Department of Labor & Industries v. Avundes

**What Happened** A farm worker in Washington was injured on the job and filed for workers' compensation benefits. The dispute centered on how to calculate his monthly wage for benefit purposes. The employer and insurance system wanted to use "wage averaging," which looks at earnings over a longer period and typically results in lower benefit payments. The injured worker argued his employment wasn't "intermittent" (irregular or sporadic), so his benefits should be calculated using the "current wage method," which uses more recent earnings and usually provides higher payments. **What the Court Decided** The Washington Supreme Court ruled in favor of the injured farm worker. The court determined that his employment pattern was not essentially intermittent, meaning his work was regular enough to qualify for the current wage calculation method. This decision resulted in higher workers' compensation benefits for the worker. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling is significant because it protects workers from having their compensation benefits artificially reduced through unfavorable calculation methods. Farm workers and others in seasonal industries can benefit from this precedent, as it establishes that regular seasonal work shouldn't automatically be classified as "intermittent," potentially leading to higher workers' compensation payments when injuries occur.