Workers' Compensation (L&I)
Eastern Washington University strives to provide safe working conditions for all departments. EWU provides workers' compensation insurance to all faculty, staff, and volunteers. If an employee or volunteer believes they have suffered a work-related injury or illness, they may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. Eastern Washington University workers' compensation program is insured through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).
The Office of Human Resources provides the following:
- Assist employees and supervisors with the incident reporting and workers' compensation claims processes
- Manage and coordinate documents and important information related to the claim
- Coordinate the return to work processes with the employee, supervisors, L&I, health care providers, vocational counselors and other parties involved
- HR manages the cost associated with the claim
- Manage the transitional duty program pertaining to modified duties in the workplace
- Manage The Stay at Work program: A financial incentive program that encourages Washington employers to find light-duty or transitional jobs for workers recovering from on-the-job injuries
- Provides workers' compensation resources and assists in answering questions
How to File a Claim
An EWU employee or volunteer who believes they have suffered an on the job injury or occupational illness may file a claim with Washington State Department of Labor & and Industries (L&I).
3 Ways to File a L&I Claim
1
File a claim with your medical provider at the time of receiving treatment.
2
File a claim online at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries website.
3
File a claim by calling the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries at 1.877.561.FILE
Employee Responsibilities
If you are injured on the job or diagnosed with an occupational disease, let your manager and/or supervisor know right away. Timely reporting ensures the best recall of the facts and the prompt delivery of benefits to employees. All injuries/incidents and near misses should be reported on the EWU Incident Report Form within 24 hours. EWU Incident Report Forms
An injured employee who is sent home by a health care provider will be paid out for the remainder of the workday on a one time basis per injury.
In the event an injured worker misses time from work due to their injury or occupational injury, they must obtain a health care provider's written approval before they are to return to work. Their health care provider should complete an Activity Prescription Form. The employee should return the completed Activity Prescription Form (APF) to their supervisor and H.R.
An employee will receive time loss compensation if they are unable to work for more than three (3) days immediately following the date of injury. Injured workers are not compensated for those first three days unless they are still unable to work on the fourteenth (14) day following the injury. EWU employees may use any combination of their paid leave if they are off of work due to an on the job injury.
Incident Report Process
Immediately Call 911, and then call EH&S (509.359.6496 or 509.559.2031) in the event of a:
On-the-job death*
Significant eye injury*
Hospitalization*
Amputation*
Note: Per Washington State law employers must report to L&I the death or in-patient hospitalization of any employee (within 8 hours) and any non-hospitalized amputation or loss of eye (within 24 hours) due to an on-the-job injury.
Incident Reporting
- Employees and volunteers must report a work-related injury or illness to their supervisor as soon as possible and complete a university Incident Report within 24 hours.
- In the case of an occupational disease, employees/volunteers should report the condition to their supervisor and fill out an Incident Report within 48 hours of the date a medical professional informs them that their condition may be related to their employment/volunteer service at EWU.
- If an employee is prescribed modified duty, limited hours, or not released to work, the employee shall provide a copy of the Activity Prescription Form (APF) to their supervisor. Supervisors shall forward the Activity Prescription Form to HR.
- Supervisors with knowledge of a work-related injury or occupational disease will ensure that the Incident Report is completed and forwarded to Human Resources. If the employee/volunteer is unable to complete his or her portion, the supervisor may complete that portion.
- Department heads must immediately notify the AVP-HR of any incident that results in the hospitalization, serious injury, or death of any employee or volunteer. If unable to reach the AVP-HR, the department head must call the University Police Department.