WA ballot initiative to privatize workers compensation

Watch for November ballot Initiative-1082

The 30 year battle to end the state monopoly of Workers Compensation insurance goes to Washington voters in Nov under I-1082. Initiative proponents say the WA system is broken and needs competition to reduce insurance rates burdening WA businesses and making them uncompetitive when trying to gain business in other states. According to sponsor organization SAVE OUR JOBS

• Washington is one of only four states with a government monopoly that forbids private competition for industrial insurance coverage.  
• While workers’ comp taxes are falling around the country, Washington is one of only a handful of states increasing taxes this year. Oregon has not increased rates in 20 years – and employers there are actually experiencing rate decreases in 2010. 
• Washington has the second-highest cost per employee for workers’ compensation, and provides the third most generous benefit package in the nation.

“Competition has reallyworked in Idaho” said Mike Everett, a workers compensation sales specialist at American Insurance. “I’ve seen first-hand how competition has lowered rates for my business clients while maintaining quality benefits for injured workers.”
Read  more at Save our Jobs