Reports to the Legislature relating to various L&I activities. Includes summaries of L&I-requested bills, legislative session wrap-ups, and resources for legislative workgroup meetings, including the domestic workers workgroup.
Legislative Session
- 2025 Agency Request Bills
- 2024 Agency Request Bills
- 2024 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
- 2023 Agency Request Bills
- 2023 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
Legislative and Statutory Reports
2024 reports
Injured Workers With Chronic Opioids: L&I contracted with the University of Washington to evaluate injured workers using chronic opioid therapy and to measure the impact of efforts to improve outcomes among this population.
Subminimum Wage Certificates: As this practice is phasing out, L&I and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) report jointly regarding subminimum wage certificates for workers with a disability.
Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations: This is a report on L&I's progress to research and track work-related injuries requiring immediate inpatient hospitalization, characterizing risks and hazards, and identifying prevention priorities.
2023 reports
Aerospace Workforce Council: A Report and Recommendations Regarding Apprenticeship Utilization in the Aerospace Industry: Reports apprenticeship utilization rates and qualifying occupations for registered apprenticeship programs in Washington serving the aerospace industry.
Child Physical Abuse Exams: L&I's Crime Victims Compensation (CVC) program pays for forensic exams for child victims of physical abuse. This report provides information as to the number of claims requesting payment for child abuse exams, number of claims approved or denied, and more.
Injured Workers With Chronic Opioids Between 2019 and 2022: L&I contracted with the University of Washington to evaluate injured workers using chronic opioid therapy and to measure the impact of efforts to improve outcomes in this population.
Janitorial Workload Study Progress Report: Updated information to the Legislature and the public about this 4-year study to address high injury rates among janitors.
Radiological Hazardous Waste Facility (RHWF) Presumption Claims: Certain workers employed at radiological hazardous waste facilities are at increased risk for multiple diseases and cancers due to nuclear waste exposure and are therefore eligible for benefits under the state's workers' compensation law. This L&I report provides the number of industrial insurance claims, which include the presumption for State Fund and self-insured employers.
Registered Apprenticeship Application Report: The Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council (WSATC) annual report to the state Legislature about the status of applications for registered apprenticeships.
Registered Apprenticeship: Options for Incentivizing Apprentice Utilization and Policy Option Recommendations: This report addresses apprenticeship issues and challenges in rural communities.
Subminimum Wage Certificates: As this practice is phasing out, L&I and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) report jointly regarding subminimum wage certificates for workers with a disability.
Underground Economy Benchmark Report: L&I and the departments of Revenue (DOR) and Employment Security (ESD) collaborate to uncover and take action against participation in the underground economy to protect law-abiding consumers, workers, and employers.
Workplace Rights Investigations Report: L&I is providing updated information about investigations and proceedings related to worker wages, leave, youth employment, and other workplace rights. It includes actions taken in response to multiple new laws passed in the last several years that expanded responsibilities, procedures, and enforcement mandates.
Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations: This is a report on L&I's progress to research and track work-related injuries requiring immediate inpatient hospitalization, characterizing risks and hazards, and identifying prevention priorities.
2022 reports
Improving Integrity and Accountability in the Workers’ Compensation system: Annual update on L&I's activities and efforts to reduce and prevent fraud in the workers' compensation system, as required by RCW 43.22.331.
Comprehensive Catastrophic Care Management Project Report: The seventh and final annual report on the progress of L&I's Catastrophic Care Management pilot program for January through November 2022.
Domestic Worker Workgroup Report: Results from a workgroup review of legislative and regulatory policies and other ways to help employers and hiring entities provide industrial insurance coverage for domestic workers.
Janitorial Workload Study Progress Report: Updated information to the Legislature and the public about this 4-year study to address high injury rates among janitors.
Nonfatal Strangulation Program Report: A report on the Crime Victims Compensation (CVC) program that pays for forensic exams of victims in domestic violence nonfatal strangulation assaults (DVS), funded by the Washington State Legislature.
Registered Apprenticeship Application Report: The Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council (WSATC) annual report to the state Legislature about the status of applications for registered apprenticeships.
Subminimum Wage Certificates: As this practice is phasing out, L&I and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will report jointly regarding subminimum wage certificates for workers with a disability.
Underground Economy Benchmark Report: Report on the work to protect consumers, workers, and employers who obey the law by stemming Washington's underground economy, pursuant to RCW 18.27.800.
Workplace Rights Investigations Report: Annual report about investigations and proceedings related to worker wages, leave, youth employment, and other workplace rights by L&I's Employment Standards Program, pursuant to RCW 49.12.180.
Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations: This is a report on L&I's progress to research and track work-related injuries requiring immediate inpatient hospitalization, characterizing risks and hazards, and identifying prevention priorities.
Contact the Government Affairs & Policy Division
Legislative Director Tammy Fellin
Email: Rules@Lni.wa.gov
Legislative Workgroups
Worker Wage Recovery Workgroup
In 2024, the Washington State Legislature passed Substitute House Bill 2097, which directed the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to create the Worker Wage Recovery Workgroup. This workgroup was created to develop and recommend strategies that help employees who are owed wages recover those wages and be made whole as quickly and as fully as possible when the employees' employers violate wage payment requirements.
Meetings
Sept. 25, 2024
Oct. 21, 2024
Nov. 6, 2024
- 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Zoom meeting
Nov. 20, 2024
- 9 – 11 a.m.
- Zoom meeting
Dec. 4, 2024
- 9 a.m. – noon
- Zoom meeting
Workgroup members
| Member Name | Organization | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Hueer | Association of Washington Business |
Employer and business advocacy organization position |
| Patrick Connor | National Federation of Independent Business |
Employer and business advocacy organization position representing small business |
| Sybill Hyppolite | Washington State Labor Council |
Employee advocacy organization position |
| Catherine Ruckelshaus | National Employment Law Project |
Employee advocacy organization position |
| Andrea Schmitt | Columbia Legal Services | Civil legal aid position |
| Elizabeth Ford | Seattle University School of Law |
Employment law expert from a Washington State postsecondary education institution |
Contact us about the Worker Wage Recovery Workgroup
Email: Christina.Simunds@Lni.wa.gov
Underground Economy in Construction Task Force
The underground economy is the loose network of businesses and individuals that fail to register or report a significant part of their business activities with authorities, as required by law. They not only neglect to pay their fair share of taxes, workers’ compensation premiums, and unemployment insurance contributions, they gain an unfair advantage over competitors. Consumers are also at risk because there may be no bond or insurance to protect them from these bad actors. Together, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Department of Revenue (DOR), and Employment Security Department (ESD) share data and collaborate in other areas to uncover and take action on tax misreporting and other forms of fraud that contribute to the underground economy.
In 2024, the Legislature passed the Supplemental Budget in ESSB 5950, which created the Underground Economy in Construction Task Force in Section 906. This task force was created to look into the underground economy within the construction industry and report its findings to the Legislature.
Meetings
Nov. 18, 2024
- 2:30 — 4:30 p.m. (kick-off meeting)
- Zoom meeting
Dec. 2, 2024
- 3 — 5 p.m.
- Zoom meeting
Dec. 16, 2024
- 3 — 5 p.m.
- Zoom meeting
Contact us about the Underground Economy Task Force
Email: Andre.Unicume@Lni.wa.gov