To join on your computer or mobile app:
Join Zoom Meeting at https://lni-wa-gov.zoom.us/j/85307767078
Meeting ID: 853 0776 7078
Passcode: Sept0622!

To join by phone (audio only):
1-253-215-8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 853 0776 7078
Passcode: 776254954

The hearing will start at 10:00 a.m. and continue until all oral comments are received.

L&I encourages the submittal of written comments, due by 5:00 p.m. on September 7, 2022.

Public hearings held virtually have proven effective in allowing greater public access, eliminating the burden of physical travel, and maintaining public safety. Accordingly, this public hearing will not be held in person.

The purpose of this rulemaking is to implement clear rule writing to ensure staff and customers can easily understand and apply the workers’ compensation insurance classification and reporting rules. Classification Development studied some subclassifications for potential reduction in number, and reviewed classification and reporting rules for improvement and clarification. The purpose of this rulemaking is not to make substantive changes to how employers are classified and amendments will not increase employer rates. As part of this rulemaking, L&I reviewed these chapters for need, clarity, and consistency to make changes where possible to reduce the regulatory burden on employers insured with the State Fund. Also as a part of this rulemaking, the dollar amounts were removed from state fund and self-insurance rules pertaining to penalties and documenting the penalty amounts on the L&I website. Substitute House Bill 2409, 2020 legislative session, requires penalties in chapter 51.48 RCW be updated every three years based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Removing penalty amounts from the rules eliminates the need to perform rulemaking every three years when those amounts change. Penalty amounts will be available on L&I’s website and updates will be made every three years.