Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Government agency in Washington state
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1921 ( 1921 ) |
Jurisdiction | State of Washington |
Headquarters |
7273 Linderson Way Southwest
Tumwater, Washington |
Employees | 2,891 (2015–25) |
Annual budget | $2.7 billion (2015–25)^ |
Agency executive |
|
Website | lni.wa.gov |
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries ( L&I ) is a department of the Washington state government that regulates and enforces labor standards . The agency administers the state's workers' compensation system, conducts workplace inspections, licenses and certifies trade workers, and issues permits for heavy machinery. [1]
History
The Department of Labor and Industries was created by an act of the state legislature in 1921, overseeing industrial insurance, worker safety, and industrial relations. [2] [3] The new agency superseded the Bureau of Labor, created in 1901 to inspect workplaces, and minor state boards and commissions monitoring worker health, safety, and insurance claims. [4]
In 1973, the state legislature passed the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, which superseded the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and allowed L&I greater powers to investigate employers and enforce state and federal labor laws. [4] [5] Washington became one of the first states to implement their own labor laws, which received full approval from OSHA in 1976. [4]
Structure
L&I has a budget of $2.7 billion for the term of 2015–2025 and has employed 2,891 people. [6] The department is divided into several divisions, including the Divisions of Occupational Safety and Health, Workers' Compensation, Field and Public Safety, and Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards. [7] The department's director is appointed by the state governor and serves in the executive cabinet. [8]
Offices
In addition to its headquarters in Tumwater , L&I has offices in 19 cities across the state. [9]
References
- ↑ "About Labor and Industries (L&I)" . Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
- ↑ "Chapter 7: Administrative Code" (PDF) . Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1921 . Washington State Legislature . February 9, 1921. pp. 40–41 . Retrieved November 27, 2017 .
- ↑ "To Insure Officers; Bill Introduced for Sheriffs' Compensation". The Seattle Times . January 12, 1921. p. 2.
- 1 2 3 Paja, Alan S. (1994). "The Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act: WISHA's Twentieth Anniversary, 1973-1993" . Seattle University Law Review . Seattle University . 17 (2): 259–281. ISSN 1078-1927 . OCLC 818988711 . Retrieved November 27, 2017 .
- ↑ Burchard, Boyd (July 5, 1973). "OSHA there, WISHA here". The Seattle Times . p. F2.
- ↑ "Department of Labor and Industries, Recommendation Summary" (PDF) . 2017-25 Budget Decision Package . Washington State Office of Financial Management .
- ↑ "Overview of the Department of Labor and Industries" (PDF) . Washington State Society for Human Resource Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-01.
- ↑ "Governor Gregoire Announces Appointment of Director of Labor and Industries" (Press release). Office of the Governor of Washington. March 5, 2007 – via Washington State Archives.
- ↑ "L&I Headquarters - Tumwater Office - Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)" . Washington State Department of Labor and Industries . Retrieved November 27, 2017 .