L&I Workers' Compensation Adjudicator 2-Apprentice

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working!

Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability

This position requires in-office training for the first 11 months. (Office location is Tumwater, WA)

About the role

Join our Workers’ Compensation Adjudicator 2 Apprenticeship program! We have several opportunities for you to join our apprentice classes starting November 16, 2026. As part of this program, you will help injured workers heal and return to work, ensure workplaces are safe, and assist honest workers, businesses, and providers by addressing dishonest practices. Bilingual Spanish speakers are needed and will earn an additional 5% salary.

This is a 22-month apprenticeship program that includes:

• An initial intensive classroom training period
• Options for hybrid telework after classroom training (around 11 months)
• A personal coach/mentor assigned to you
• Alignment with a team of experienced Claim Managers
• Support from medical, legal, and vocational professionals
• Journey-level certification upon successful completion

Pay

• $4,677.00 monthly beginning salary (87% of 50G for non-bilingual positions)
• $4,838.00 after six months (90% of 50G)
• $5,000.00 after ten months (93% of 50G)
• $5,376.00 after 22 months (100% of 50G Journey Level)
• 5% annual periodic increase after completion of apprenticeship program, up to $6,229.00

Additional salary details:

• Spanish bilingual positions include a 5% salary increase for dual-language responsibilities. If hired as bilingual, you will be required to pass an assessment of your ability to write and speak Spanish fluently (no translating software is used).
• Permanent state employees entering the program at or above 50G will be offered 100% of 50G ($5,376).
• Permanent state employees entering the program between 87% and 99% of 50G will retain their current salary until they naturally progress in accordance with apprenticeship standards.
• All others will start at 87% of 50G and progress naturally per apprenticeship standards.
• If accepted into this apprenticeship program, you may qualify for an apprenticeship stipend through your GI Bill.

About the agency

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health, and security of Washington’s workers. We help employers meet safety and health standards, inspect workplaces for hazards, and administer the state’s workers’ compensation system—similar to a large insurance company—providing medical and limited wage-replacement coverage to workers who suffer job-related injuries and illnesses. Our rules and enforcement programs ensure workers are paid fairly, children’s and teens’ work hours are limited, and consumers are protected from unsound business practices.

Insurance Services is the largest division within L&I and administers one of the premier workers’ compensation organizations in the nation, serving over 3.8 million employees and 260,000 employers.

Responsibilities

As a Workers’ Compensation Adjudicator, you will adjudicate and manage workers’ compensation claims by authorizing or denying medical, vocational, and monetary benefits while ensuring statutory time limits are met. During the apprenticeship, your work will be reviewed for quality and accuracy. This role involves:

• Working in a challenging, ever-changing environment
• Assisting people in need with empathy and professionalism
• Handling a high volume of phone calls in a customer-focused manner
• Researching and interpreting facts, rules, policies, and laws fairly and objectively
• Managing multiple tasks under tight deadlines without sacrificing quality or accuracy

Requirements

Successful Claim Managers typically demonstrate:

• Strong and effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to learn quickly, stay organized, and work well under pressure
• Calmness and sound judgment in adversarial situations
• Comfort handling a high volume of phone calls in a customer-focused environment
• Proficiency with multiple computer programs and typing at least 40 words per minute (WPM), accounting for errors
• Motivation to research and interpret facts, rules, policies, and laws fairly and objectively
• Experience responding to difficult and sensitive situations with empathy and compassion
• Ability to perform multiple tasks under tight deadlines without sacrificing quality or accuracy
• Commitment to punctuality and a 40-hour workweek

Qualifications

Required:

• One year of experience working with insurance claims within Labor & Industries or in claims/insurance adjusting, claims investigations, paramedical occupations, disability management, claims risk management/loss control, medical billing, or paralegal services with experience in personal injury or medical insurance, or related fields.
• OR a Bachelor’s degree OR equivalent education/experience.
• Ability to keyboard at a minimum of 40 WPM, accounting for errors. A 5-minute typing test result must be submitted with your application (e.g., from typing.com).

Required Equity Competencies:

• Ability to take action to learn and grow
• Ability to take action to meet the needs of others

Schedule

Work shifts for the first 11 months (onsite in Tumwater, WA):

• Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

After the 11-month classroom training:

• Hybrid telework options may be considered
• Overtime opportunities may become available
• Vacation leave is limited to specific dates during the first 13 months based on the training schedule

Benefits

• Eligibility for a generous retirement package for qualifying state employees
• Flexible schedules and work-life balance
• One of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation

L&I is a diverse agency committed to building an inclusive workplace. Veterans preference is available for eligible applicants.