FINAL BILL REPORT

                 EHB 1456

FULL VETO

Brief Description:  Allowing self‑insured employers to close disability claims after July 1990.

By Representatives King, G. Cole, Lisk, R. Johnson, Horn, Foreman, Sheahan and Chandler.

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce

Background:  Self-insured employers are authorized to close the industrial insurance claims of their workers if the claims involve only medical treatment.  Claims with other types of compensation are closed by the Department of Labor and Industries.

Between 1986 and 1990, self‑insured employers were authorized to close industrial insurance claims if either medical treatment payments or temporary disability payments were made on the claims.  The self-insurer could not close claims that involved permanent disabilities or raised disputes that required intervention by the department.  In addition, the injured worker was required to have returned to work with the employer.  The authority to close these claims expired July 1, 1990.

Summary:  Self‑insured employers' authority to close certain industrial insurance claims is reinstated and made permanent.  The claims may include time-loss compensation or both medical treatment and time-loss compensation, but may not involve permanent disability.  These claims may be closed by the self-insurer only if the Department of Labor and Industries has not intervened because of a dispute and the injured worker has returned to work with the self-insured employer at the previous job or a job that has comparable wages, benefits, and permanency.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 0

Senate 45 0 (Senate amended)

House  97 0 (House concurred)

FULL VETO (See VETO MESSAGE)