Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries Announces Mystery Listening Sessions
Listening sessions scheduled by the Department of Labor & Industries are nothing new. It is common practice for the Department to ask for feedback from those directly or indirectly impacted by its rulemaking process and procedures. A recent notable series of listening sessions occurred when the Department was developing, drafting, and revising the “Good Faith and Fair Dealing” rules after the legislature passed Substitute House Bill 1521. However, recently announced listening sessions are unclear about what exactly the Department is holding listening sessions for.
On December 12, 2024, the Department announced it was holding two listening sessions on January 7 and 23, 2025 and invited members of the self-insured community to learn about and listen to a Department presentation about proposed changes to claims processes. Dubbed the “Claims Process Project,” the Department stated its ultimate goals is to “ensure sure and certain delivery of benefits to injured workers.”
The Department further stated the “Claims Process Project” aims for efficiency and consistency in adjudication and administration of claims as well as improvement in accuracy, timeliness, and quality of claims management “by all parties.” Without further clarity about what the “Claims Process Project” is and what how it intends to achieve its goals, it is unclear what the Department’s listening sessions will achieve or relay to interested parties.
In light of the “Good Faith and Fair Dealing” rules and some parties’ pursuit to extend those rules to all self-insured employers, it is possible the “Claims Process Project” is somehow related to or an offshoot of the 2024 good faith laws. This, of course, is only speculation at this point given the lack of clarity or guidance the Department has provided about these listening sessions thus far.
Despite its lack of details about the “Claims Process Project,” the Department is inviting the self-insured community to be part of the discussion. Interested parties can register to attend virtual listening sessions and questions can be directed to Starla Treznoski at .
Interested parties can register for the listening sessions here:
January 7, 2025: https://lni-wa-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__i1g4nhbSPiDKz9XYaryFA
January 23, 2025: https://lni-wa-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X7kqrqCNSXGl_lpnEITK7g
SBH strongly encourages self-insured employers, third-party administrators, and others involved in or associated with self-insured workers’ compensation to attend one of the listening sessions not only to be informed as to what the Department is planning or considering but to also provide insightful and valuable feedback that could help shape the Department’s next steps. SBH will be attending the sessions in order to stay abreast of the Department’s plans not only to provide feedback or suggestions as warranted but to also help keep self-insured employers and their third-party administrators as informed as possible.
If you have any questions or want to discuss the “Claims Process Project” and Department listening sessions, please feel free to contact me at or 503-412-3117.
Posted by Christine Olson
