Environmental Specialist Classification Review Project

- by Jessica A. Moore

Over the past few months Ecology has been working with the Office of the State Human Resource Director (OSHRD), formerly the Department of Personnel, to review and update the Environmental Specialist classification. The series as a whole was last revised and retitled in 1994 and in 1996 the minimum qualifications for an ES5 were revised.

According to the Ecology’s Human Resource Office (HRO), “the purpose of the review project is to better define, describe and distinguish each of the five levels in the Environmental Specialist classification series for purposes of aiding in classification allocation.  Specifically, this means we are updating and modifying the content of the classification specifications for each of the five Environmental Specialist classifications.”

Also HRO states that “the review project is not for reviewing the classification allocation of individual positions or to address compensation issues.  Compensation for any classification covered under the collective bargaining agreement is addressed through the collective bargaining process.”

The review process has primarily involved HRO and the Classification Review Unit (Review Team) staff at OSHRD. The process has included a review of ES class specifications, review of ES position descriptions at Ecology, interviews with program managers, and a limited number of desk audits. These reviews led the Review Team to propose a set of draft recommendations to HRO and EMT.
HRO and EMT provided comments to the Review Team, including the idea of a new classification, Environmental Scientist.  The Review Team has moved forward with finalizing the draft changes to the ES classification specifications.  These changes include revised definitions, “distinguishing characteristics” for all five classifications, and the removal of the manager’s expert designation form for ES 4 and 5.

The proposal for a new classification has been put on hold for the future. So what’s next? 

The final revised specifications need to be okayed by the State HR Director to be placed on the next quarterly State HR Director’s meeting agenda for final approval, currently scheduled for May 10th.

Once the agenda for the meeting is set, a public comment period will be opened before the May meeting.  Commenting on the proposed revised specifications is very important—it is the primary way to get your voice heard on these changes!

The final details are not available for review yet, but Chris Parsons has put together a slideshow on the HRO Intranet site that has some general information about the process and proposed revisions to the ES series.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact a Shop Steward in your office. We may not have all the answers right away, but we will keep you in the loop and make sure your questions and concerns are heard during the public comment period.

Keep your eyes and ears open…there will be more information coming your way in the near future! ▪