Tag Archives: DLI

Coronavirus

Interpreter Services Payment Policies Extended

COVID-19 Temporary Interpreter Services Payment Policies Extended to June 30, 2021 by the Department of Labor and Industries.

The Department of Labor and Industries (DLI) developed the COVID-19 temporary interpreter services payment policy to ensure meaningful access to interpreter services to support the safety and health of their clients during the pandemic. This policy allows in-person interpreters the option of providing video or telephone interpretation. The original COVID-19 Temporary Policy expiration of July 3, 2020, has been extended until June 30, 2021. 

The updated COVID-19 temporary Interpreter Services via Video or Telephone policy is available on the Medical Aid Rules and Fee Schedules Updates and Corrections webpage.

DLI says it is continuously evaluating the effectiveness of these policies to help injured workers heal and return to work. In the event DLI determines it is appropriate to either end or extend these policies, we will send an advanced notice through this messaging service. 

Interpreter services are a covered benefit for all injured workers, including self-insured and crime victims, who have an open and allowed claim. DLI will not reimburse interpreters who are family or friends of the worker, or for any legal purposes, such as attorney appointments, legal conferences, depositions, or testimony at the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, or any court.

More Information

To find an interpreter, use L&I’s Interpreter Lookup Service.

Questions on the payment policies? Contact DLI at HPPM@lni.wa.gov. 

Questions about Interpreter Services? Contact DLI at interpretation@lni.wa.gov.

Questions about your workers’ compensation claim? We are happy to discuss your case with you. We can work with a friend or family member to interpret for you. We also work with certified interpreters and can make a referral, if needed.

Prior Posts on Related Topics

Workers' Compensation

WA DLI Begins Employer First Contact Call Pilot

As part of the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee (JLARC) implementation L&I received approval from the Legislature to hire additional account managers to increase capacity for first calls to employers and to provide loss control support. The Employer Services Early Contact Team was formed in October 2016. This team is currently staffed with 4 account managers with the plan to hire 4 additional account managers in February 2017. 

The Early Contact Team began the Employer First Contact Call Pilot on Tuesday, December 27th. As a pilot, they started by calling on a small number of potential time-loss claims and plan to gradually expand over time. 

The Early Contact Team will ask the following questions of the employer: 

  • What was the workers’ last day worked? 
  • Has the worker returned to work? Or, is there a planned returned to work date? 
  • Is light duty available? 
  • Will the worker be kept on salary? 
  • Are the wages and health care benefits the worker listed on the ROA correct? 

The Early Contact Team will educate employers on: 

  • The claim free discount, if the employer has one. 
  • Long-term impacts of time-loss on the firm’s experience factor. 
  • The benefits of light duty jobs and options to obtain cost reimbursements through the Washington Stay at Work Program. 
  • Early return-to-work assistance to develop light duty jobs consistent with the worker’s restrictions. 
  • Risk management services or a safety and health consultation for accident prevention. 

The Early Contact Team will make referrals if indicated for: 

  • Washington Stay at Work Program 
  • Early Return to Work (ERTW) Services 
  • Risk Management Services 
  • Safety and Health Consultation Services 
  • Ergonomic Evaluations 

This means the Early Contact Team will be the first to contact employers, rather than the claim manager, in some instances. As a future phase of implementing the JLARC recommendations, we will improve the speed of claim manager first contacts on claims at risk of long-term disability and equip them with the tools to help partner with employers to reduce this risk. 

 

Photo credit: KayVee.INC via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

State Government

State Agencies to Close if No Budget Passes – DLI & Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals On the List

The Washington State Capital

Although Governor Inslee has indicated that it is not likely that the State will be left without a budget when the June 30th deadline arrives, preparations have been made, just in case.  The Office of Financial Management has outlined 34 agencies that would close, in whole or in part, if a budget is not passed.  The OFM summary of agency impacts outlines the contingency planning for state agency operations.

Contact your legislators and let them know how this budget fight impacts you and your families. 

On the list are the Department of Labor and Industries and the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, both of which handle claims and cases pertaining to injured or disabled workers.  The Department would be reduced to two full-time employees assigned to respond to emergencies across the state and to administer benefits to crime victim claimants.  Those injured workers that are set up to receive automatic payments will continue to receive their compensation but no pending applications for benefits will be processed. A significant number of our clients are waiting for decisions from their Claims Managers to establish their entitlement to time loss compensation, whether back-pay or current/ongoing payments or both.  These cases would be put on hold until a budget is passed and the staff return to their desks.  The Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals will be completely shut down.  All scheduled hearings, conferences and other proceedings will simply be cancelled until the judges and staff return to work.

Pink slips will be sent to all State employees to be laid off during any potential shutdown of State government offices.  Due to notice requirements, the notices will go out Monday, June 24th.  I encourage you to contact your legislators and let them know how this budget fight impacts you and your families.  You can find the contact information for your legislator at:  http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/.

Photo credit: Bluedisk / Foter.com / CC BY-SA