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Employer Solutions Law offers trainings for employers in the areas of workers’ compensation, workplace safety issues, and employment law.

To find out more about hosting a training for your company, please contact Anne Allan.

Presentation & Training Descriptions

SAFETY

  1. Before, During and After a Government Safety Inspection: Best Practices for Employers
    The best practice for any employer is to have a plan and protocol in place for a government safety inspection. What should this plan include and how should your company respond if a citation is issued? Learn how the appeals process works and about employer defenses to a citation.
  2. DOSH Directive 2.25 – Industry Association and Employer Advantages
    The Department of Labor and Industries, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“DOSH”) issued  Directive 2.25 on “Focused Inspections” on Construction Worksites. Employers benefit when DOSH inspections are limited to certain potentially hazardous areas, operations, conditions, or practices at the worksite, which are most likely to cause fatalities and/or serious injuries to workers rather than comprehensive inspections.  Learn about program eligibility and benefits.
  3. The Financial and Moral Case for Safety: A Lawyer’s Perspective
    An inadequate safety program can have a huge impact on your workers’ compensation costs and on your costs associated with workplace safety citations. Workers’ compensation claims’ costs impact employers in many ways and penalties for safety violations have increased exponentially over the past few years. Employers also often forget to factor in the emotional cost of serious injuries and fatalities. Learn “best practices” and the benefits of implementing a comprehensive safety program.
  4. Crisis Management
    Worksites can go from peaceful to catastrophic in a matter of seconds. All employers on a worksite, whether directly responsible for the incident/injury/fatality or not, will face immediate scrutiny and need to make decisions in real time. Learn about best practices to deal with the injured, families, co-workers, media, and the Department of Labor and Industries. Know whom key parts of your support team should be from company personnel, insurance agents, insurance companies, media consultants, Labor and Industries attorneys and liability counsel.
  5. General Contractor Liability:  Increased Exposure for Upper Tier and General Contractors  The “Stute” court decision resulted in a Department policy where general contractors could be found liable for safety violations of subcontractors. Department has a policy where building owners, general contractors and upper tier contractors are “per se” liable for serious or greater violations of lower tier contractors. The Department now cites general and upper tier contractors for each specific code violation of subcontractors. A 2019 Supreme Court decision creates even greater liability for general and upper tier contractors. Learn about the new policy, increased risks and best practices to protect your business.
  6. When and How to Appeal WISHA/DOSH Citations Through the Department Reassumption Process
    Why is it important to consider appealing a citation and how damaging is it if you don’t? Learn the process of challenging citations, your options for mediation and next steps if you do not reach a settlement.

EMPLOYMENT LAW

  1. Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Prevention
    Today’s workplace is a melting pot of people, cultures, religions and abilities. It is important to know what forms harassment and discrimination can take. What’s the definition of harassment? What laws protect employees from discrimination in the workplace? As a member of or leader of your safety team, knowing key employment laws is Washington is important to your career success.
  2. Hiring, Managing and Firing: Best Practices for Employers  Building and maintaining your team is key to success.  Hiring the wrong person and not handling terminations correctly create huge problems and costs for employers. Learn about laws applicable to hiring and firing employees and, just as important, best practices to make good hires, manage employees and having employment end while minimizing the risks of drama or litigation.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

  1. Red Flags on Workers’ Compensation Claims: How to Identify Them Early to Avoid Lengthy and Expensive Claims 
    There are numerous red flags to look for on workers’ compensation claims. With red flags, there is a high risk that the claim is fabricated and should be rejected or that a very aggressive and proactive approach is needed to get claim impact limited and the claim closed. Certain cost savings options have a short window of opportunity. Learn what these “red flags” are, how to spot them early, and best practices for employers to avoid costly, drawn-out claims.
  2. Advanced Workers’ Compensation Issues and Solutions
    If you already know the basics of workers’ compensation in Washington, it is important to understand some of the complexities of claims management and how and when to utilize members of your defense team. This seminar will fine tune your skills to lower your company’s EMR and effectively manage claims.  Learn the details of:
    1. Different types of Light Duty Job Offers
    2. Preferred Worker Program
    3. Independent Medical Exams
    4. Defense Toolkit & Surveillance
  1. Kept on Salary and Light Duty Job Offers – Tools and Best Practices for Employers in Washington 
    Workers’ Compensation costs can be very expensive for Washington Employers. In fact, Washington has the highest workers’ compensation costs in the country, many years running.  The financial impact of claim costs can be large over time due to increased premiums and reduced retro group refunds.  Kept on Salary and Light Duty Job Offers (both temporary and permanent) can help lesson claim costs. Learn the benefits and challenges of taking advantage of these options.  Specific details of light duty programs, along with the employer incentives for these programs, will be covered.  Knowledge is your best defense to combat increasing Washington’s Workers’ Compensation costs.
  2. In Or Out of the Course of Employment for Workers’ Compensation Coverage 
    One critical aspect of workers’ compensation coverage is determining whether an employee’s injury or illness occurred “in the course of employment.” This determination can impact whether an Employer will be charged with an employee’s illness or injury. This training provides an overview of Washington state’s general approach to workers’ compensation coverage, including how it defines “acting in the course of employment.” It also discusses some common scenarios in which an employee may or may not be considered to be acting in the course of employment.  Guidance will also be provided on what steps employers can take to get claims rejected.