Washington Business Fall 2015 | Legislative Review | Page 13

issue area reports | employment & workplace

workers’ compensation
Workers’ compensation continues to be one of the highest costs for employers in Washington. For years, the issue has been an
area of dispute between labor and business. While this year saw some bills introduced and moved, workers’ compensation was
relatively calm with both the House and Senate leadership expressing fatigue over the issue. We saw reintroduced bills on workers’
compensation group self-insurance, occupational disease claims and the retrospective rating plan for employers. This session also
saw many of the vocational rehabilitation reforms put into statute. With the exception of a few bills, most workers’ compensation
legislation did not move out of committees.

SB 5576

reporting claims quicker, increased return-

Failed/AWB Supported

job site safety by addressing workplace

Senate Bill 5576, introduced by Sen.
Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, would
have required a worker to immediately report any accident to the worker’s
employer or supervisor. The report must
be in writing, signed by the worker, and
submitted to the employer within 60 days
of the date of the injury, or before the
worker files an application for workers’
compensation benefits, whichever comes
first. The bill would have reduced fraud by

hazards in a timely manner.

workplace injury reporting

to-work opportunities, and helped with

SHB 1496/SSB 5451

vocational rehabilitation
Passed/AWB Supported
Substitute House Bill 1496, introduced by
Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, makes permanent many of the 2007 pilot programs
that were created for improving vocational rehabilitation. This bill had broad

bipartisan support and passed the House
98-0 and the Senate 46-0, with 3 excused.

SSB 5418

catastrophically injured
workers pilot project
Failed/AWB Supported
Substitute Senate Bill 5418, sponsored by
Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, would have
required the Department of Labor &
Industries to create a pilot program where
outside vendors would develop innovative treatment and service interventions
for catastrophically injured workers.
This bill was about a partnership
between the public and private sector. The pilot would have used a
medical management firm to make
the workers’ compensation system
more efficient, reduce costs without
reducing benefits, and ultimately
bring competition to the system.
The bill passed the Senate, but failed
to move in the House.

SB 5509

occupational
disease claims
Failed/AWB Supported
Senate Bill 5509, introduced by
Sen. John Braun, R- Centralia,
would have required that a cove re d o c c u p a t i o n a l d i s e a s e b e
Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, chair of the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee, right,
talks with the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle.

Bill considered as part of
AWB’s voting record

Favorable outcome for
Washington businesses

Missed Opportunities

special edition 2015

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