Category: Ask Approach

Unlock the Value of Washington’s Preferred Worker Program Vanessa Hughes, VP, SMART Association   The Preferred Worker Program offered by Washington Labor and Industries is an underutilized strategy that can help employers manage complex claims while retaining valuable employees. This…

2025 Workplace Posters We are pleased to announce that for the first time in years, no changes have been made to the federal and state workplace posters. Please continue to use the 2024-2025 all-in-one workplace poster we provided last year.…

A host of wage-related standards in Washington are changing starting Jan. 1, 2024. From the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), here’s what workers and employers need to know: State minimum wage The state’s minimum wage will increase…

2024-2025 Workplace Posters We are pleased to provide an all-in-one collection of workplace posters. The poster contains each of the required Federal and Washington State posters. Please post it in a visible location that is accessible to all employees. While…

Washington’s Rule-of-One is a BIG Cost Savings Loophole by Liz Evans Washington’s state fund insurance system caps the amount a company’s experience modification rate (EMR) can move up or down by 25%.  This stabilization cap allows employers to better anticipate…

Earning Retro Refunds Takes Time by Liz Evans Employers new to a Retro group are eager to begin earning refunds.  However, “vesting” in a group takes approximately 18-24 months.  The word “retrospective” means looking back or considering something that has…

Best Practices for Communication with Medical Providers and Injured Workers   Agenda: Establishing a Return-to-Work Program with Designated Medical Providers Practical Claim Guidance Following an Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease DO’s and DON’TS: Discussing Treatment and RTW with the Injured…

Washington State SHRM Employment Law & Human Resources Conference 2022   Risky Terminations Risks of terminating an employee with an open workers’ comp claim. This panel discussion is lead by an employment law attorney, workers’ comp attorney, and workers’ comp…