Now that Initiative I-82 went down to a defeat in November 2010 and Labor & Industries (“L&I”) no longer faces competition from private insurers L&I is stridently raising rates for construction companies. I-82 would have allowed employers to obtain Workers’ Compensation insurance through private insurance companies (see November 18, 2010 Ahlers & Cressman blog article, http://www.ac-lawyers.com/blog_article.php?article=213), the Dept. of Labor & Industries enjoys a virtual monopoly on employers’ industrial insurance. Raising the rates significantly makes Washington a less competitive place to do business. The electorate will undoubtedly come to regret having voted down Initiative I-82.
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