| WASHINGTON STATE: UPDATES & NEWS |
GET INVOLVED!
Click on this link to find your legislative district and legislators! You can also search for bills, find laws, review agency rules, and peruse meeting schedules and agendas: WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
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| New WIC Shopping Guide Changes: FEB 2012 |
| WIC 2011 Retailer Training Reqs |
| L&I Proposes Higher Workers' Comp Rates for Next Year |
| Labor & Industries announced its intention to seek an average 2.5 percent increase in workers' compensation premiums for 2012 even though their “indicated rate” is only 0.3 percent. The indicated rate is the difference between their anticipated income and liabilities. However, the Department is choosing now to rebuild reserve that have been significantly reduced in the past three year. Is now the right time for a state agency to build reserves? The average 2.5 percent rate increase is an average across all industries. Many in the grocery industry will experience a larger increase – some smaller. You may view a chart with the food industry breakdown listed below. In addition, the chart will display the financial liability between the employer and employee in paying the addition cost. Some examples include:
Supermarkets: 3%
Convenience Stores No Gas: -5%
Grocery Distribution Warehouses: 10%
Beer, Wine & Soft Drink Distributors: 4%
Most employer groups are standing up to say “NO” to a rate that exceeds the necessary income to cover immediate benefits and “NO” to building reserves until employment and the economy begins to grow once again. L&I has scheduled six public hearings on the proposed increase in late October. See the complete schedule below. We encourage you to attend and let L&I know what these changes will mean for your business. If you cannot make it one of the hearings in person, you can mail or email written comments to Douglas Stewart, Douglas.Stewart@Lni.wa.gov, Employer Services Program Manager, P.O. Box 44140, Olympia, WA 98504-4140. Faxes may be sent to 360-902-4729. Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2011.
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| Seattle Building Energy Benchmarking and Rating Ordinance |
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Seattle adopted legislation in 2010 (Ordinance 123226) that requires non-residential and multifamily properties greater than 10,000 square feet to measure their energy performance and share energy ratings with the City of Seattle and current and prospective tenants, buyers and lenders. Single family homes and smaller multi-family projects are not subject to these requirements. The first set of commercial buildings – those larger than 50,000 square feet – had a compliance deadline of October 3, 2011. These “phase I” building owners received a letter from the City of Seattle notifying them about the new requirement in May 2011. Phase II building owners (10,000 sf or larger including multifamily) will receive notification letters in early November 2011 and are required to comply by April 1, 2012.
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| New Pharmacy Regulation on PMP |
New Pharmacy Regulation on PMP
The Washington State Department of Health has established the Washington State Prescription Monitoring Program (WA PMP) effective October 7th. Pharmacies and practitioners that dispense Schedules II, III, IV, and V controlled substances in Washington State, or to an address in the state, must electronically report to the WA PMP. Download the fact sheet below for more information about the program.
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| DOSH Steps Up Enforcement of Emergency Eye & Body Wash Reqs |
DOSH Steps Up Enforcement of Emergency Eye & Body Washing Requirements
LNI's DOSH is stepping up enforcement of requiring emergency eye and body washing requirements in facilities that utilize hazardous substances. A grocer might ask, "Why are you telling me this?" Even though the U.S. OSHA and most other states exempt household hazardous substances, such as bleach, from the emergency washing requirements, our Washington State's DOSH does not! Even more troubling is the state and local requirements that diluted household bleach be used as a disinfectant in many cases. Therefore, all food service establishments are required to have emergency eyewash stations. DOSH has issued a guidance to their staff to ramp up enforcement in included a resource guide to business on their website. CLICK HERE for downloadable resources.
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| Stay at Work Program- Partial Re-Imbursement: August 2011 |
Employers Can Receive Partial Wage Reimbursement for Stay at Work Program
One piece of the workers' comp reform legislation that passed this session is a partial wage reimbursement to employers who provide an injured worker with light or transitional work during recovery. The law became effective in mid-June and it applies to any employee who was on light duty on the effective date or thereafter. The reimbursement is 50% of wages for up to 66 days.
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| Call for Petition Signature Gatherer Horror Stories! |
WFIA’s Government Affairs Committee has held a meeting with the Secretary of State Office, Attorney General’s Office and the Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs to discuss the increasing difficulties stores are experiencing with paid signature gatherers and no laws provide clear guidance on the grocers’ rights to protect their customers and property. We have identified some potential common areas of agreement and we were strongly encouraged to begin gathering “horror stories” that can help us document the need for a change in the law. Our office has been receiving numerous complaints and we are encouraging all members to write it down and sent to us so we can begin building our case for laws that regulate paid signature gatherers. Please access the report form on our website below and return to us while details are fresh in your mind. Help us help you!
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| ALERT to Seattle Members- Call to Action |
The Seattle City Council is considering a policy that will mandate employers provide paid sick leave for EVERY employee. If you are located within the Seattle city limits, your calls and emails are needed immediately to both the City Council and Mayor. View and download the Proposal and WFIA’s Letter to the Council and Mayor below. To take action, CLICK HERE for Contact Information for your communications.
This proposal is under active consideration, so please do not delay. In addition, last month’s newsletter highlighted the proposal to expand mobile food carts in Seattle at the expense of brick and mortar stores. This proposal is slated for adoption in July/August, and your calls are needed NOW.
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| WA State Workers' Comp: BREAKTHROUGH |
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Breakthrough on Workers’ Comp – Avoids Double Digit Premium Increase
Thanks to all members who participated in our aggressive grassroots program through session.
Lawmakers passed a workers’ compensation agreement following a weekend of hours of intense negotiations. WFIA welcomed the development, even though the deal falls well short of the full reform that WFIA and the business community had hoped they would adopt. House Bill 2123 is expected to save the system $519 million in 2012 and $1.122 billion from 2012-15, thereby preventing an anticipated double-digit rate increase next year for most employers. The centerpiece is to allow for voluntary structural settlements. Organized labor denounced the plan, even though everyone from Gov. Chris Gregoire to House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) to Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) called it fair for everyone. Governor Gregoire displayed strong leadership by forcing all the parties into negotiations in her conference room all weekend until an agreement was reached.
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| WA State Mandated Leave for Military Spouse: FEB 2011 |
| NEW Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates, FEB 2011 |
In a dramatic move on both the House and Senate floor, a group of moderate Democrats joined Republicans to pass the employer and Governor preferred version of UI legislation rejecting new and increased benefits requested by labor and liberal Democrats: HB 1091. The Governor is expected to sign it immediately to enable Employment Security to mail almost every employer a new and lower UI tax rate for 2011 retroactive to January 1st - saving employers $300 million in 2011 alone! To see your new rate, download the chart provided by ESD here!
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| WA State Dept. of Health: WIC Shopping Guide for Retailers FEB 2011 |
| WA State Revenue: 15 yr. Actual & 3 yr. Forecast, DECEMBER 2010 |
| WFIA Joins Others to Challenge Minimum Wage Increase: NOV 2010 |
| WA State Identification Updates! OCT 2010 |
There have been some changes to the Washington State drivers licenses and state issued identification. Please take a look at the link below to see what the new ID’s will look like. If you provide retailer education, use the information from the link below as supporting material so that clerks can correctly refuse sales of tobacco (and alcohol) to minors. Note that the “age 18 on” or “age 21 on” logo is on the watermark small picture rather than to the left of the picture as in previous versions. Minor ID’s are still vertical, so this remains a red flag for anyone checking ID.
http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/licensesamples.html
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| State Preferred Purchasing Standards Proposed Law - OCT 2010 |
| FREE WA State Food Safety Training Classes 2010 |
FREE Food Safety Workshops This Fall: The Washington State Department of Health Food Safety Program is sponsoring the Fall 2010 Food Safety Workshop. Come join us for presentations and discussions about the latest in food safety information and research. Topics will cover food borne illness, recalls, food code revisions and other important topics to the grocery industry. October 26 – November 9th in various locations around the state. Click here for details: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/food/workshop.html
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| NEW Washington Laws... that affect YOU! |
| WA State Dept. of Health: Call for Pharmacy Board Members! JULY 2010 |
| Cold Holding Temperature Specs: MAY 2010 |
REQUIREMENT
Refrigeration equipment needs to keep potentially hazardous food at 41 Degrees F or below to control the growth of harmful bacteria.
EXEMPTIONS
Temporary EXEMPTIONS include:
Refrigeration equipment that can't keep potentially hazardous food at 41 Degrees F may be used until May 2, 2010 IF it:
1. Cannot be adjusted to hold food at 41 Degrees F or below AND
2. Can hold food 45 Degrees F or below, AND
3. Was being used in your establishment before May 2, 2005.
If your refrigeration equipment cannot meet all 3 of these minimum standard, it cannot be used to hold potentially hazardous food. For more information about this requirement, contact your food safety inspector Dept. of Health / Food Safety.
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WA STATE'S INFO LINE
360-753-5000
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