Stop Work Orders for No Work Comp

Washington State has enforced Stop Work Orders for construction sites where contractors have no work comp insurance to cover their employees. The contractor if found will face up to $1000 a day in fines and has to post a bond to get reconsideration to start the job again. This is hard core insurance policing. Many construction workers are not covered because their "employers" make them sub contractors when they really are employees. The contractors then do not buy work comp and basically have workers on the job with no coverage. Washington State may be setting a standard for other States to follow to protect workers on jobs. The only way for the work comp system to have adequate rates is to have everyone in the system that needs to be in the system. When contractors try to beat it by making their employees subs when legally they are not, then rates go up because fewer are paying for the claims. Good luck Washington, tell the rest if the States how to get it done, it is for the best for all.  Until next time be careful out there and know your risks. K

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