See Support Enforcement Technician.

Positions at this level independently initiates and authorizes the establishment, collection, distribution, modification and enforcement of financial, medical, and other child support obligations.  

Researches and applies the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) for intergovernmental cases including identification of controlling orders and continuing exclusive jurisdiction. Facilitates the administrative establishment of paternity and initiates child support legal enforcement actions.

Under general direction, determines merit of child support orders based on the interpretation of court and/or administrative orders. Evaluates appropriate enforcement actions to assure compliance with federal program standards, state laws, and regulations.

This level is distinguished from the Support Enforcement Technician and Support Enforcement 1 in that they have signature authority for child enforcement administrative, legal actions, child support debt and distribution determinations.

Complies with various federal and state laws, policies and procedures, including the Federal Code of Regulations, Revised Code of Washington, Washington Administrative Code, Federal Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, and Internal Revenue Service requirements, among others; 

Researches, reviews, analyzes, and interprets existing orders of support; reconciles multiple and/or conflicting orders and determines continuing exclusive jurisdiction to ascertain and calculate past due or unpaid support debts which may include variable provisions to serve notice of support debt; 

Establishes financial obligations independently through administrative orders for appropriate child support, medical support, unreimbursed medical, child care reimbursement and medical insurance obligations; represents the Division of Child Support in negotiating and entering settlements for complex medical/childcare reimbursements orders such as verified day care and medical expenses, insurance payments, and insurance premiums when calculating amount owed and for settlements; continually monitoring for collection adjustments and reimbursements between parents; utilizes multiple computerized systems to extract, summarize, and evaluate data related to family composition, income, resources, and obligations of support to other families; 

Mediates customer disputes independently by corresponding with customer and/or legal counsel, identifying and investigating critical issues, reviewing evidence which may be conflicting, assessing credibility in customer statements, negotiating options necessary to bring resolution and communicating the results to the customer via formal and informal methods; 

Independently exercises signature authority to initiate and enforce legal notices of debt, insures that debtors are given proper service and due process of law in legal proceedings regarding; Notice of Order to Withhold and Deliver, establishment of liens, certification of licenses, revocation of passports and placement of wage garnishments; initiate contempt of court actions; authorizes and executes the seizure of assets to collect support obligation within the State of Washington and in cooperation with Tribes and other jurisdictions; utilizes direct enforcement actions across state boundaries, reconciling interstate, federal and international regulations and treaties, and maintaining and monitoring such cooperation, payments and exchange rates;  

Examines a variety of multi-factorial criteria using independent judgement to determine if modification of existing orders regarding child support, childcare, cash medical support, and medical insurance obligation is appropriate; 

Initiates and/or facilitates requests for debt reductions, credits adjustments, and information disclosure; 

Identifies and/or facilitates connection to external resources for assistance overcoming barriers to meeting child support obligation; 

Evaluates and updates data entries to ensure automated system functions in compliance with federal, state, and agency requirements; 

Researches and resolves issues involving payments received and the application of funds and facilitates payment and disbursement options;  

Facilitates the establishment of parentage through the filing of an Acknowledgement of Paternity or referral to the Prosecuting Attorney, and in collaboration with Tribal and international jurisdictions; 

Serves in the capacity of a Tribal Liaison, providing culturally specific services to Tribes, and adhere to the Centennial Accord and Department of Social and Health Services Administrative Policy 7.01; 

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of: collection practices, interviewing, computer databases and interfaces, internet, software and applications, enforcement activities. 

Ability to: comprehend and assimilate state and federal government statues, policies and procedures, court decisions, regulations, programs related to child support enforcement; research financial background and discern program eligibility; compile, verify, analyze financial information from a variety of sources; process all actions timely in compliance with federal standards or guidelines; utilize professional debtor recovery methods; utilize federal locate services for absent parents; navigate and extract confidential information from secure databases; communicate and articulate information clearly, concisely, and accurately in a variety of formats in a high volume, cross-functional work environment; exercise sound, professional judgment; encourage positive team environment and model expected work behaviors, and ethical business practices; prioritize demands of caseload, demonstrate professional and courteous customer service which includes interacting with irate or hostile customers; support continuous process improvement. 

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.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Two years of college level coursework,

AND

Three years of child support enforcement and/or debt collection related functions, including completion of the Support Enforcement Officer Training Program.

Note: Equivalent education and/or experience substitute year for year.

Establishment effective December 3, 1971.
Revised minimum qualifications effective October 12, 1973.
Revised minimum qualifications effective December 20, 1974.
Revised minimum qualifications effective October 16, 1975.
Revised definition and general revision effective January 12, 1977.
Revised definition effective June 10, 1977.
Revised definition, minimum qualifications, added distinguishing characteristics effective January 11, 1980.
Revised definition, distinguishing characteristics, minimum qualifications adopted November 14, 1991 and effective December 1, 1991.
New class code: effective July 1, 2007; (formerly 46710).Revised class series concept, definition, distinguishing characteristics and typical work; Adopted June 30, 2019; Effective July 1, 2019.
Revised class series concept, definition, distinguishing characteristics, and salary adjustment adopted June 13, 2019, effective July 1, 2019.
Typical work, knowledge and abilities, and desirable qualifications revised June 14, 2019.
Desirable qualifications revised administratively 9/3/2019.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.