Vigilant Blog

  L&I’s 4.9% rate increase for 2026 highlights what employers already know: some workers’ comp costs are out of your hands. But the idea that “workers’ comp is just a tax you can’t avoid” is a myth. You actually have several high-impact tools within your control—tools that can directly reduce your premiums. Here are five…

                        Retro group assessments can turn expected refunds into unexpected costs. We’re breaking down why they happen, how to spot warning signs, and what you can do to stay in the refund zone. Why do Assessments Happen? Assessments don’t just happen out of the…

  What if one of your company’s biggest challenges could become a triumph? That’s exactly what happened with a Washington engineering and fabrication company.  Facing escalating workers’ comp costs, they turned what seemed like an overwhelming problem into a meaningful success. Here’s how.   The Problem: Escalating Costs   » In early 2019, the company’s…

                The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) recently launched a new Light Duty Complaint Resolution Office, for the purpose of resolving disputes over transitional and permanent job assignments for both state fund and self-insured workers’ comp claims. This is an important (and potentially problematic) development for…

            Financial forecasting is crucial for any employer, especially when it comes to managing major expenses. Since workers’ comp costs are among the top expenses for manufacturers, it’s no doubt accurate L&I premium forecasts can provide significant benefits. What are these benefits and why do we strongly suggest that “let’s…

We’re workers’ comp experts and here are four things we’d never, ever ignore if we were an employer in Washington. Brandon Dion, CFO at Vigilant  |  Dan Beaty, VP Workers’ Comp at Vigilant Rising EMF/premiums. This probably indicates a systemic problem that requires attention. It could be due to a variety of factors such as…

As you know, L&I increased rates for Washington employers in January by 4.9% on average. If you’ve attended one of our recent webinars, you know rate changes fall into the category of things outside of your control when it comes to workers’ compensation costs. You might also recall the ridiculously busy but truthful graphic from…