HB 1655 would exempt police officers and firefighters from current prohibitions against claiming stress-related mental conditions as occupational diseases. The bill is set for a hearing in the Senate Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee March 22.
AWC has and continues to strongly oppose this costly expansion of occupational disease.
HB 1655 creates a new occupational disease category that has not been fully vetted. Employers are already burdened with increasing workers’ compensation rates for these classifications (see the chart below) that are driving up costs.
Additionally, employers do not have adequate pre-employment or ongoing screening tools to determine if an employee has a pre-existing stress-related condition. The fiscal note prepared for the bill estimates costs for existing claims to range from $45 million to $124 million and then ongoing costs of $2.7 million to $7.6 million annually. We are asking the Senate Commerce, Labor and Sports Committee not to take further action on this proposal.
As employers of first responders, we are committed to their wellbeing and want to do what we can to reduce work-place injuries. We have committed to the bill proponents that we are willing to work over the interim on prevention approaches that provide options for first responders to address mental health related issues.
AWC encourages cities to reach out to members of the Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee and share these concerns.
L&I workers’ comp rate increase history
| |
4-year increase
|
2017 rate increase
|
2016 rate increase
|
2015 rate increase
|
2014 rate increase
|
|
Firefighter
|
53%
|
10%
|
13%
|
20%
|
10%
|
|
Police officer
|
34%
|
5%
|
11%
|
7%
|
11%
|
|
Public works
|
10%
|
-1%
|
4%
|
4%
|
3%
|
|
(per FTE)
|
4-year cost increase
|
2017 cost increase
|
2016 cost increase
|
2015 cost increase
|
2014 cost increase
|
|
Firefighter
|
$1,405
|
$321
|
$394
|
$488
|
$202
|
|
Police officer
|
$689
|
$119
|
$254
|
$135
|
$181
|
|
Public works
|
$202
|
($10)
|
$98
|
$84
|
$30
|