Safety Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 2: General Workplace Safety

SPPM 2.30

For more information contact:
   Human Resource Services
   509-335-4521

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Benefits

A WSU employee or reported volunteer who becomes injured or develops an occupational illness in the course of their employment may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Workers’ compensation benefits may include:

• Payment for medical expenses
• Wage replacement benefits
• Return-to-work assistance
• Permanent partial disability awards
• Pensions
• Survivor benefits

Administration

Wage replacements and medical benefits are administered by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). The WSU Pullman Human Resource Services (HRS) Office coordinates University contacts with L&I. Departments should direct appeals and protests through HRS at WSU Pullman.

Requesting Benefits

The employee must notify the health care provider at the time of his or her initial visit that the visit is work-related. The employee and the health care provider 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 health care provider locations in the state of Washington.

The health care provider gives the injured worker a copy of the completed form and routes a copy to L&I. After L&I receives the claim form, the L&I Claims and Accounts Center (CAC) notifies the employer contact, WSU Pullman HRS. After the claim is filed and HRS receives an online Incident Report (see SPPM 2.24) from the worker’s supervisor, HRS completes and submits an Employer’s Report of Injury to L&I.

An employee who is injured in the course of employment and wants to file a claim through L&I to receive workers’ compensation benefits has one year from the date of injury to file the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Report of Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease form.

Exception: An employee has two years to file a claim from the date that the employee learns that he or she has an occupational disease.

An employee who has an illness or injury that could reoccur or cause related symptoms in the future should see a doctor and ensure that this form is completed.

Wage Replacement Benefits

Workers’ compensation wage replacement benefits provide 60 to 75 percent of the gross salary earned by the employee at the time of the accident. L&I begins payment of wage benefits on the fourth day following the date of injury.

Exception

If an employee is medically unable to work for 14 days, then L&I retroactively pays wage replacement benefits for the first three days after the date of injury.

Regular Salary

An employee has the choice of using his or her accrued sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time off, or a personal holiday in order to receive regular salary while off work.

If the employee receives wage replacement benefits from L&I, the employee may be eligible to retain both payments.  Contact HRS for further information.

Collective Bargaining Unit Employee

An employee who is covered by a collective bargaining unit agreement is to refer to the applicable agreement for procedures regarding wage replacement payments and use of accrued leave.

Return to Work

Refer to SPPM 2.32 for return-to-work procedures.

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Revisions:  Jan. 2011 (Rev. 87); June 2000 (Rev. 32); Nov. 1994 (Rev. 12); Feb. 1987 – new policy (Rev. 3).