Group Retro Program

The Washington Lodging Association launched a Workers' Comp Group Retro Program in 2006 with a pledge to safeguard members against the skyrocketing costs of workers' compensation insurance by providing scrupulous management of claims and proactive programs that result in a decrease in on-the-job accidents and injuries.  The performance results recently released from Labor & Industries demonstrate that WLA continues to deliver on that pledge: the average group refund for 2008 is 39.6%; 2009 is 19.5%; and 2010 is 12%, making WLA one of the top performers among all Washington group retro programs.

Recovering higher refunds is important, because it puts money directly back into members' pockets.  Refunds are an important first step toward the ultimate goal of lowering the amount members spend on workers’ compensation insurance premiums at the outset. That's achieved by consistently working toward a safer workplace. The WLA Group Retro Program is unique among Washington state programs in bringing members valuable -- and in most cases, free -- resources to do just that.

Click the links below to learn more about how your business can benefit from the WLA Group Retro Program.

• Upcoming Safety Classes Schedule
  Member properties get four free classes a year!
   
• Upcoming Claims Management Workshops
   
• What's an On-Site Loss Control Review and how can I benefit?
   
• What are the criteria for joining the WLA Group Retro Program?

Contact WLA at 877-906-1001 or email us at info@WAlodging.org to learn more information.

WLA's Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program: Background and Update

In 2009 Washington Lodging Association received a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to underwrite WLA's Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program. Working with Cascadia Consulting Group, WLA implemented a pilot program from March 2010 through June 2011 which demonstrated the benefits of green lodging.  Columbia Hospitality and Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington were selected as the project's two pilot companies and working with Cascadia, they implemented at least three environmental practices at each of their properties, measured the business and environmental impacts and shared the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public.

"Through this program, we demonstrated that green lodging is good business practice, even in these challenging economic times.  Many green practices result in utility savings and sometimes leverage financial incentives, such as utility rebates and tax breaks," said Gerry Link, CHA, WLA Green Team Co-Chair. 

Both pilot companies experienced cost savings, marketing benefits and enhanced employee engagement. For highlights of the companies' successes and lessons learned click here for Columbia Hospitality's Green Pilot case study and here to see Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington's case study. For more detailed results, check out Columbia Hospitality's presentation from the March 7, 2011 WLA luncheon or Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington's presentation from the June 9, 2011 WLA luncheon.  With the assistance of our PR and communications partner, Colehour+Cohen, WLA and its pilot companies have received media attention for their Greening Washington's Lodging Industry Program. 

In 2012 Washington Lodging Association's application for a 2nd Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to support and expand the Greening Program came in third place.  Unfortunately due to funding issues, no Public Participation Grants were awarded in 2012, and the Greening Committee continues to look for ways to enhance and grow the Greening Program.

Learn more!  The documents below were used to guide the two pilot company efforts and intended to assist any hotel interested in enhancing their environmental performance:

• Where to start? Assessing  green lodging practices at your hotel.
• Auditing your property for opportunities.
• Tapping into employee enthusiasm and ideas.
• To what extent do our guests want green lodging options?
• What gets measured gets managed: a data needs checklist to set a baseline and track progress.
• Communicating to management/ownership: Peppertree Inns and Salish Lodge examples.

See who else is going green. As a part of the Green Program, we challenged other hotels around the state to pledge to undertake at least one new green initiative. 22 properties pledged to complete a total of 44 new green actions. See who took the pledge here. 

Visit AH&LA for more information on American Hotel & Lodging Association's Green Guidelines which provide a national, three-tiered, self-certification structure.  And click here for even more valuable resources and advantages to greening your hotel. 

To share your ideas for the Greening Program, or to volunteer on the Greening Committee, please email or call us at 877-906-1001.

The Washington State Visitors’ Guide has been an essential resource for millions travelers since it was first launched by Washington Lodging Association in 2000 to strengthen the state’s tourism industry. Starting with the 2012 edition, the popular Visitors’ Guide is published in partnership with the Washington Tourism Alliance and SagaCity Media, Inc., publishers of Seattle Met, Portland Monthly and other award-winning magazines.

As the only official publication for marketing Washington State, the new edition of the Visitors’ Guide has a circulation of 375,000 and will reach close to a million travelers. It is distributed in visitors centers and tourism locations throughout Washington and other western states, sent to 65,000 subscribers of Seattle Met and Portland Monthly magazines, and is available in select retail locations.

Prospective travelers can also read the Visitors’ Guide in a digital edition or order their own copy on the WTA’s website, ExperienceWA.com, and on WLA’s consumer website, StayinWashington.com. Savvy travelers can access versions of the Guide optimized for use on iPads, Android tablets, and smartphones.

WLA members receive significant discounts on advertising rates in the Visitors’ Guide and member advertisers receive a customized page on StayinWashington.com which they can update throughout the year. For information on advertising in the 2013 edition, please contact Jeff Adams, SagaCity’s Vice President of Custom Publishing, at 206-454-3007 or jadams@sagacitymedia.com.

• Click here to advertise in the 2013 Visitors' Guide
• Click here for reader demographics
• Click here to read the 2012 Visitors' Guide online

StayInWashington.com

StayInWashington.com, WLA’s dynamic consumer website, is designed to encourage travel throughout Washington and quickly links visitors to accommodation options in all parts of the state. In doing so, it helps fulfill WLA’s mission of strengthening the state’s vital hospitality industry.

As the companion site to the annual Washington State Visitors’ Guide, which WLA has been publishing since 2000, StayinWashington.com extends the power of the print edition to the Internet. It connects visitors with great trip ideas, valuable travel resources, popular attractions and useful Google maps, and features a statewide calendar and the ability to search for accommodations by region and city. In addition, visitors can make reservations on the site through Travelocity.

All WLA lodging members receive a basic line listing on StayinWashington.com, and members who advertise in the print edition of the Visitors’ Guide receive as part of their advertising campaign an individual page on the site that includes photos and detailed descriptions of their properties.

StayInWashington.com also features a state-of-the-art digital edition of the Washington State Visitors’ Guide with hyperlinked ads and live links from every URL mentioned in the popular guide. Visitors to the site can also have a copy of the Visitors’ Guide mailed to them for a nominal shipping and handling fee.

To find out more about advertising in the Washington State Visitors’ Guide or on www.StayInWashington.com, please contact Jeff Adams at SagaCity Media, Inc. (jadams@sagacitymedia.com; 206-454-3007).

• Click here for assistance in planning your ad campaign.
• Click here for Visitors' Guide reader demographics.
• Click here to order your copy of the Visitors' Guide.
• Click here to view the Visitors' Guide online.
   

Workplace Safety Training

Valuable and Informative Classes. CPR in English and Spanish, anti-harassment and discrimination, unemployment claims management, safety orientation for new hires and more. Members of WLA and WLA's Workers' Comp Group Retro Program are entitled to four free classes each year, and all classes are available at discounted member rates.

Click here for a class schedule, descriptions and how to register.

Participate in a Free Claims Management Workshop. Receive your Claims Management Manual and valuable tools and information on managing claims and controlling costs. Workshops are conducted by claims experts and are presented by Approach Management Services. Annual attendance at a Claims Management Workshop is required for every member of the WLA Group Retro Program.

Click here for a workshop schedule, descriptions and how to register.

Bring a free Loss-Control Review or other accident prevention program right to your property. Click here to see all the benefits of a Loss-Control Review. 

To learn more about how your business can benefit from the WLA Group Retro Program or to register for safety classes, a claims management workshop, or loss prevention program, click here or contact WLA at 877-906-1001.

Upcoming Classes & Events