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Jul 01 2015
Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Injury reporting rules revised July 1, 2015

Employers in Washington must comply with new requirements for reporting serious injuries beginning July 1, 2015. Work-related injuries resulting in amputations or loss of an eye must be reported to Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) within 24 hours of learning of the injury. Fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations must still be reported within…

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Apr 03 2015
Wage and HourWashington

Seattle, Washington minimum wage ordinance upheld; regulations released

A federal district court in Washington has refused to stop the City of Seattle from treating each franchise as a “large employer” for fast phase-in of Seattle’s new $15 minimum wage, and Seattle has moved ahead in issuing its new administrative rules on minimum wage. These rules apply to employees who perform work in Seattle,…

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Mar 31 2015
Q&AWage and HourWashington

Do employees occasionally working in Seattle get a minimum wage bump?

A: Yes, depending on how many hours they work within the city. Similar to its Paid Sick and Safe Leave ordinance, Seattle is applying the new minimum wage for partial work in the city. The ordinance requires the new $10 minimum wage ($11 if you have over 500 employees) for every hour worked by employees…

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Dec 30 2014
DisabilityWashington

Collaboration and communication key to disability accommodation

An employee in a paper mill started to have uncontrollable vomiting when exposed to a variety of chemicals. The employee saw many doctors who provided various work restrictions. In response, the employer moved the employee to different locations in the mill, but the vomiting continued. Eventually the employer told the employee to stay home until…

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Oct 30 2014
HiringWashington

WASHINGTON: Overbroad, anticompetitive noncompetes are unenforceable

Two of the employees’ noncompete agreements prevented them from contacting any customers they communicated with while employed with the company. The court looked at this prohibition, and found that it was too harsh and overly broad. Essentially, this restriction would have prevented the employees from contacting companies who weren’t even customers, but were merely prospects…

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Oct 13 2014
Washington

WASHINGTON: Employers are responsible for discrimination between independent contractors

A contractor truck driver was called racial epithets, cursed at, and was the target of racially charged jokes made by other contract drivers. In response to this treatment, the independent contractor driver reported the incidents to an official at the client company who forwarded the complaints to dispatch. Two days after receiving the complaint, the…

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Oct 10 2014
Vigilant NewsWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

WASHINGTON: Vigilant Workers’ Comp program earns even more in premium refunds!

Our Washington Workers’ Comp claims team is very excited to report that on top of the $7.5M in refunds distributed this year, we have recovered an additional $633,227 in premium refunds for participants in our retro program. The additional refunds came as a result of successful protests on claims that were incorrectly charged, or should…

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Oct 07 2014
Wage and HourWashingtonWorkers’ Comp

WASHINGTON: L&I announces 2015 workers’ comp rate increase

Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has announced an average proposed 1.8 percent rate increase in workers’ compensation rates effective January 1, 2015, pointing out that the proposal is just under the current rate of wage inflation of 2 percent. Yet, Oregon just announced a 5.3 percent decrease in next year’s base premium rate,…

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Sep 16 2014
WashingtonWorkers’ Comp

WASHINGTON: We’re #1 – but we aren’t talking about the Seahawks

In a recent study on workers’ comp costs, Washington once again tops the nation in the highest benefits paid per worker. Recently released data shows Washington pays an average of $840.16 per covered worker, followed by Alaska at $797.65 and California at $783.94. When it comes to increases in employer costs, Washington ranks 11th in…

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Sep 16 2014
WashingtonWorkers’ Comp

WASHINGTON: Important changes coming to L&I’s Stay at Work application process

By now you are likely familiar with Washington’s Labor and Industries (L&I) Stay at Work Program, which reimburses state-fund employers in Washington for light duty wages on a claim up to $10,000 or 66 days. L&I recently announced changes to the program that may have a significant impact on your ability to obtain reimbursements. Effective…

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Sep 15 2014
Safety and HealthWashington

Join us at a Washington Emergency Management Preparedness Seminar 10/8, 10/15, 11/5 or 11/13

Join us for an Emergency Management Preparedness Seminar in Vancouver (10/8), Tacoma (10/15), Lynnwood (11/5) or Spokane Valley (11/13), Washington. We’ll discuss the effective components of an emergency action plan including handling workplace violence and active shooter situations. Participants will learn the four key aspects of a strategic workplace violence plan; mitigation, preparedness, response and…

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Aug 28 2014
Vigilant NewsWashington

Vigilant Executive Briefing in Everett, Washington 10/21/14 – Register today!

Will the next year serve up rough seas or calm waters? In this Executive Briefing, you will receive key economic data to chart your course, a heads-up about the legal eddies to avoid, and an essential tool that will inspire your crew to pull in the same direction. The result? Smooth sailing for 2015. View…

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