Washington Management Service
How does Washington state government define a manager?

A recent Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) audit of the state's Washington Management Service (WMS) revealed that individuals in state management positions created since 1998 supervise an average of one employee each, and nearly half of them "do not directly manage any employees."

Webster's Dictionary describes a manager as someone who exercises "executive, administrative, and supervisory direction." The WMS, on the other hand, defines a manager as someone who deals with financial, physical, or personnel resources, legislative relations, public information, or budget preparation. An individual may also qualify as a manger by consistently using "independent judgement."

When WMS was established in 1994 as a personnel organizing system for agency supervisors, it included a total of 445 managers. Since then that number has increased by more than 1,100 percent to 4,994 managers. Individuals classified as managers in WMS earn more than non-WMS employees, with annual salaries ranging from $36,320 to $108,800.

While JLARC auditors were restricted to a "limited-scope review [that] did not assess the system's overall operations or effectiveness," the committee expressed concern "about this program's [WMS] rate of growth."

Since 1998, nearly one half of all newly created state government positions have been classified as management positions. The number of WMS employees during that time increased by 38 percent, while non-WMS general state employees increased by 2.5 percent.

Number of employees supervised by WMS managers*
(Abbreviations – DSHS: Social and Health Services; DOT: Transportation; DOC: Corrections; ESD: Employment Security; DFW: Fish and Wildlife; DOH: Health; L&I: Labor and Industries; DOE: Ecology; DOR: Revenue; DOL: Licensing)

* Applies to management positions added since 1998
Source: JLARC WMS Audit

A handbook published by the WMS claims the service provides:

• Improved efficiency and effectiveness in the management of Washington state government operations and resources.

• Cost-savings through streamlined administrative procedures.

• Through better management, improved delivery of government services to the state's citizens.

Meanwhile, no other state in the nation has a program comparable to the WMS. While other states have management programs, they are more exclusive to agency and department heads who oversee many employees. According to JLARC, the California Career Executive Program includes fewer than one percent of all state employees. The Senior Executive Service of Colorado limits management positions to top agency chiefs and has a total of 65 managers.

EFF recommendations:

1. Washington should scale down the WMS to mirror the programs in California and Colorado which only include the top agency chiefs.

2. The growth of agency management should be restricted to ensure that it never outpaces the growth of an agency. When agency employment decreases, agency management positions should also decrease.

3. Only those individuals directly managing other employees or programs should be classified as managers and receive the management band wages.

To view JLARC's audit of WMS click here.

Prepared by Hans Zeiger, Research Assistant
Contact: Jason Mercier, Budget Research Analyst, (360) 956-3482 or jmercier@effwa.org

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org