Workers’ compensation rates could drop again
Yesterday the Department of Labor and Industries proposed reducing average workers’ compensation premiums for 2020 by 0.8 percent. If adopted, the average rate decrease will be the third decrease in a row. (From 2008 through 2017, the average rate increased each year.) According to L&I, The price drop would result in employers paying an average […]
10th of October 2018
Washington still has the nation’s highest workers’ comp benefit costs (and there’s a new Oregon study)
Today the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) released its annual report on workers’ compensation benefits. Also today, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services released its biennial study of workers’ compensation premium rates across states. The NASI report shows that for 2016, Washington had the nation’s highest benefit costs per covered worker, at […]
19th of September 2018
Workers’ comp rates may decrease 5 percent in 2019
The Department of Labor & Industries has proposed that average workers’ compensation rates decrease 5 percent next year. According to L&I, this means that premiums paid would drop by a total of $136 million. L&I says, “employers and workers focusing on safety, and L&I initiatives that are helping injured workers recover sooner and reducing workers’ compensation […]
11th of October 2017
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 […]