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Ericksen encourages
employers and employees to comment on workers' compensation rate increase,
option to break up government monopoly
Bellingham public hearing to be held Oct. 29
Rep.
Doug Ericksen is encouraging employers and employees to
attend a public hearing in Bellingham on the state's proposed 7.6
percent workers' compensation rate increase and let their voices be heard. The
42nd District lawmaker believes they would benefit from reforms in
the state's workers' compensation insurance system.
"We must
break up the state government’s monopoly and allow more competition in
our workers' compensation system," said Ericksen,
R-Ferndale. "My hope is that employers and employees will share their
concerns about how the current system is costly, inefficient and unresponsive, and advocate
for competition."
Facts about the state's
system include:
-
workers' compensation
insurance pays for medical care, rehabilitation and replacement of
lost wages for injured workers;
-
Washington is one of
only four states that has a workers' compensation insurance
system that is a state-run monopoly;
-
administrative costs
for the state's system
are up 28 percent over the last year;
-
workers' compensation rate increases
decrease employees' pay; and
-
workers' compensation
claims are continuing
to decline due to private sector worker safety programs, but the
state refuses to investigate many false claims, which drives up costs
for employers and honest employees.
Ericksen believes the state needs to focus on real
solutions to create a better Washington.
"Now is the time
to prioritize state government in ways that better serve taxpayers,
employers and employees, and lead to fiscal sustainability in the
future. Every minute the state spends running an insurance
company is another minute it is not focused on education, public
safety, infrastructure development, and other priorities for taxpayers,"
said Ericksen. "When
system administrative costs are up 28 percent in the last year, even
though claims have continued to decline, it's clear major reforms are
needed. Our employers need a system that is efficient and cost
effective, and our state should follow the lead of 46 other states that
allow choice and competition."
Details of the public hearings, including one in Bellingham on Oct. 29,
are as follows:
-
Tukwila: Oct. 27, 1
p.m., state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) office, 12806 Gateway Dr.
-
Tumwater: Oct. 28, 10
a.m., L&I headquarters, 7273 Linderson Way S.W.
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Vancouver: Oct. 28, 10
a.m., Red Lion Inn at the Quay, 100 Columbia St.
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Bellingham:
Oct. 29, 1 p.m., Bellingham Quality Inn, 100 E. Kellogg Rd.
-
Spokane: Oct. 30, 9
a.m., Spokane Airport Ramada, 8909 W. Airport Dr.
-
Richland: Oct. 30, 2
p.m., Richland Hampton Inn, 486 Bradley Blvd.
The 2010 workers'
compensation rate will be adopted by Nov. 30. Employers can
submit their views until Nov. 7. Written comments can
be e-mailed to
Ronald Moore,
Employer Services Program Manager, at
MOOA235@lni.wa.gov. Comments can
also be mailed to Moore at the state Department of Labor and
Industries, P.O. Box 44140, Olympia, WA 98504-4140.
Faxed comments can be sent to (360) 902-4729.
# # #
For more information, contact:
John
Handy, Deputy Communications Director | (360) 786-5758
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