Sep24
L&I PROPOSES 3.8 PERCENT INCREASE IN WORKERS’ COMP RATES FOR 2025
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is proposing a 3.8 percent increase in the average hourly rate employers and workers pay for workers’ compensation insurance next year. If the proposal is adopted, the average cost of providing insurance per full-time employee within a business would go up about a dollar a week. The proposed increase is slightly less than what L&I expects to pay out for 2025 claims, so the agency will make up the difference from the workers’ compensation contingency reserve.
In recent years, L&I has reduced the impact on employers and workers by drawing from the contingency reserve to avoid larger increases in premiums. This move is in line with the agency’s principles of keeping rates stable. Without using the reserve, the agency would need to raise average rates nearly 5.5 percent to collect enough premiums to cover expected new claims in 2025.
Public hearings are scheduled for Oct. 28th and 29th to take input on the rate proposal before a final decision is made. The Oct. 28th hearing is at 10 a.m. virtually and in person at L&I headquarters in Tumwater. The Oct. 29th in-person-only hearing is at 10 a.m. in Spokane.
10 a.m., Oct. 28 (hybrid meeting)
L&I Headquarters, Rooms S117, S118, S119
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, Washington
OR
Join electronically: https://lni-wa-gov.zoom.us/j/4283482697?omn=81289237905
Meeting ID: 428 348 2697
Join by phone (audio only): 253-215-8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 428 348 2697
10 a.m., Oct. 29 (in-person only meeting)
CenterPlace Event Center
Meeting Room
2426 Discover Pl
Spokane Valley, WA
