The Washington Management Service (WMS) is a separate personnel system for managers within the executive branch of state government.  State Agencies determine if a position is appropriate for the WMS. 

The Personnel System Reform Act (PSRA) provides civil service employees and certain WMS employees the right to collectively bargain over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.  The PSRA grants interest arbitration rights to Department of Corrections (DOC) employees except for the confidential employees, members of the WMS, and internal auditors. 

Interest arbitration is a method of resolving impasses in collective bargaining negotiations.  Under interest arbitration, disputed mandatory subjects of bargaining are submitted to an impartial third-party interest arbitrator.  The interest arbitrator makes binding decisions on the disputed subjects.  Under the PRSA, there are procedures governing how parties select arbitrators and interest arbitrators must consider certain enumerated factors when making decisions.

Washington Management Service employees who work in the Department of Corrections are granted interest arbitration rights.