Employers Say More Reforms Needed to Avoid Major Tax Increase

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau ChiefEmployers in Washington state say reforms passed in 2011 aren’t doing enough to cut their workers’ compensation costs, and they’re going to face more than $1 billion in additional surcharges over the next 10 years without additional help from the Legislature.That help would come from a package of bills presented to the Senate Committee on Business and Labor on Wednesday. The measures would:Allow more workers to settle their claims and make it easier to get judicial approval of settlements.Simplify the process for calculating benefit payments...