The Washington Federation of State Employees and four interpreters have filed a class action lawsuit against the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) for unpaid wages.

The union claims that interpreters are owed around $380,000 for services provided to injured workers at self-insured businesses over the past three years. A separate complaint points to additional missed wages due to L&I’s switch from interpretingWorks to SoSi in mid-June.

The suit names L&I, several self-insured employers, and interpretingWorks as defendants, seeking payment for interpreting services. While L&I manages payments for public system medical, self-insured employers are responsible for their own payments, including interpreting services.

The suit alleges L&I failed to ensure these companies pay the owed compensation. 

Meanwhile, L&I’s 572 registered interpreters are negotiating their first contract, pushing for wage increases and timely payments, including compensation for no-shows. Arbitration is ongoing, with a decision expected by late September.