News for Workers' Compensation
L&I proposes small decrease in workers’ comp premium rates
The price of workers’ compensation insurance in Washington would drop for the third year in a row under a proposal by L&I. L&I proposed a 0.8% decrease in the average premium that employers would pay for the coverage in 2020.
Posted on: 09/20/2019
Changes to paid sick leave for unionized construction workers
Very little reporting has focused on a new law, signed by Governor Inslee on April 30, 2019, that significantly changes the Paid Sick Leave Law (RCW 49.46.210) for construction workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
Posted on: 08/21/2019
New tool to verify correct workers-comp risk classifications
Contractors now have the ability to verify that they have the correct workers’ compensation risk classifications when bidding and reporting work performed on public works projects.
Posted on: 06/04/2019
AGC seeks changes to burdensome overtime draft rule
The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is changing employment rules that determine which salaried employees in Washington are required by law to receive overtime pay, minimum wage and paid sick leave.
Posted on: 12/18/2018
Workers’ comp rates will fall by average of five percent in January
The price of workers’ compensation insurance in Washington will take the largest drop in more than 10 years on January 1, as the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) finalized its proposed 5 percent decrease in the average amount employers pay for the coverage.
Posted on: 12/04/2018
L&I proposes new overtime rules
The Department of Labor and Industries is in the process of updating rules regarding exemptions to the minimum-wage act (MWA) which exempts executive, administrative and professional (EAP) workers.
Posted on: 11/06/2018
Is your employee Washington-based, for minimum-wage and sick-leave purposes?
One of the lingering questions regarding the state’s new minimum wage and paid sick leave law, which went into effect Jan. 1 2018, is how “Washington-based employees” will be defined.
Posted on: 11/06/2018
Proposed decrease in 2019 workers'-comp rates
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has proposed a decrease for 2019 in workers-comp rates, averaging 5%. For construction-risk classes, the range looks to be between a 5% and 17% reduction.
Posted on: 09/20/2018
Cost of workers’ comp insurance dropping for many in Washington next year
The price of workers’-compensation insurance will go down for many businesses in Washington next year.
Posted on: 12/04/2017
L&I proposes 2.5% decrease in workers’ comp rates; AGC seeks reforms
The average amount employers pay for workers' compensation insurance in Washington would drop 2.5 percent in 2018 under a proposal from L&I.
Posted on: 09/26/2017
AGC supports occupational disease case before State Supreme Court
AGC has thrown its support behind a State Supreme Court case that could be a very significant public polity case dealing with occupational disease causation that could ultimately impact workers’ comp rates.
Posted on: 05/08/2017
Workers’ Comp Action Alert
Please urge your State Senator to support workers’ comp reform! Senate Bill 5822.
Posted on: 02/28/2017
Paid sick leave: What contractors need to know
Last November, when voters passed Initiative 1433, commonly known as the minimum-wage initiative, they were also approving a provision in I-1433 that requires employers to provide paid sick leave.
Posted on: 02/14/2017
Workers’ comp rates going up again in 2017
The average premium for workers’ compensation coverage in Washington will go up 0.7 percent.
Posted on: 12/12/2016
L&I proposes workers’-comp rate increase for 2017
The rate paid for workers’ compensation coverage in Washington would rise by an average of 0.7 percent next year under a proposal released by L&I...
Posted on: 10/03/2016
Initiatives could bring mandatory sick leave to construction
There may be two initiatives on the November ballot to raise the minimum wage; both of them go beyond the minimum wage and require paid sick leave.
Posted on: 05/10/2016
Workers’ comp rates will increase 2% on average in 2016
For construction, the rates range from a decrease of 12% for Bridge, Bulkhead and Tunnel Construction to an increase of 10% for the Wallboard Installation-Undiscounted Rate category.
Posted on: 12/15/2015
L&I proposes 2 percent average increase in workers’-comp rates for 2016
The Department of Labor and Industries proposed a two percent average increase in workers’ comp rates for next year.
Posted on: 10/13/2015
Washington State still has highest workers' comp benefit costs
Latest figures show that Washington States benefits costs per worker are the highest in the nation at $827.
Posted on: 08/25/2015
AGC backs slate of workers' comp reform bills
Citing real-world examples AGC Group Retro Director Lauren Gubbe recently described to the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee how current law and Labor and Industries (LNI) policy make it possible for some injured workers to receive more income on workers’ comp timeloss benefits than what they...
Posted on: 02/16/2015
2015 workers' comp rates will be lower than first proposed
The average increase in workers’ compensation premiums in 2015 will be less than half of the amount initially proposed. L&I recently announced a final average increase of 0.8 percent.Among construction classifications the rates will range from a 14 percent decrease for Overhead Power and Tran...
Posted on: 12/05/2014
AGC calls for additional workers' comp reforms at rate hearing
(Editor’s note: For the proposed 2015 workers’-comp premium rates per job classification click here.)AGC called for additional reforms of the state’s workers’ compensation system during rate hearings held by the Department of Labor and Industries.“A significant problem within our system is our hi...
Posted on: 10/27/2014
L&I proposes 1.8% workers' comp rate increase for 2015
L&I is proposing an average 1.8 percent rate increase for 2015 workers’ compensation premiums. The increase comes out to about 1 cent per hour worked. Proposed rates differ considerably by construction job classification. For example the Concrete Work - Foundations and Flatwork classification...
Posted on: 09/29/2014
Washington Supreme Court sides with Boeing and AGC of Washington over workers'-comp employer immunity
John Riper Ashbaugh BealLast week in a case the AGC of Washington intervened in is as amicus in support of The Boeing Company the Supreme Court held in favor of employer immunity under Washington’s workers’ compensation program. The case involves employer liability for asbestos exposure 28 years ...
Posted on: 09/25/2014
Workers' comp news: Fraud prevention, structured settlements, medical network
Fraud prevention: L&I recently made several announcements about peopled arrested or convicted for workers’ comp fraud. For example three defendants from Tacoma East Wenatchee and Idaho in three unrelated cases pleaded guilty to felony theft for stealing workers’ compensation benefits. Each wa...