For the fourth year in a row, the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is proposing to increase workers’ compensation insurance rates for firefighters and law enforcement.
Although moderate, the proposed rate increase is still a concern for the public safety sector, particularly
when preceded by much higher-than-normal rate adjustments in prior years. Furthermore, L&I is proposing no increase in the average rate employers pay, which will be the fourth year in a row the state has seen a decrease or has seen rates
holding steady as an overall average.
The following are rates in worker types pertinent to municipalities:
Worker type | 2021 % change from 2020 | 4-year cumulative change |
|---|
City public works and parks | -1% | -6% |
County streets and parks | 1% | 4% |
City/county law enforcement | 6% | 29% |
Firefighters | 5% | 18% |
Every local jurisdiction pays insurance premiums for workers’ compensation to L&I. Premiums are determined by rates based on the type of work performed, and then multiplied by the jurisdiction’s experience factor. A jurisdiction’s
experience factor can go up or down based on claim history and costs.
Members of AWC’s Retro Program can view their jurisdiction’s rate online via the RiskConsole portal.