criteria options:

Option 1: Five (5) years of equivalent education/experience.

Option 2: One (1) year as an ES Benefits Specialist 1.

Option 3: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the ES Benefits Specialist 1 with another state that administers insurance benefits programs and/or collects wage reports.

Option 4: Associate’s degree in a health or social science, public administration or a related field AND three (3) years of the required experience below.

Option 5: Bachelor’s Degree in a health or social science, public administration or a related field AND one (1) year of the required experience below.

The required experience includes:

• Program Knowledge & Communication: Ability to explain program requirements and services.
• Legal Compliance & Decision Making: Ability to make decisions based on laws and policies.
• Fact-Finding & Advising: Ability to gather facts and advise on rights and responsibilities.
• Hour & Wage Reporting: Proficiency in reviewing hour and wage reports.
• Documentation & Verification: Ability to document and verify employer requests.
• Data Collection & Review: Ability to collect and review necessary data.
• Adaptability & Versatility: Ability to perform various tasks as needed.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Paid Leave and WA Cares rules, laws, regulations, and policies.
• 3 years of demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Account management.
• Advanced customer service.
• Analyzing policies, laws, rules, or regulations.
• Conducting business analysis and developing requirements.

Required equity competencies:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to pass an Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Paid Family Medical and Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.

Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy. Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents. Any documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted electronically to support application review.

Please ONLY submit your Cover Letter and Resume with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field. A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete.

Supplemental information

Why work with us?

Our agency's mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others, and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship. We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that's why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities. Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.

Opportunity for All

We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Lydia White or at 360-819-6996 or the Talent Acquisition Team, prior to the position closing. If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.

This recruitment may be used to fill additional agency-wide positions in accordance with Article 4 of the WFSE Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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