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State of Washington Classified Job Specification

LICENSING HEARING SPECIALIST

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LICENSING HEARING SPECIALIST
Class Code: 168U
Category: Financial Services
Salary Range: 54
Abolished Effective: 05-11-2012


Definition

Conducts group and individual driver improvement and financial responsibility interviews. Presides over formal administrative hearings involving legal format issuance of findings of fact and conclusions of law directly appealable to Superior Court in the following areas:  implied consent, administrative per se, financial responsibility. Presides over other hearings such as:  habitual traffic offender law, vehicle registration cancellation, and occupational driver licenses.

Typical Work

Presides over Formal Administrative Hearings for drivers contesting license revocation, denial, suspension or issuance of a probationary driver’s license under DUI laws or suspension under Financial Responsibility laws; directs the procedural protocol of hearings to provide fairness, due process and a sustainable review by the State’s Superior, Appellate and/or Supreme Courts; 

Administers oaths to witnesses and interpreters; rules on motions and objections by attorneys and on admissibility of evidence; weighs testimony and documentary evidence to determine credibility and reliability; researches and analyzes each issue of a hearing and considers applicable statutes, case law, Washington Administrative Code and Department of Licensing policies;   

Creates written Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Orders which incorporate all evidence, testimony and arguments presented and defines the legal reasoning used to arrive at Conclusions of Law; reports decisions to all parties;  

Presides over Formal Administrative Hearings for drivers contesting license suspension, denial, cancellation, conditional and probationary status or drug and alcohol treatment requirements; 

Conducts administrative interviews for drivers contesting license suspension, denial, cancellation, conditional and probationary status or drug and alcohol treatment requirements;  

Reviews the department’s basis for the action; considers all documentary evidence and information submitted by the appellant driver and/or attorney; 

Conducts driver awareness group interviews designed to address problems such as aggressive driving, preoccupation and the drinking driver; the goal of the group program is to alter unsafe driving behavior and reduce collision risks;  

Informs drivers of the department’s concern for their record of tickets/accidents; practices reflective listening skills in facilitator/driver dialog; applies counseling skills to overcome hostility and disinterest;  

Provides safety and educational information to group participants stressing the rewards of citation-free driving;  

Serves as a group facilitator in conducting the driver improvement programs such as Goal Setting and Narrative Driving; 

Serves as Hearings/Interviews representative to courts and police departments; 

Serves as a resource person to civic groups and driver education classes; 

Corresponds with court personnel, police officers, attorneys, physicians and psychiatrists regarding Hearings/Interviews programs; 

Prepares correspondence in support of Hearings/Interviews programs or special projects; 

Responds to personal contacts with drivers who have questions regarding Hearings/Interviews programs; 

Testifies on behalf of the Department at formal administrative adjudication hearings held in Superior Court; 

Evaluates driving records, medical records and other pertinent information to determine special needs and appropriate departmental actions with drivers; 

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of:  Washington State Financial Responsibility Laws; legal structure and Motor Vehicle Code; judicial and enforcement procedures; Implied Consent and Habitual Traffic Offender Statute; group process techniques. 

Ability to:  conduct individual or group interviews, interpret and apply Implied Consent, Habitual Offender and Financial Responsibility Law and related rules, regulations, and policy; analyze and interpret medical, personal injury and accident reports; establish and maintain effective working relations with various State agencies; initiate and dictate technical correspondence; speak effectively before groups and facilitate group processes; maintain a rapport and establish constructive lines of communication with hostile individuals; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; provide assistance to community traffic safety activities.

Legal Requirement(s)

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Desirable Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience as an investigator of complaints, adjudicator of claims, full-time member of a regulatory board or commission which hears contested cases and makes decisions on the evidence, or as an attorney.   

One full year of completed law studies toward a Juris Doctorate degree may substitute, year for year, for the experience requirements.

Class Specification History

New class: 7-15-1988
Revised definition, minimum qualifications, title change (formerly Licensing Hearing Specialist 2); general revision: 7-11-97
Revise class code (formerly 48900) adopted May 10 , 2007, effective July 1, 2007