On Tuesday, the Senate passed ESB 5513. As amended, the bill would allow workers who are at least 40 years old to voluntarily agree to a structured settlement of their workers’ compensation claims. Washington has allowed limited, voluntary settlement agreements since 2011; but, currently, a worker must be at least 53 years old to settle.

As we wrote in The Best Interests of Washington’s Workers’ Compensation System, Washington is apparently the only state that limits voluntary settlements by age.

Kris Tefft of the Washington Self-Insurers Association has more on this and other workers’ comp bills. He notes that Sen. Hargrove supported ESB 5513, saying, “This is a pro-worker bill.”