H-4204              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1728

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Wang, Patrick, R. King, P. King, Winsley and Cooper

Read first time 1/22/88 and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means 1/29/88.

AN ACT Relating to an office of information and assistance in the department of labor and industries; adding new sections to chapter 43.22 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.22 RCW to read as follows:

          The director of labor and industries shall appoint an assistant who shall have charge and supervision of the office of information and assistance.  The assistant, with the approval of the director, may appoint and employ such other assistants as may be necessary to carry on the work of the office.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.22 RCW to read as follows:

          (1)  There is established an office of information and assistance in the department of labor and industries to aid workers, employers, health care providers, and other department clients.  The functions of the office of information and assistance shall include, but not be limited to:

          (a)  Answering inquiries and investigating and resolving complaints concerning the processing of industrial insurance claims and the assessing and collecting of industrial insurance premiums and other employer assessments;

          (b)  Providing referrals to community or government programs that offer services appropriate for injured workers and their families;

          (c)  Providing and monitoring referrals to the appropriate division within the department of labor and industries regarding inquiries not related to industrial insurance; and

          (d)  Maintaining a toll-free telephone hotline to provide a central point of contact for all department clients.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.22 RCW to read as follows:

          (1)  The office of information and assistance shall prepare quarterly reports for review and comment by the workers' compensation advisory committee.  These reports shall summarize the office's activities, including the number and kinds of complaints and investigations conducted by the office and the significant problems in service delivery that are identified.

          (2)  The office of information and assistance shall prepare annual reports summarizing the office's activities, including the number and kinds of complaints and investigations conducted by the office.  The annual report shall list any significant problems in service delivery that were identified and make recommendations for improvement in the operations of the industrial insurance system.  The annual report shall be submitted to the governor and the economic development and labor committee of the senate and the commerce and labor committee of the house of representatives, or the appropriate successor committees, on the first day of each regular legislative session.

          (3)  The department shall distribute, in a manner determined appropriate by the director, information to employers, health care providers, industrial insurance claimants, and other relevant persons about the office of information and assistance.  The information shall include, at a minimum, a brief description of the services provided by the office and the office's address and telephone number.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The sum of .......... dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the accident fund and the medical aid fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, to carry out the purposes of this act.