(Updated 2/26/2024)
I know it feels like 2024 has just started, but it’s not too early to start thinking about your 2025 workers’ compensation rates. Every year on June 1, the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) takes a snapshot of your workers’ comp claim expenses to establish your company’s specific rates for the following calendar year.
The good news is that it is not too late to lower your rates for 2025 and beyond. The two most important things you can do are:
- Make sure you return any injured employees back to physically appropriate work as soon as possible. Time-loss benefits add avoidable expense to your claims and will keep them from closing. Not sure if you have work available? Contact ERNwest—we are here to help.
- Close as many claims as possible. Claims that are open when L&I is calculating your rates include additional costs estimated for future expenses, closed claims do not.
These steps can take time, so get started now to lower your 2025 rates.
What claim(s) should I focus on?
On June 1, 2024, L&I will be looking at your company’s claims and hours reported during the period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2023, to establish your 2025 experience modification factor (EMF) and workers’ comp rates. Unsure of what claims you may have open that will impact your 2025 rates? Don’t worry, contact ERNwest and we can help walk you through any open claims and strategies to bring those claims to closure.
Now is a great time to think outside the box and make a push to reduce your overall claim costs. Work with your ERNwest claim manager to return injured employees to work, reduce costs, close claims, and start lowering your L&I rates today.