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Health-care apprenticeship
first of its kind in the state
During the next two years,
Tacoma's MultiCare Health System plans to register 80 participants in
its new Health Unit Coordinator Apprenticeship Program. The one-year,
2,000-hour program is the first of its kind in Washington state and
among the first in the country.
This program was a collaborative effort between federal, state and local
governments and business and labor groups. It was designed to
specifically address a shortage of skilled workers in the health-care
industry.
L&I, the Workforce Training and
Education Coordinating Board, the Workforce Development Council of
Tacoma-Pierce County, the U.S. Department of Labor, Clover Park
Technical College and MultiCare Health System pooled resources to create
the program, which has already begun recruiting applicants.
For more information, please contact
Pam Doss, Apprenticeship Coordinator at the L&I Tacoma office,
253-596-3930. |
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Progress
made on eliminating overdue inspections
We've been working hard to eliminate overdue inspections. We have
now reduced boilers that are past their inspection date to 4.96
percent, well below the goal of 12 percent that was set last year.
Board moves
ahead on various rule changes
The Board of Boiler Rules met Tuesday, May 20, and proposed a variety
of rule changes related to the installation, construction and inspection
of boilers and pressure vessels. Information about those proposals,
as well as public hearing information and a copy of the rules, is
available at www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/boilers.
Fee increase
proposed
In April, the Board of Boiler Rules proposed a 3.29 percent general
fee increase. The rate was the Office of Financial Management's
maximum allowable fiscal growth rate factor for this fiscal year.
The general fee increase is necessary to help offset inflation and
to maintain the financial health and operational effectiveness of
the program. |
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L&I
participates in home shows, offers free workshops
Earlier this year, L&I increased its emphasis
for consumer outreach through the Contractor Compliance program.
So far, we have attended seven home shows throughout the state,
speaking to more than 4,000 consumers and contractors about L&I
services. In addition, we have scheduled several free consumer workshops
with tips on hiring a contractor to be held in various locations
across the state in upcoming weeks (see the events column for more
information). The outreach efforts were paid through the contractor
registration program, as part of an initiative to better inform
consumers about their rights and contractors about their responsibilities.
Rulemaking
effort to occur
L&I intends to file proposed changes to the contractor rules
with the Office of the Code Reviser in July. Public hearings will
be scheduled in August.
This
rulemaking is a result of the department's request legislation -
Contractor Registration/Consumer Protection, Chapter 159, (Substitute
Senate Bill 5101) - that successfully passed the Legislature and
was signed into law in 2001. The purpose of this legislation was
to enhance consumer protection via increased bonding requirements,
set aside compensation for homeowners, increase enforcement tools,
and increase in consumer outreach. Updates on the proposed rules
will be posted on our web site in upcoming months.
For more information, watch
for updates on our web site:
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/contractors/. |
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Electrical
Board seeks applicants
In July, the following Electrical Board positions will be available
for appointment by the Governor:
Electrical Contractor (two), Electrician, and Electrical/Telecommunications
Equipment Manufacturer/Distributor.
Positions are open to both
incumbent members and qualified applicants. Contact Rhonnda Jenkins
at 360-902-5572 or Angie Wharton at 360-902-5259 for an application.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a completed application
form and current resume, no later than May 31, to the Chief Electrical
Inspector, P.O. Box 44460, Olympia, Wash. 98504-4460.
Additional information can be found in
our monthly newsletter Electrical Currents at
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/electrical.
Online sample exams
available
Are you preparing to take the electrician and administrator exam?
Samples of those exams are now accessible on L&I's website for a nominal
fee from LaserGrade Computer Testing Inc. For more information:
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/electrical/. |
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New
elevator laws promote worker and public safety
A bill recently passed the Legislature and was signed by the Governor
on May 7. This bill gives L&I the necessary flexibility and
authority to develop rules and licensing requirements on or after
March 1, 2004, to ensure a greater level of worker and public safety
by providing more assurance that individuals working on elevators
and other conveyances are qualified to do so.
Engrossed Substitute Senate
Bill 5942 will replace the existing legislation that was to take
effect July 1. The bill also creates a study of the elevator safety
advisory committee to determine how best to regulate work performed
on private-residence conveyances, as it relates to licensing.
For more information, watch for updates
on our web site:
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/elevators/ |
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L&I
focuses on the specialty forest products industry
L&I recently began working with landowners, representatives
of the specialty forest products industry and members of the Farm
Bureau to make its rules on farm labor contractors more effective.
A farm labor contractor is
an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation or government
agency that, for a fee, recruits, solicits, employs, supplies, transports
or hires agricultural workers. Agricultural workers are employed
to grow, produce or harvest farm or nursery products, or in the
forestation or reforestation of lands.
Farm labor contractors must be a
licensed Washington business, register with L&I, file a tax compliance
certification, obtain a surety bond for wages, have signed employment
agreements for each worker and carry vehicle insurance if they transport
workers. For more information:
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/workstandards.
Emphasis on protecting
low-wage workers continues
Last year, L&I conducted 150 site inspections, and collected nearly
$180,000 for agricultural workers in Central Washington. Most of the
wages collected were for overtime work that didn't fall under the
agricultural overtime exemptions.
This year, we have expanded collection
efforts for low-wage workers in other industries.
For the next fiscal year (beginning
July 1), our program's goal is to increase wage collection for low-wage
earners by 50 percent, and place nearly $700,000 in the pockets of
vulnerable workers.
For information on the overtime
provisions, and how to calculate overtime, go to
www.LNI.wa.gov/scs/workstandards.
High court denies
review of prevailing wage case
The Washington State Supreme Court recently denied review of the Court
of Appeals Division II prevailing wage decision in Superior Asphalt &
Concrete Co. This means that the Court of Appeals' decision is final and
binding.
The decision affects many public works
projects and the calculation of how truck drivers are compensated. Truck
drivers are to be paid prevailing wages not only for the time spent
making their deliveries and waiting to make deliveries at a public works
project site, but also for loading time at a supply source, drive time
transporting materials to the site, and return time to the supply source
to pick up the next load. |
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"Tips
on hiring a contractor" consumer workshops are scheduled
from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. May 28 at the L&I Vancouver office, June
9 at the L&I Seattle office, June 11 at the Everett office and
June 17 at the L&I Kennewick office. For more information on
the free workshops, contact Shari Purves-Reiter, 360-902-4733
or purs235@LNI.wa.gov.
Prevailing
wage workshops for city, county and state agencies are scheduled
from 9 a.m. to noon on June 25 at the L&I Tukwila office,
July 8 at the L&I Yakima office, July 10 at the L&I Tumwater
office and July 16 at L&I Spokane office. Seating is limited
to the first 75 registrants.
View
the workshop flier.
For more information, contact Carlena Anderson at 360-902-5315
or anca235@LNI.wa.gov.
Electrical Board quarterly meeting, July 31, 9 a.m., L&I
Tumwater office.
Board of Boiler Rules meeting, Sept. 15-16,
L&I Tumwater office,
Room S117.
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Office of Information and Assistance:
1-800-547-8367
Contractor Registration Verification: 1-800-647-0982
Report-a-Fraud Hotline
(to report unregistered contractors): 1-888-811-5974 |
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Issue 1, Summer 2003 |
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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
Quarterly Update is an e-mail newsletter distributed four times a year
by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries' Specialty
Compliance Services division. Receiving this newsletter is the best way
to keep up-to-date on Specialty Compliance Services' activities and
issues.Subscriptions:
To subscribe, or to unsubscribe, go to (URL and instructions)
Specialty Compliance Services web
site: www.LNI.wa.gov/scs |
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