Disability Services Specialist - Senior Human Resource Analyst

King County Metro Transit’s Employee Services Division is hiring a Disability Services Specialist -Senior Human Resource Analyst to join the Disability Services team. This position offers a hybrid work environment, fantastic benefits, and the opportunity to provide critical support and case management for Metro Employees seeking disability services. As a Disability Services Specialist (DSS), you will be one of seven professional staff providing consultation and coordination in the areas of medical leave, reasonable accommodations, and disability services for Metro Transit, which employs over 6000 staff.

Our ideal candidate complies with all applicable State and Federal disability and leave laws, collective bargaining agreements, and court decisions. They must advise management of their responsibilities and employees of their rights under Federal and State laws as well as King County policies and regulations. They will also provide expert testimony in medical separation arbitration hearings and other related litigation. The body of work for this position is critically important to Metro Employees who seek assistance and support through the reasonable accommodation and medical leave processes. This position requires strong coaching skills, collaborative coordination skills, and empathy on a regular basis.

About Metro Transit’s Leave and Disability Services Team:

The Disability Services Section is an interdisciplinary team dedicated to providing services to King County employees who have an illness or injury that impacts them at work. We work with employees, physicians, and supervisors to assist with reasonable accommodation and return to work plans for employees whose medical conditions affect their ability to perform the essential functions of their job.

Position Information: This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) Special Duty Assignment/Term Limited Temporary (SDA/TLT) Human Resource Analyst- Senior classification vacancy. The SDA/TLT is anticipated to last until 12/31/2027 and may be extended. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility list for future Special Duty Assignment (SDA), Term Limited Temporary (TLT), and Career Service (CS) vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility list will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.  

Who may apply: We are accepting applications from all qualified individuals including current King County employees and the general public. Please refer to the "Supplemental Information" section of this job bulletin for the required application materials.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of this work. This position is comprised of the following core duties:

• Work with applicants, employees, supervisors, managers and Department and Division leadership to facilitate the reasonable accommodation and interactive process, including researching, identifying and recommending reasonable accommodations.
• Perform case management duties in a high volume, fast-paced environment for applicants and employees who need assistance and have been diagnosed with a medical condition that impacts their ability to work.
• Review and analyze confidential medical information, essential job functions and employee records, and prepare written correspondence and communicate with health care providers to identify and clarify medical and work restrictions.
• Prioritize multiple and often competing demands and requests from various workgroups and employees.
• Provide direct support to identify and facilitate resources for employees who may be facing a medical crisis; provide information about benefits, FMLA/KCFML, Washington state leave laws, and other assistance as appropriate.
• Provide advice and consultation to management and leadership on the administration of leaves in accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, King County Family and Medical Leave ordinance, and other federal, state and local leave laws and statutes.
• Advise management on options for employees who are unable to meet contractual requirements to work on a regular basis and/or who may be misusing sick leave.
• Provide technical expertise and consulting services in analyzing, comparing, and contrasting the various Federal, State, and local disability and leave statutes, regulations and case law to determine appropriate actions/solutions.
• Coordinate job modification evaluations and appropriate actions prompted by requests for reasonable accommodation, transitional return-to-work assignments and stay-at-work needs of Metro employees.
• Facilitate medical separations, medical resignations, and forward referrals to King County’s Transitional Duty Assignment and Reassignment Programs when appropriate.
• Track disability services, accommodation, and leaves of absence within Metro Transit to ensure consistency and compliance with regulatory requirements, worker's compensation guidelines, county personnel rules, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide education and training to workgroups and individual employees, and communicate legal updates in reasonable accommodation, disability and leave laws, and policies to Metro supervisors, managers, and leadership.
• Maintain comprehensive and complete case notes for assigned cases, preserve the confidentiality of case information, and ensure the accommodations that are provided to employees are documented.
• Understand precedent-setting actions in a unionized environment, using strong communication skills to resolve workplace issues with a variety of stakeholders who may hold competing agendas.   
• Other duties as assigned in support of Metro’s Disability Services team.

We are looking for candidates who have: 

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field AND at least two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in coordinating and providing medical leave, reasonable accommodation and/or disability services, or equivalent work with people with disabilities OR an equivalent combination of experience and education which provides the applicant with the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to perform the work duties and responsibilities of the Disability Services Specialist position.
• Experience interpreting and applying WLAD, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, Title VII, and applicable WAC, RCWs, and court rulings related to disability and industrial insurance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information to non- technical audiences, and the ability to adapt own communication style to suit situations that include advising leadership and other HR support staff, suggesting workable solutions, and providing end-user support and training.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of best practices in delivering quality customer service, including effective interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and the ability to promote collaboration.
• Ability to communicate policies and legal/medical terminology to clients and staff.
• Experience navigating performance and misconduct issues possibly related to health conditions.    
• Ability to adapt communication style to suit situations that will include meetings with senior managers, correspondence with medical personnel, and facilitating medical separation meetings with often upset employees.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative, respectful, and equitable working relationships with centralized disability services staff, Metro leaders, and a diverse workforce in order to effectively implement King County’s Reasonable Accommodation in Employment for Individuals with Disabilities policy.
• Knowledge of (and ability to read and understand) medical terminology, interpret technical reports, and understand disabilities.
• Skill in effective time-management, planning, prioritizing, and coordinating multiple projects with critical timelines.
• Ability to interpret and evaluate events/issues and use analytical skills to successfully anticipate, recognize and resolve problems.
• Ability to operate without well-defined policy and recognize precedent-setting situations.     
• Proficiency in the following: MSWord, Teams, OneDrive, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint
• Experience in the design and implementation of disability and leave training to various levels of employees within an organization.

Highly competitive candidates will have (desired, but not required):

• Relevant national certification(s), or the ability to be certified within one year, to include: Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), Professional Human Resource designation (SPHR, PHR, SHRM- SCP, SHRM-CP, or IPMA-HR), Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) or Registered Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC).
• Knowledge of benefits programs related to people with disabilities.
• Experience in designing and/or providing ongoing training for management and staff regarding their roles, responsibilities and legal obligations on issues such as federal, state leave benefits, medical absence and accommodation issues, and disability discrimination or harassment.
• Experience working with large public sector agencies, governmental organizations and/or unionized environments.
• Experience interpreting bargaining agreement and contractual language into HR processes.

Who may apply: We are accepting applications from all qualified individuals including current King County employees and the general public.

To Apply 

The following application materials are required: 

1. An online King County application updated with accurate contact information and relevant work history.
2. Completed supplemental questions. 
3. Resume
4. A cover letter that addresses why you are interested in this role and how your experience, skills and/or education have prepared you for this position. 

Selection Process: 

Applications that do not include all of the required materials listed above will not be considered. Only the materials explicitly requested will be reviewed—additional documents or information will not be evaluated. Application materials will be screened for completeness and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews and possibly other selection process elements. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks and/or a record review.  

Other Position Information

Work Location: This position follows a hybrid work schedule requiring a minimum of 2 days per week onsite at King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104, consistent with King County Metro's hybrid work policy. Remote workdays may be adjusted based on operational or business needs.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Additionally, DS Specialists provide support and periodic in-person consultation at various King County Metro locations. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities to include KSC.   

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule: The position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. The typical work week is 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

Union Representation: The position is not represented by a union.

Class Code: 2311300 (Human Resource Analyst – Senior)

Safety Responsibilities for an Employee:

• Responsible for understanding the Metro Transit Safety Policy and their role in safety.
• Report all safety concerns.
• Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations, policies, and training.
• Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County’s vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Sabrina Brazzle at [email protected]

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.