TOP STORIES
AWB remembers Lakewood officers
AWB joins the rest of the state in honoring the four Lakewood police officers gunned down in yesterday’s ambush. Please remember them and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Information about the slain officers, including details about a memorial fund, is available on the Lakewood Police Independent Guild Web site. All flags in Pierce County have been ordered at half-staff; additional statewide flag details are available here.


AWB Executive Committee to meet with governor over budget
AWB’s Executive Committee will meet Wednesday with Gov. Gregoire to talk about the state’s budget and revenue shortfall. While the primary focus is on the budget, AWB plans to address other issues on our legislative agenda such as workers’ compensation reform. The governor and her budget director, Victor Moore, recently released this four-minute budget message outlining the state’s fiscal situation in light of a $2.6 billion budget deficit. Though no specific budget solutions are offered, the governor appears to be laying the foundation for potential tax increases. More specifics are expected next week when she unveils her budget the week of Monday, Dec. 7.


L&I finalizes7.6 percent rate increase
Employers in Washington state will see a 7.6 percent increase in their workers’ compensation insurance rates next year. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries finalized their proposed rate increase today, saying the bump was necessary because of health-care inflation and wage inflation. The agency estimates the average premium would increase by about 4 cents per hour worked. Kris Tefft, AWB’s government affairs director on this issue, said any increase in costs is significant for Washington’s employer community, which is already struggling. Instead of an increase, Tefft said, the state should looking for solutions that will get injured workers back on the job sooner and cut down on the number of pensions awarded. Simple solutions, such as allowing a claim to be settled rather than going on indefinitely, can bring significant savings. Reforming workers’ comp will be one of AWB’s legislative priority issues in the 2010 legislative session. For more on this topic, contact AWB’s Tefft at 360.943.1600 ext. 1007.


Assembly Days coming to Capitol, Dec. 3-4
State legislators will hold Assembly Days this Thursday and Friday, when legislative committees meet and plan their agendas for the upcoming session. All fiscal committees will meet on Thursday and Friday and will feature a variety of policy discussions. Click here for scheduling details and other information.


Senate health-care bill faces contentious future
The U.S. Senate began debate today on an $848 billion health-care overhaul package that has divided Democrats and failed to win support from Republicans. Lawmakers from both parties are expected to offer amendments and the debate could last for weeks, possibly jeopardizing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s goal of finishing by Christmas. One issue dividing Democrats is the so-called public option. Some have said they will not vote for the bill as it’s currently drafted with a public option and severe Medicare cuts. Others insist on a public option. AWB and many other state and national business organizations have advocated for more reasoned health-care reform that reduces costs, improves access to care and capitalizes on private sector innovations that improve wellness while lowering costs. Unfortunately, the current legislative proposals in the House and Senate do neither, and we urge our members to contact Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and their House member to oppose the bills.


AWB holiday tree-lighting set for this Friday in Olympia
AWB will kick off the holiday season in Olympia this Friday with its 21^st annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. at the state Capitol. The event celebrates the holiday season and concludes the association’s annual Holiday Kids’ Tree Project, which benefits families who cannot provide gifts and food for their children, particularly in rural areas. AWB has again partnered with firefighters in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties to provide donations to families in need. Amazingly, contributions have exceeded expectations during these hard economic times, allowing the program to expand to Eastern Washington counties for the first time. As a result, families in Spokane County, Walla Walla and Mattawa fire districts will benefit from the project. And yes, there’s still time to make a donation online and help make this Christmas a little brighter for a Washington family in need. If you can’t join us in Olympia, be sure to check our blog, Olympia Business Watch, or follow us on Twitter (@awbolympia) for photos of the tree and details of the big event.


AWB now accepting nominations for Better Workplace Awards
AWB’s Better Workplace Awards honor companies that have gone the extra mile to create a better working environment in the areas of workplace safety, job training, advancement programs and innovative benefit and compensation programs. Have your company recognized for its accomplishments! Click here to download the nomination form. Awards will be presented at our annual Legislative Day in Olympia on Feb. 3, 2010. For more information, contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, Dec. 11, 2009.


KEY HEARINGS, MEETINGS
King County Office of Emergency Management offers free flood seminar tomorrow –Register now!
Severe weather in Washington during this time of year often increases the possibility of hazards such as flooding. Planning in advance and implementing a flood fight plan will help you protect your employees, assets, property and reduce your risk. At a free seminar from the King County Office of Emergency Management, you will learn the latest details about flood safety and efforts underway to reduce risks during the storm season. The seminar takes place tomorrow at the Office of Emergency Management, 3511 NE 2^nd St., Renton, 1 – 4 p.m. Registration is required. For more information, contact Lisa Johnson at 253.512.7043.


Sturdevant and Dicks at next Environmental Affairs Council meeting, Dec. 15
Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant and Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director David Dicks will attend the next Environmental Affairs Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 9 a.m. – noon, at AWB. Draft legislation on greenhouse gas reporting, phasing out copper brake pads, agricultural burning and other topics will be discussed. For more information, contact AWB’s Chris McCabe or Grant Nelson.


GoGreen conference aimed at helping businesses become more sustainable
GoGreen ’10, a one-day sustainability conference next spring in Seattle, will feature more than 45 speakers and 12 different sessions aimed at helping business owners “go green.” Attendees will hear first-hand success stories and join in panel discussions offering turnkey solutions useful to any size business. AWB is a media partner for the conference and AWB members who attend will receive a discount; use the discount code “AWB” when registering. The conference is April 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Olive 8 at The Hyatt, 1635 8^th Ave., Seattle. To register online, visit GoGreen Seattle.


OTHER NEWS
Fall 2009 Washington Business magazine is out
Check your mailboxes for the latest issue of Washington Business magazine, featuring our cover story on the Tri-Cities’ economic boom. Read more about Kenworth’s environmentally friendly trucks, Safeway’s excellent health care plan, the upcoming legislative session and how the Vancouver Olympics could be a boon to Washington business. If you have not yet received your copy, please contact AWB’s J-Anne Nepomuceno at 800.521.9325.


AWB EVENTS & RESOURCES
Human Resources in 2010: A Washington State Legislative Forecast Webinar
Human resources is always one of the most volatile issues in the Washington State Legislature. Numerous new laws and regulations in the areas of discrimination, leaves of absence, immigration, unionization, employee benefits – to name a few – have been debated for years and are teed up for further action in the 2010 session. Join us on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. for an up-to-the minute briefing on where these and other HR issues stand going into the January start of session. Register online or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


Still time to participate in AWB salary and benefits survey
AWB has partnered with WageAccess to provide you a survey that includes more than 900 benchmark positions in a wide variety of industries. This survey allows you to query, select and filter results by geographic location, industry and company size. The survey results also include a comprehensive set of descriptive statistics, compensation analysis tools and trends in salary and benefit administration. Sign up or learn more about the AWB survey here. If you have not yet participated in the survey, it's not too late. Since the survey results are updated quarterly, your data can still be included!


2010 Safety Academy
AWB has partnered with Sedgwick CMS to offer courses for safety and non-safety professionals who wish to increase their safety knowledge and effectiveness in developing and administering safety programs within their companies. Classes will be offered in Spokane, Seattle, Moses Lake and Olympia. You can find class listings and registration information online or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello for additional information.


Forklift: Train the Trainer workshop – Thursday, Jan. 14
Proper forklift safety training will make your company a safer place to work — and keep you in compliance with the law. Attendees who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion, a CD of workshop materials and a PDF manual they can reproduce to train their own employees on proper forklift safety. Register online or contact Jennifer Costello at 360.943.1600.


THEY SAID IT
“Everyone agrees that the nation is on an unsustainable fiscal path. So Democrats will add a $2.5 trillion entitlement to hurry us further along the path. Tax hikes that could go to reducing the deficit they'll plow into the new entitlement. Medicare cuts that could shore up Medicare's own shaky finances, they'll plow into the entitlement too (if the cuts happen at all). The new entitlement will grow at a projected 8 percent a year, and it's only through gimmickry it's made to look deficit neutral in the first decade. The cost curve of health care will be bent up, and insurance premiums, too, will rise. For all of this, ObamaCare will still leave 24 million people without health insurance.” – Rich Lowry, editor, National Review


This Week's President's Perspective: Disorder in the Courts