ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5510
State of Washington
64th Legislature
2015 Regular Session
By Senators Braun, Baumgartner, Rivers, and Angel
Read first time 01/22/15. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
AN ACT Relating to simplifying and adding certainty to the calculation of workers' compensation benefits; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The department of labor and industries shall convene, no later than August 1, 2015, a benefit accuracy working group to develop recommendations to improve the calculation of wages under the industrial insurance program. The director must appoint members to the working group as follows: Two members representing labor, two members representing employers, and at least two members representing the department of labor and industries. Members must serve without compensation, but must be entitled to travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. All expenses of this working group must be paid by the department. The working group must focus on improving the accuracy, simplicity, fairness, and consistency of calculating and providing wage replacement benefits and shall not consider overall reductions in existing worker benefit levels. The working group must report to the relevant committees of the legislature by February 1, 2016, and issue a final report that includes any legislative proposals arising from its work no later than September 1, 2016.
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