FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1454

                         C 138 L 93

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Revising the definition of "acting in the course of employment."

By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives King, G. Cole, Horn, Foreman, R. Johnson, Sheahan, Chandler, Vance, Brough, Miller, Ballasiotes, Brumsickle, Wood, Van Luven, Springer, Silver, Cooke, Long, Dyer, Morton, Talcott and Sehlin).

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce

Background:  Workers are covered under the state industrial insurance law if they are injured while "acting in the course of employment."  Workers are generally not considered to be acting in the course of employment while traveling to and from work.  However, if the employer has a customary or contractual obligation to furnish transportation, then injuries occurring during the commute to and from work may be covered for industrial insurance.

If the worker participates in a commuter ride sharing program, the time spent going to and from work does not come within the meaning of acting in the course of employment even though the employer participates in the ride sharing arrangement.

Summary:  The term "acting in the course of employment" for purposes of the industrial insurance law does not include time spent going to or coming from work on a public transport system using a pass provided by the employer.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 46 0

Effective:  July 25, 1993