July 29, 2022
A Kennewick, Washington, business owner pleaded guilty to a felony for failing to provide workers’ compensation insurance for his employees for the second time. Benton-Franklin Superior Court Judge Norma Rodriguez sentenced Rodney Eugene Dietrich to 30 days of electronic home …
July 21, 2022
A Cowlitz County, Washington, logger who reportedly faked injuries to collect workers’ compensation benefits was ordered to repay the state more than $160,000. James Joseph Thomasson, 53, has also been ordered to serve 60 days in home detention, the maximum …
May 5, 2022
Washington state officials said this week that COVID-19 was responsible for about one quarter of the 106 work-related deaths reported in Washington in 2021. The numbers from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries show coronavirus was the leading …
May 3, 2022
Hard drives, laptops, cellphones, office equipment, door access key cards, gas cards and other items were stolen during a recent burglary at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries regional office in Tukwila. The Tukwila Police Department is investigating …
April 13, 2022
A metal foundry and casting company in Walla Walla, Washington, faces a $93,600 fine for violating more than 40 health and safety regulations. A Washington State Department of Labor & Industries inspection reportedly found Walla Walla Foundry Inc. violated a …
March 16, 2022
Washington state has fined two construction companies a combined $20,000 after a construction worker was killed at the downtown Seattle convention center expansion. Bryan Phillips, 31, died in an accident at the site in September, the Seattle Times reported. In …
February 18, 2022
The failure to follow lockout/tagout procedures was directly connected to the death of a worker in Sumas, Washington, when an agitator arm inside a tank he was cleaning turned on, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. …
December 28, 2021
Changes in Washington’s minimum wage, overtime for white-collar professionals, overtime for agricultural workers, and workers’ compensation premiums are set to take effect Jan. 1, 2022. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries on Tuesday issued reminders to businesses and …
September 23, 2021
A Seattle, Wash. woman accused of forging signatures and stealing money by billing the state for appointments, some related to workers’ compensation services, that never happened pleaded guilty Wednesday. Carla C. Moreno also repaid the Washington State Department of Labor …
August 24, 2021
A Thurston County, Wash., man who reportedly tried to pass off a barroom brawl injury as a workplace accident has pleaded guilty to stealing state workers’ compensation insurance benefits. Chuck Wayne Riccio, 40, of Yelm, pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree …