DSHS OOS Employee Relations Unit Investigator
State of Washington, Olympia, WA, United States
Picture yourself doing deeply meaningful work—using your investigative skills, sound judgment, and ability to navigate complex situations to ensure fairness, accountability, and equity across a large public service agency.
The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is seeking multiple Employee Relations Unit Investigators within the Human Resources Division in the Office of the Secretary. In this role you will conduct complex and routine workplace investigations and provide expert guidance to leadership to ensure compliance with laws, policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
You will lead and support investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other forms of employee misconduct. Your work ensures that such allegations are handled factually and helps protect the public, employees, and DSHS by creating a record of the facts and evidence found; when appropriate, the findings may serve as a basis for discipline.
This position requires strong analytical thinking, independent judgment, and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with a wide range of stakeholders, including leadership, employees, legal partners, and external agencies.
Conduct Investigations
Lead and support routine and complex workplace investigations into policy violations concerning all forms of employee misconduct, discrimination, and harassment.
Create investigation plans, schedule and conduct investigative interviews necessary to present key findings of fact.
Review, request and analyze evidence obtained through verbal and written statements, records, video, various electronic data and other available forensic documentation.
Analyze & Report
Collect and objectively analyze evidence as it relates to policies and procedures.
Correlate alleged behavior with applicable policies.
Prepare clear, concise, well‑organized investigative reports outlining facts and providing analysis to support consistent, fair, and legally compliant decision‑making.
Support Compliance & Risk Management
Maintain confidential data and information as required by applicable laws and DSHS policies.
Maintain timely records of investigation status using program‑approved software and systems.
Provide information and analysis to support a determination of appropriate corrective action and/or agency‑wide risk‑mitigation.
Lead & Develop Others
Provide training, coaching, and technical guidance when requested to programs and HRD partners.
Adhere to and promote consistent and timely investigation practices.
Provide input for continuous process improvement and protocols designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of employee relations investigations.
Work collaboratively with team members, union partners, employee relations leadership and stakeholders.
Who we want as our newest teammate Knowledge and Experience At least seven years of paid professional experience in: providing human resources consultation and/or managing human resource staff; conducting investigations into employee misconduct and/or civil rights investigations. Equivalent education and/or experience may be substituted for the years of experience.
Skills and Abilities
Experience in a legal or investigative setting requiring a high degree of knowledge of legal or investigative concepts, issues, and analysis.
Professional experience and training in investigative/paralegal/law enforcement work.
Professional experience and training in analysis of complex issues and data analysis.
Demonstrated ability to author clear, concise, thorough, and grammatically correct writings.
Demonstrated ability working with multidisciplinary groups, securing cooperation across departments, and working collaboratively with diverse individuals and teams.
Knowledge and clear understanding of employment civil rights laws pertaining to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
Benefits Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including health, retirement, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs. Employees and their families are covered by medical, vision, dental, basic life insurance, and long‑term disability insurance, with options for additional coverage. You may enroll in a medical flexible spending account. State employees participate in the Washington Public Employees Retirement System and may also participate in the Deferred Compensation Program. Federal Social Security and Medicare systems apply. Employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Paid holidays, sick leave, vacation (annual leave), military leave, bereavement leave, leave sharing, parental leave, FMLA and leave without pay are provided according to applicable regulations and collective bargaining agreements. Please visit the State HR Website for details.
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The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is seeking multiple Employee Relations Unit Investigators within the Human Resources Division in the Office of the Secretary. In this role you will conduct complex and routine workplace investigations and provide expert guidance to leadership to ensure compliance with laws, policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
You will lead and support investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other forms of employee misconduct. Your work ensures that such allegations are handled factually and helps protect the public, employees, and DSHS by creating a record of the facts and evidence found; when appropriate, the findings may serve as a basis for discipline.
This position requires strong analytical thinking, independent judgment, and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with a wide range of stakeholders, including leadership, employees, legal partners, and external agencies.
Conduct Investigations
Lead and support routine and complex workplace investigations into policy violations concerning all forms of employee misconduct, discrimination, and harassment.
Create investigation plans, schedule and conduct investigative interviews necessary to present key findings of fact.
Review, request and analyze evidence obtained through verbal and written statements, records, video, various electronic data and other available forensic documentation.
Analyze & Report
Collect and objectively analyze evidence as it relates to policies and procedures.
Correlate alleged behavior with applicable policies.
Prepare clear, concise, well‑organized investigative reports outlining facts and providing analysis to support consistent, fair, and legally compliant decision‑making.
Support Compliance & Risk Management
Maintain confidential data and information as required by applicable laws and DSHS policies.
Maintain timely records of investigation status using program‑approved software and systems.
Provide information and analysis to support a determination of appropriate corrective action and/or agency‑wide risk‑mitigation.
Lead & Develop Others
Provide training, coaching, and technical guidance when requested to programs and HRD partners.
Adhere to and promote consistent and timely investigation practices.
Provide input for continuous process improvement and protocols designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of employee relations investigations.
Work collaboratively with team members, union partners, employee relations leadership and stakeholders.
Who we want as our newest teammate Knowledge and Experience At least seven years of paid professional experience in: providing human resources consultation and/or managing human resource staff; conducting investigations into employee misconduct and/or civil rights investigations. Equivalent education and/or experience may be substituted for the years of experience.
Skills and Abilities
Experience in a legal or investigative setting requiring a high degree of knowledge of legal or investigative concepts, issues, and analysis.
Professional experience and training in investigative/paralegal/law enforcement work.
Professional experience and training in analysis of complex issues and data analysis.
Demonstrated ability to author clear, concise, thorough, and grammatically correct writings.
Demonstrated ability working with multidisciplinary groups, securing cooperation across departments, and working collaboratively with diverse individuals and teams.
Knowledge and clear understanding of employment civil rights laws pertaining to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
Benefits Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including health, retirement, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs. Employees and their families are covered by medical, vision, dental, basic life insurance, and long‑term disability insurance, with options for additional coverage. You may enroll in a medical flexible spending account. State employees participate in the Washington Public Employees Retirement System and may also participate in the Deferred Compensation Program. Federal Social Security and Medicare systems apply. Employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Paid holidays, sick leave, vacation (annual leave), military leave, bereavement leave, leave sharing, parental leave, FMLA and leave without pay are provided according to applicable regulations and collective bargaining agreements. Please visit the State HR Website for details.
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