Workers’ comp benefit costs are highest in Washington, for the eighth year running
Last week the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) released its annual report on workers’ compensation benefits, coverage, and costs across states. For 2015 (there’s a two-year lag), Washington’s benefit costs were $788.62 per covered worker. This was the highest in the country, followed by California ($751.70) and Alaska ($719.93). Although Washington’s benefit costs have […]
20th of September 2017
Workers’ comp rates could decrease next year
The Department of Labor and Industries is proposing that average workers’ compensation rates decrease by 2.5 percent in 2018. If the proposal is adopted in December, it will be the first average rate reduction since 2007. (Rates increased by an average of 0.7 percent in 2017 and 2 percent in 2016.) The announcement from L&I […]
5th of July 2017
The state average wage increased in 2016, which will affect some state programs with benefits tied to it
According to the Employment Security Department, the average annual wage in the state increased to $58,957 in 2016. (The 4.8 percent increase over 2015 is apparently the largest percentage increase since 2007.) The 2016 average weekly wage was $1,133. This means that the minimum weekly unemployment benefit for new unemployment insurance claims will increase to […]
30th of December 2016
Roundup of year-end agency news
A number of agency announcements have made my inbox over the last month: Unemployment Insurance: The Employment Security Department announced this month that UI tax rates will remain the same for all rate classes in 2017. The average tax rate will be about 1.24 percent in 2017 (down from 1.38 percent in 2016). The average tax […]
26th of October 2016
Washington’s workers’ compensation system is costly by any measure
The Washington Self-Insurers Association (WSIA) reports that the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has released its 2016 Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking Summary. Washington’s workers’ compensation premium rates are ranked the 15th highest in the nation. We do not consider the Oregon study to be a good reflection of the costs of Washington’s […]
5th of October 2016
Washington’s workers’ compensation benefit costs are again the highest in the country
The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) released its annual workers’ compensation report today. For 2014 (there is a data lag), Washington’s benefit costs were the highest in the nation at $825.33 per covered worker. The states with the next highest benefit costs were California ($776.86), Alaska ($682.06), and Wyoming ($665.56). Washington has consistently ranked […]
7th of July 2016
Washington average wage increases — so will UI benefits and taxes and workers' comp COLAs
Last week the Employment Security Department (ESD) reported that the state's average annual wage was $56,273 in 2015 (a 2.6 percent increase over the previous year). This has implications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and taxes and workers' compensation benefits. According to ESD, for new claims, the minimum weekly unemployment benefit will increase from $158 […]
1st of December 2015
A 2 percent increase in average workers' comp rates for 2016
The Department of Labor and Industries has announced that it will increase average workers' compensation rates by 2 percent next year. (This is the same as what they proposed in September.) As the Association of Washington Business noted in September, this is "nearly double what the department needs to break even.” Additionally, L&I will continue to do its part to keep […]
30th of September 2015
A good read from the WSIA on the workers' comp rate proposal
Kris Tefft of the Washington Self-Insurers Association has written a detailed, interesting analysis of the proposed increase in average workers' compensation rates for next year, including how the different pieces of the rate proposal fit together. I recommend reading it in its entirety, but here's one highlight: He writes about why the break-even point for […]
23rd of September 2015
Average workers' comp rates could increase by 2 percent
The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) proposes that workers’ compensation rates increase by 2 percent next year (on average). There will be a comment period, and L&I will announce the final rates in December. (Last year, for example, it proposed a 1.8 percent increase and the final increase was 0.8 percent.) L&I Director Joel […]