Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
{{Short description|Government agency in Washington state}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name = Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
|logo = File:Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (logo).svg
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|formed = {{Start date|1921}}
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|jurisdiction = State of Washington
|headquarters = 7273 Linderson Way Southwest
Tumwater, Washington
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|employees = 2,891 (2015–25)
|budget = $2.7 billion (2015–25)^
|chief1_name = Joel Sacks
|chief1_position = Director
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|website = {{URL|https://www.lni.wa.gov/|lni.wa.gov}}
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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.{{cite web |title=About Labor and Industries (L&I) |url=http://www.lni.wa.gov/Main/AboutLNI/ |publisher=Washington State Department of Labor and Industries}}
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.{{cite book |date=February 9, 1921 |title=Session Laws of the State of Washington, 1921 |chapter=Chapter 7: Administrative Code |pages=40–41 |chapter-url=http://leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/documents/sessionlaw/1921c7.pdf |publisher=Washington State Legislature |access-date=November 27, 2017}}{{cite news |date=January 12, 1921 |title=To Insure Officers; Bill Introduced for Sheriffs' Compensation |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}} The new agency superseded the Bureau of Labor, created in 1901 to inspect workplaces, and minor state boards and commissions monitoring worker health, safety, and insurance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.{{cite journal |last=Paja |first=Alan S. |year=1994 |title=The Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act: WISHA's Twentieth Anniversary, 1973-1993 |journal=Seattle University Law Review |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=259–281 |publisher=Seattle University |issn=1078-1927 |oclc=818988711 |url=http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/sulr/vol17/iss2/3/ |access-date=November 27, 2017}}
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.{{cite news |last=Burchard |first=Boyd |date=July 5, 1973 |title=OSHA there, WISHA here |page=F2 |work=The Seattle Times}} Washington became one of the first states to implement their own labor laws, which received full approval from OSHA in 1976.
Structure
L&I has a budget of $2.7 billion for the term of 2015–2025 and has employed 2,891 people.{{cite web |title=Department of Labor and Industries, Recommendation Summary |url=https://ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/legacy/budget17/recsum/235.pdf |work=2017-25 Budget Decision Package |publisher=Washington State Office of Financial Management}} 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.{{cite web |title=Overview of the Department of Labor and Industries |url=https://wastatecouncil.shrm.org/sites/wastatecouncil.shrm.org/files/L%26I%20HRDOH.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031352/https://wastatecouncil.shrm.org/sites/wastatecouncil.shrm.org/files/L%26I%20HRDOH.pdf |archive-date=2017-12-01 |publisher=Washington State Society for Human Resource Management}} The department's director is appointed by the state governor and serves in the executive cabinet.{{cite press release |date=March 5, 2007 |title=Governor Gregoire Announces Appointment of Director of Labor and Industries |url=https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/GovernorGregoire/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=505&newsType=1 |publisher=Office of the Governor of Washington |via=Washington State Archives}}
Offices
In addition to its headquarters in Tumwater, L&I has offices in 19 cities across the state.{{cite web |title=L&I Headquarters - Tumwater Office - Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) |url=http://www.lni.wa.gov/Main/ContactInfo/OfficeLocations/ |publisher=Washington State Department of Labor and Industries |access-date=November 27, 2017}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website}}
- [http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.22 Chapter 43.22] of the Revised Code of Washington
{{Washington}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Labor relations in Washington (state)
Category:State departments of labor of the United States