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.

Session & Reports

Legislative Session

Legislative and Statutory Reports

2024 reports

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.

Homeowner Recovery Program: A FY 2024 report on the Homeowner Recovery Program — per 2SHB 1534, passed by the Legislature in 2023. The legislation helps strengthen protections for consumers in the construction industry, and directs L&I to create and administer the program for eligible homeowners to receive recovery payments from unsatisfied final judgements brought against construction contractors.

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.

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.

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

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

Nov. 20, 2024

Dec. 4, 2024

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

    Dec. 2, 2024

    Dec. 16, 2024

    Contact us about the Underground Economy Task Force

    Email: Andre.Unicume@Lni.wa.gov