ORE. SAYS EMPLOYERS WILL PAY $33.4M LESS IN WORKERS’ COMP FEES:

Employers will pay $33.4 million less in state workers’ compensation fees in Oregon next year. Employers also can expect average workers’ compensation insurance rates to remain at the same level in 2006, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. The fees include worker safety programs and inspections. This marks the fourth straight year without an increase in the so-called average “pure” premium rate employers pay for Oregon workers’ compensation insurance. The state had posted 12 consecutive years of rate reductions before leveling off, setting a national record that has resulted in cumulative cost-savings worth billions of dollars to Oregon employers, officials said. Cory Streisinger, director of the state consumer and business services agency, also noted that benefits for permanently disabled workers in Oregon have increased dramatically since workers’ compensation reforms began in the 1990s. Oregon’s workers’ compensation rates are released each fall for the following year. In neighboring Washington state, officials recently proposed an average premium increase of 3.8 percent for next year. California rates are also significantly higher than Oregon, officials said. Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.