H-1077.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1773

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives McMorris and Conway

Read first time 02/07/97.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Allowing employer payment of industrial insurance compensation.

    AN ACT Relating to employer payment of industrial insurance compensation; and adding a new section to chapter 51.32 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) An employer insured with the state fund may elect, as provided in this section, to pay the award to which an injured worker is entitled under RCW 51.32.080.  An award that the employer elects to pay under this section must be determined, and payment administered, by the department as required under this title.  Following entry of the department's order establishing the award, the employer electing payment under this section has sixty days from the day on which a copy of the order was communicated to the employer:

    (a) To reimburse the department in full; or

    (b) If the award is subject to RCW 51.32.080(6), to reimburse the department for the first monthly payment.  Thereafter, the employer is entitled to reimburse the department according to a schedule and procedures adopted by the department by rule.

    (2) To the extent that timely payment is made by an employer under subsection (1) of this section, the department may not charge the amount of the award for which the department was reimbursed to the employer's experience record or otherwise modify the employer's experience rating based on the reimbursed amounts.

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