Dec. 22, 2003
------------- L&I MEDIA ADVISORY -------------
Convicted Green River killer Gary Ridgway's comments to investigators about receiving workers' compensation benefits for injuries he actually incurred during his murders have been widely reported.
The Department of Labor & Industries wants to clarify that during the many years in which Ridgway committed these murders, he worked for a company that is a self-insured employer. L&I does not handle claims or fraud recovery for self-insured employers. Ridgway did not receive workers' compensation benefits or payments from L&I while he was committing his murders.
(Self-insured employers provide any and all appropriate benefits to injured workers. These employers are responsible for the payment of benefits during the time a claim is open. L&I's role with self-insurers is to ensure compliance with its rules and regulations and to review the financial strength of the self-insurer to ensure that workers' compensation obligations can be met.)
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For questions, please contact Steve Pierce, L&I Public Affairs manager, at 360-902-5412 or piet235@LNI.wa.gov.
