(1) Upon receipt of a complaint or on its own motion, the department shall attempt to adjust equitably a controversy between a contractor and its employees.

(2) No particular form of proceeding is necessary for resolving disputes. The supervisor of employment standards shall, in each case, use his or her best judgment in designing a procedure. However, in every case in which the supervisor determines that a hearing should be held, the supervisor shall notify the affected persons, or their representatives, of the time, date, place, and purpose of the hearing.

(3) A hearing shall be informal and shall not be subject to chapter 34.04 RCW. The supervisor's suggestions for resolution are advisory and not binding, and may not be appealed to any person or court.

(4) The director may delegate the resolution of any particular case to a person other than the supervisor of employment standards. That person shall have the same authority as the supervisor to determine the form of the proceeding.