Washington Indian Gaming Association, 525 Pear St SE, Olympia, WA 98501, US

About the Washington Self-Insurers Association The Washington Self-Insurers Association ( WSIA ) was established in July, 1972 by 52 of the firms qualifying under the then-new state law authorizing self-insurance for workers' compensation. WSIA, whose membership has since grown to 385, continues today as the only statewide organization whose sole purpose is to represent the interests of self-insured employers on workers' compensation issues. WSIA is an advocate in the Legislature, an advocate with the Department of Labor & Industries, and a proponent of fair and swift adjudication by the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals. WSIA also conducts comprehensive training and education relative to workers' compensation law and regulation, workplace safety and accident prevention. Today there are approximately 390 self-insured employers in Washington who have made the philosophical, financial and economic decision to take full responsibility for their own workers' benefits and compensation under the workers' compensation statutes and rules. This opportunity and choice to self-insure is viewed as a privilege and is regarded very seriously. Governance today in the WSIA is provided by the elected Board of Directors, which includes six current officers, the immediate past President, six Regional Directors each of whom represents an employer member ; and a Service Company representative appointed by the President. The WSIA Board also includes members who serve as WSIA's self-insured representatives on the Workers' Compensation Advisory Committee and on the Liaison Committee to the Department of Labor & Industries. WSIA established a Political Action Committee ( PAC ) in 1994, the Washington Self-Insurers Legislative Fund, to support and promote individuals and groups who work to extend and perpetuate the policy of sound and conservative self-insurance for workers' compensation.