Stelter v. Department of Labor and Industries

**Stelter v. Department of Labor and Industries: Worker Loses Coverage Dispute** This case involved a worker named Stelter who was injured while working for Drotzmann, Inc., a trucking company. Stelter believed his employer should have provided workers' compensation coverage for his injury. However, Drotzmann claimed they were exempt from Washington state's workers' compensation requirements because they operated as an interstate trucking company that transported goods across state lines. The Washington Supreme Court sided with the employer. The court ruled that Drotzmann, Inc. was indeed exempt from the state's mandatory workers' compensation coverage because the company qualified as a "common carrier" that conducted business exclusively between different states. The court also determined that Stelter's personal belief about whether his employer should provide coverage didn't matter legally – what mattered was the actual nature of the company's business operations. **What this means for workers:** If you work for a trucking company or other business that operates exclusively in interstate commerce, your employer may not be required to provide state workers' compensation coverage. Workers in these situations should understand their coverage options and may need to look to federal programs or private insurance for injury protection.