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Jun 02 2026
WashingtonWorkers’ Comp

3 Costly Claims Red Flags (And How to Fix Them)

It’s the time of year when many Washington manufacturing and agribusiness employers are evaluating their workers’ compensation strategies, specifically their selection of a Retro partner. One area of critical importance is claims management. We often hear about common workers’ comp claims management pitfalls that can hinder strong outcomes and negatively impact bottom lines. Fortunately, most…

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May 29 2026
CultureSafety and Health

Join our conversation on mental health and employee wellness

This is the first of three articles about mental health in the workplace, and we’re asking for your input. While Mental Health Awareness Month may have just come to a close, we are committed to keeping this vital conversation going forward. We continue to hear about this topic with increasing frequency from our members—and it…

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May 28 2026
CaliforniaOregonSafety and Health

Be prepared to address wildfire smoke exposure

With wildfire season upon us yet again, employers must take steps to protect workers from harmful smoke exposure. California, Oregon, and Washington all have specific regulations addressing how to protect employees from wildfire smoke. Employers in Arizona, Idaho, and Montana are subject to federal OSHA’s General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide a workplace…

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May 26 2026
Privacy & ConfidentialityWage and Hour

Q&A: Keep legal advice separate and confidential

Question: When dealing with sticky employment issues I like to keep a running log of conversations and steps taken. This log includes calls to our attorney and a summary of the advice they gave, as well as conversations with managers, witnesses, employees, etc. The purpose of this ongoing log is to make sure that I…

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May 14 2026
WashingtonWorkers’ Comp

L&I warns employers and injured workers of possible scam

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) recently emailed a warning about a scam targeting injured workers. L&I has reported that some injured workers have received phone calls, emails, text messages, or social media messages from scammers claiming to work for the state and demanding the workers pay money to receive workers’ comp benefits…

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May 08 2026
Harassment & DiscriminationHiring

Q&A: Use caution when creating a new position for a specific employee

Question: We want to create a new senior accounting position for an employee who has demonstrated skills and abilities beyond their current role. Normally, we post open positions internally before taking applications from external candidates. Can we skip the application process altogether if we already know who we want for the job? Answer: Yes, but…

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May 08 2026
Wage and HourWashington

Washington L&I updates wage disclosure and driver’s license rules

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) updated the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) rules on employer wage disclosures and driver’s license requirements, effective May 22, 2026. For the most part, the new rules mirror the 2025 statutory changes (reported on here and here), but there are some notable clarifications. For wage or…

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Apr 28 2026
Safety and Health

OSHA to treat COVID-19 like flu for recording and reporting

On March 31, 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it will not cite employers for failing to record COVID-19 cases or report COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations. OSHA’s existing recording and reporting requirements for workplace injuries sometimes implicated COVID-19, but with this new enforcement guidance employers will be able to avoid those requirements…

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Apr 22 2026
Vigilant NewsWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

We’re Hiring – Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager

We are seeking an experienced, full-time Washington Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager to join our team. This role is responsible for providing strategic advice and counsel in the management of claims for employers enrolled in our Washington Workers’ Compensation programs. If you enjoy this work, you know it can look very different depending on where you…

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Apr 21 2026
CaliforniaOregonSafety and Health

Now Is The Time To Train Employees On Heat Illness

Spring is the time for annual heat illness prevention training, before the weather really heats up. California, Oregon, and Washington require training before employees will reasonably be expected to perform work that could expose them to heat illness. Annual retraining is only required in Oregon and Washington, but we recommend it in all locations where…

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Apr 20 2026
Employee ClassificationsWashington

Know how to respond to an L&I risk classification audit

We’re aware of several Washington employers who have recently received audit notices from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to review their risk classifications. Let’s run through what this means, what you should do if you are audited, and how to stay prepared in case you’re next on the list. Why is…

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Apr 15 2026
Washington

Washington Governor signs new law to ban noncompete agreements

On March 23, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson signed SHB 1155, a new law that bans noncompetition covenants (agreements) and clarifies nonsolicitation agreements in Washington. Beginning on June 30, 2027, all noncompete agreements are considered void and unenforceable, regardless of when they were signed. This is significant since the ban applies retroactively and voids all existing noncompete…

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