Washington Administrative Code

If the materials are submitted on paper, the job seeker's signature affirms that the information submitted is complete and truthful. If the materials are submitted electronically, the act of submitting them is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful.[…

Employers may use the screening methods that they determine best evaluate a person's competencies to perform the duties and responsibilities of a class and/or a position. Screening methods must be based upon job analysis and may include, but are not limited to, reviewing resumes,…

When the number of job seekers is expected to result in a number of eligible applicants that exceeds the employer's needs or the number of eligible applicants is expected to result in a pool of candidates that exceeds the employer's needs, the employer may apply screening methods…

Examinations must be based upon documented job analysis that identifies the competencies needed to perform successfully in a position. Any examination must be administered uniformly to those individuals being examined unless reasonable accommodation in the examination process has…

An applicant or candidate who needs reasonable accommodation in the examination process is responsible for requesting reasonable accommodation. The employer is responsible for providing reasonable accommodation unless the employer can demonstrate undue hardship. The employer must…

Examinations must be scored using a consistent rating or scoring procedure that rates job-related competencies identified through job analysis.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-200, § 357-16-095, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

In accordance with WAC 357-31-325, an employee must be granted leave with pay to take an examination or participate in an interview during scheduled work hours when applying or being considered for a position with a state agency, higher education institution or related higher edu…

(1) If an employer is administering an examination prior to certification, the employer must grant preference to veterans in accordance with the veterans scoring criteria provisions of RCW 41.04.010. Veterans' scoring criteria is only added to passing scores.(2) If no examination…

(1) An agency head or higher education institution president may consider granting preference to eligible applicants in the hiring process if administering an examination prior to certification for any of the following qualifications in accordance with RCW 41.04.012:(a) Ten perce…

Employers may end consideration of an eligible applicant or candidate at any time during the assessment process for job-related reasons including, but not limited to, an applicant or candidate lacking required competencies, or not satisfying other requirements such as shift or ge…

Each employer must have a written certification procedure that specifies how the employer will determine the pool of eligible candidates to be certified to the employing official.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-200, § 357-16-120, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/0…

The employer's certification procedure must:(1) Specify how the employer determines the pool of eligible candidates to be certified to the employing official in accordance with WAC 357-16-130;(2) Specify how the employer determines the number of names certified if the number of e…

Only eligible candidates who satisfy the competencies and other requirements of the position to be filled will be certified. The order for certifying must follow these criteria:(1) If there are names on the employer's internal layoff list for the class, all eligible candidates on…

An employer may use supplemental certification to add to the certified pool when:(1) Per the employer's certification procedure, the number of eligible candidates being certified is fewer than the total number of candidates eligible for certification;(2) The employer's approved a…

Supplemental certification may apply to eligible goal area candidates who meet the competencies and other position requirements and are members of the affected groups of persons with disabilities, Vietnam era veterans, disabled veterans, or persons of age forty and over.[Statutor…

Each employer must have a written promotional policy which:(1) Defines who is considered a promotional candidate, including whether probationary employees and permanent employees who have left the employer to accept project or nonpermanent appointments with other employers are co…

An employer may disqualify an individual by removing the individual's name from an applicant and/or candidate pool for a class or all classes in a class series at any time for good and sufficient reason.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 16-11-058, § 357-16-155, filed 5…

An individual's name may be removed from the applicant and/or candidate pool for the class to which the individual is appointed, and all lower classes in the same class series.[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.06.133. WSR 26-08-085, s 357-16-157, filed 3/31/26, effective 5/1/26. Statu…

When an applicant or candidate is removed from an applicant or candidate pool for good and sufficient reason per WAC 357-16-155, the employer must notify the applicant or candidate at the time of the removal. The notice must be in writing and specify the reason for the removal. T…

An applicant or candidate may request a review of their examination results or the removal of their name from an applicant or candidate pool when the removal is due to good and sufficient reason under the provisions of WAC 357-16-155.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 1…

If an applicant or candidate requests a review of the results of an examination or removal from an applicant or candidate pool, the request must be received at the employer's office within twenty calendar days following notice of the action for which a review is requested.[Statut…

Each employer must develop a review procedure that specifies the procedure the employer will use to review an applicant's or candidate's examination results or name removal from a pool. The procedure must minimally specify that the review will be conducted by a representative of …

Review decisions made under the provisions of WAC 357-16-170 are final and not subject to further review or appeal.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-187, § 357-16-180, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

The director or the employer may invalidate the trial service or probationary appointment of an individual who was not eligible to be certified, but was certified in error.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-200, § 357-16-190, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

After a conditional offer of employment is made, an eligible candidate may be required to pass a medical or psychological examination relevant to the demands of the work.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-200, § 357-16-195, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

The employer is responsible for the cost of any medical or psychological examination required under WAC 357-16-195.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-200, § 357-16-200, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

If a medical or psychological examination reveals a job-related disability and the candidate is otherwise qualified, the employer must consider ways to provide reasonable accommodation for the disability before making an appointment decision.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RC…

In accordance with RCW 49.58.100, an employer may not:(1) Seek the wage or salary history of an individual applying for employment, including current employees, from the individual or the individual's current or former employer; or(2) Require that an individual's prior wage or sa…

In accordance with RCW 49.58.100, an employer may confirm an individual's wage or salary history if:(1) The individual has voluntarily disclosed their wage or salary history; or(2) After the employer has negotiated an offer and made an offer of employment including compensation t…

Under the authority of the director, general government employers may carry out the activities detailed in chapter 357-19 WAC.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-005, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

Under the authority of RCW 41.06.133 and 41.06.150, higher education employers may carry out the activities in chapter 357-19 WAC.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-010, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

Appointments within the classified service must be made on the basis of the appointee's ability to meet the competencies and other position requirements that are identified through job analysis.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-015, filed 12/21/04, …

The probationary and trial service periods provide the employer with an opportunity to observe and assess an employee's work and to train and aid the employee in adjusting to the position in order to determine if the employee will be granted permanent status in that position.[Sta…

An employee who does not have permanent status must serve a probationary period when appointed to a permanent position.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-020, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

A permanent employee must serve a trial service period upon promotional appointment to a position in a class in which the employee has not held permanent status. A general government employee laid off in accordance with the provisions of WAC 357-46-010 or 357-58-445 is not consid…

A permanent employee who transfers, voluntarily demotes, is elevated, or is reverted to a position may be required by the employer to serve a trial service period in accordance with the employer's policy per WAC 357-19-090. (See WAC 357-46-110 for information on when an employee …

Employers are not allowed to require a trial service period when an employee is being reverted to a comparable position with the same job duties as the position in which the employee last held permanent status. The employer determines the comparability of the position.[Statutory …

The director must establish the duration of the probationary period on a class-wide basis. The probationary period for a class must be from six to twelve months long.The probationary period for the campus police officer class (or successor title) must extend from the date of appo…

The probationary period for the class of campus police officer (or successor title) may not be extended. For all other classes, employers may extend the probationary period for an individual employee or for all employees in a class as long as the extension does not cause the tota…

The director must establish the duration of the trial service period on a class-wide basis. The trial service period for a class must be from six to twelve months in duration.The trial service period for the campus police officer class (or successor title) must extend from the da…

The trial service period for the class of campus police officer (or successor title) may not be extended. For all other classes, employers may extend the trial service period for an individual employee or for all employees in a class as long as the extension does not cause the to…

An employee's probationary or trial service period is affected by the use of leave according to chapter 357-31 WAC.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-065, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

If an employee accepts an appointment to another permanent position with the same employer while serving a probationary or trial service period, the following applies:(1) If the employer determines the positions or classes to which the positions are allocated are closely related …

(1) If an employee who is serving a probationary period accepts a nonpermanent appointment for reasons specified in WAC 357-19-360(1), the probationary period will end and the employee will not be granted permanent status unless the employer agrees to return the employee to a pos…

If an employee is reassigned while serving a probationary or trial service period, time spent in the initial probationary or trial service period counts towards the probationary or trial service period of the position to which the employee was reassigned.[Statutory Authority: Cha…

(1) If a permanent employee accepts a nonpermanent appointment for reasons specified in WAC 357-19-360(1) during a trial service period and the employer has agreed to return the employee to a position at the conclusion of the nonpermanent appointment, the employer may:(a) Suspend…

(1) If an employee in a nonpermanent appointment for reasons specified in WAC 357-19-360(1) is subsequently appointed permanently to the same or a similar position, the employer may count time worked in the nonpermanent appointment towards the probationary or trial service period…

Employers must publish a policy on probationary and trial service periods that minimally addresses the employer's basis for determining and notifying an employee:(1) When a trial service period is required upon transfer, voluntary demotion, reversion or elevation as provided in W…

The employer may separate any probationary employee who fails to meet the employer's standards. The separation must be in accordance with WAC 357-46-180.[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 05-01-206, § 357-19-095, filed 12/21/04, effective 7/1/05.]

The employer may revert any employee who fails to meet the employer's standards during the trial service period. The employee must be notified in accordance with WAC 357-19-105. Upon reversion, the employee has the rights provided by WAC 357-19-115 and 357-19-117.[Statutory Autho…