Washington comp rates down slightly for 2020

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries on Monday announced a 0.8% decrease in the average amount employers will pay for workers compensation coverage in 2020, a modest drop following decreases of 5% in 2019 and 2.5% in 2018.

Under the lower 2020 rate, employers will pay an average of about $15 less per employee for a year of workers compensation coverage, amounting to an overall $21 million decrease in premiums next year, the Tumwater, Washington-based department said in a statement.

In the past six years, the projected long-term costs for the state’s workers comp system has fallen more than $2.9 billion, which the department credits to programs that aim to help injured workers heal and return to work, educate employers on how to keep their rates low, and provide vocational support earlier in claim process, according to the statement.