WPEA is aware of the recent reorganizations affecting employees in Student Affairs/Student Services. We know these changes have created significant uncertainty and, for many members, feel like an entirely new job. We are currently scheduling one-on-one meetings with impacted members to understand how these changes affect each individual employee and to determine the best path forward. If you have not yet had a chance to speak with WPEA Staff Representative, Shelley Withee, please email her to set up a meeting at: shelley@wpea.org.

One question we are hearing repeatedly is whether a new job description that appears to contain higher-level duties should be addressed through impact bargaining.

While every situation is unique, we want to provide some general context about how Washington’s classification system works.

If your position remains classified at the same level but your new job description appears to include duties associated with a higher classification, requesting that the employer simply reclassify the position during bargaining is often not the strongest strategy. Even if the Union were to raise the issue, the employer or the Office of Financial Management may instead conclude that the job description should be revised to better fit the existing classification, rather than increasing the classification itself.

If you believe you are actually performing the work of a higher classification on an ongoing basis, the stronger long-term remedy is typically the reclassification process. A successful reclassification establishes that your position truly belongs in the higher class, provides the appropriate compensation, and better protects you if those duties continue into the future.

That does not mean WPEA is ignoring classification concerns during this reorganization. Rather, we want to pursue the approach that gives members the strongest chance of achieving a lasting result instead of a temporary or unintended one. Our goal is to pursue solutions that protect members not just today, but years from now. We’d rather not solve long-term problems with short-term thinking. Bellevue College has that approach covered.

If you have received a new position description or have questions about whether your duties align with your current classification, please reach out to your WPEA representative. We want to review your individual circumstances with you and discuss the options available.