DOL Issues Proposed Self-Insurance Financial Rules

The Department of Labor and Industries issued proposed rules to modernize the financial qualifications for self-insured employers. The rules require additional financial document disclosures to L&I to prove the employer has sufficient resources to cover workers’ compensation liabilities. The proposal also grants L&I the discretion to require surety bonds from self-insured employers to cover liabilities, which may represent an additional cost for self-insured employers. Self-insured hospitals should review the proposed rules and cost-benefit analysis to determine if changes will need to be made to their self-insurance plans to comply. L&I will hold a public hearing on the rules on May 11, 2021, and will accept comments until May 14, 2021. The final rules will take effect as early as June 22, 2021. (David Streeter, DavidS@wsha.org)