What’s changing for owners of for-hire vehicles?

The 2011 Legislature passed House Bill 1367, which requires all drivers of for-hire vehicles to be covered by workers’ compensation insurance beginning Jan. 1, 2012. In the state of Washington, workers’ compensation insurance coverage is provided by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

The 2012 base premium rate is 55 cents per hour for taxis. The 2012 base premium rate for limousines is 39 cents per hour.

Who is affected?

If you own a for-hire vehicle or are an owner-operator, you are responsible for the payment of insurance premiums and reporting to L&I. If you are an owner-operator, you must report and pay premiums for yourself and your drivers.

What is a for-hire vehicle?

The law defines a for-hire vehicle as a taxi, cabulance, or limousine.

What are the benefits of carrying workers’ compensation insurance?

Anyone who drives a for-hire vehicle will receive approved medical care and partial wage replacement if injured on the job, including owner-operators. Coverage also protects the vehicle owner from lawsuits by a driver that is injured in the course of operating the vehicle.

What should I do now?

L&I will set up a workers’ compensation account for you. You will receive a packet in the mail containing:

• A Certificate of Coverage for each vehicle you own which you must carry in your vehicle.
• Information explaining how to report to L&I.
• A notice telling you what your insurance rate will be.

If you have not received this information by January 31, 2012, please contact account manager Ethan Shaefer at 360-902-4620, or email to ethan.shaefer@Lni.wa.gov.

How do I report driver hours for taxis?

You must keep records and report this information to L&I four times a year. Every three months, vehicle owners file what is called a “quarterly report.” There are three options for reporting:

• Hourly – report actual hours worked by every driver. You must keep auditable records showing how you arrived at the hours reported.
• Per Vehicle – report 960 hours per quarter for every vehicle.
• Per Driver – report 480 hours per quarter for every driver. You must keep auditable records showing the names of every driver.

How do I report driver hours for limos and cabulances?

You must keep records and report this information to L&I four times a year. Every three months, limo and cabulance owners file a “quarterly report” of the actual hours worked by every driver. You must keep auditable records showing how you arrived at the hours reported.

What will happen if I don’t pay workers’ compensation premiums?

If you fail to pay your insurance premiums to L&I, the Department of Licensing will suspend and eventually revoke your for-hire certificates.

What are the quarterly filing dates and deadlines?

Quarterly reports are due four times each year. Below is a chart that gives you the quarter in which you are reporting, the dates that make up that quarter, and the date that the report and payment is due to L&I.

Due dates for quarterly reporting
Quarter	Report period	Report & payment due by
1	January 1 through March 31	April 30.
2	April 1 through June 30	July 31.
3	July 1 through September 30	October 31.
4	October 1 through December 31	January 31.
Due date fall on a weekend? Your report may be electronically filed or postmarked the following business day.

Who do I contact if I need more information?

L&I has established a single point of contact for the for-hire industry:

Ethan Shaefer, L&I Account Manager
360-902-4620
ethan.shaefer@Lni.wa.gov