Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Workers' Compensation

A WSU employee who is injured on the job or contracts an illness which is a result of job-related activities may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits.

Workers' compensation benefits include:

• Payment for medical expenses.


• Time-loss payments.

Time-loss payments and medical benefits are administered by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. The Human Resource Services Office coordinates University contacts with the Department of Labor and Industries. Departments should direct appeals and protests through Human Resource Services (HRS).

NOTE: Although HRS is responsible for the University's official contacts with the Industrial Insurance Division of the Department of Labor and Industries, a University department or individual may contact Labor and Industries directly to obtain or provide information.

The employee and doctor complete the indicated sections of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Report of Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease form.

• The form is available at hospitals and doctors' offices in the state of Washington and at the WSU Human Resource Services Office.


• The doctor tears off the first page of the form and sends it to the Department of Labor and Industries. The employer copy is routed to WSU Human Resource Services which completes the employer's section and submits the form to the Department of Labor and Industries.


• For employees to receive workers' compensation benefits, this form must be filed within one year of the injury date or within two years of the date an employee learns that he or she has an occupational disease.


• Employees are encouraged to see a doctor and make sure this form is completed and filed for any injury or illness which could reoccur or cause related symptoms in the future.

Workers' compensation time-loss payments provide 60 to 75 percent of the gross salary earned by the employee at the time of the accident. Payments start after the employee has been totally disabled for work for three days.

An employee must use accrued sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time off, or a personal holiday in order to receive regular salary while off work.

If an employee receives time-loss payments while using accrued sick leave, Payroll deducts the dollar amount of the time-loss payments from the employee's salary at a later date. Sick leave hours equal to the value of the time-loss payments are restored to the employee.

If an employee receives time-loss payments while using accrued annual leave, compensatory time, or personal holiday, the University does not deduct the time-loss payments from the employee's regular paycheck.

Refer to S25.30 for return-to-work procedures.