FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6615

C 258 L 04

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Encouraging employment of workers with developmental disabilities.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford, Mulliken, Rasmussen and Prentice).

Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: To encourage employment of injured workers, an employer who hires an injured worker, who is not rehired by the employer in whose employ the worker was injured, shall be excused from paying workers' compensation premiums for that "preferred worker" under certain circumstances. The employer who hires the preferred worker is excused from paying premiums during the worker's employ but not to exceed 36 months.

Summary: The preferred worker status is provided to employers of developmentally disabled persons who have suffered a workplace injury. This status is provided even though the employer in whose employ the worker was injured continued to employ the developmentally disabled worker.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       48  0

House       96  0

Effective: June 10, 2004