3 months ago

My workplace injury led to a new career with L&I

January 13, 2016
By Michael Friend

You never think you’re going to be “the one” to get hurt at work. But it happened to me in 2010.

My name is Michael and I’m an electrician. Late one night on a graveyard shift, I was hit by a drunk driver. The accident left me with multiple injuries. At the time, I didn’t think much about how it would impact my life. But it did.

I lost my career, but ultimately found a new one.

My story is not unlike that of other workers who get injured on the job. After the accident, I kept working, but by July of 2014, my injuries caught up with me. I needed surgery.

After surgery, I couldn’t go back to my original job because of my physical restrictions. When I lost my income, I was pretty worried about how I was going to support my family and make ends meet while accepting my new reality. Everything was changing.

A year after surgery, my doctor said I had healed as much as possible and it was okay for me to go back to work. My Claims Manager referred me to a Reemployment Specialist at L&I named Beth Rokstad. In partnership with the Employment Security Department (ESD), Beth’s specialty is helping injured workers search for jobs.

Not knowing if you’ll be able to work again is a scary thing. Once I knew for certain that I couldn’t go back to being an electrician, it was sort of a relief. I started to think about how to move forward and to focus on what I could do.

Since I had been out of work for a year and was changing jobs, I needed a bit of help. I got qualified for unemployment benefits and a program called PierceWorks. PierceWorks is a 7-week career transition and job prep program at Pierce College in Tacoma. The $2800 tuition was covered by ESD and I was able to earn 20 college credits.

The course completely transformed my approach to finding work. At first, I thought I’d just brush up on my computer skills. It turned out to be so much more. I gained confidence for interviews and spent time focusing on jobs that would be a good fit for me. I realized I wanted to work with people.

Soon after I finished my course, Beth called to check in.

I was happy to report that the new résumé and cover letter I’d created at PierceWorks had already resulted in several job interviews. In fact, just hours before Beth called, I had accepted a job offer from L&I to work as an Electrical Inspector!

It’s ironic, I know. But I’m glad to be here where I’m needed and can use my skills as an electrician while working within my physical limitations.

I have nothing but good things to say about the PierceWorks program. My instructor and fellow job seekers were so inspiring. I was honored when they invited me back as a guest speaker to encourage the next group of job seekers. I hope I inspired them and served as a positive role model for re-employment.

I’ve only been working at L&I for a few months, but I already love it here. Having been on the other side of the fence, I was pleasantly surprised with the good impressions I got even during the interview process. I had another employer pursuing me, but I knew quickly that L&I was the right fit for me.

I know L&I is all about helping injured workers heal and return to work. I just didn’t realize that I’d end up with a whole new career when I was only searching for a job.

I feel valued and appreciated here and I am grateful to Beth and her fellow Reemployment Specialists for their commitment to help workers like me.

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1 month ago

Electrical inspector’s comment leads to bonus for 2 workers

March 10, 2016
By Matthew Erlich

Around mid-December last year, L&I Electrical Inspector Jim Simmons stopped at an Olympia residence under construction to walk through the site.

What he saw impressed him so much he called the contractor to compliment the work — which led to something wholly unexpected.

“I see tons of new construction,” said Jim. “This one was really exemplary in workmanship.”

Pictured at right: Jim Simmons.
Left: Some of the well-wired electrical work that caught Jim’s attention at an Olympia residence.

Electrical inspectors at L&I make more than a quarter-million site visits annually, nearly all of them within 48-hours of the request. The mission of helping keep people safe is important, as are the health and benefits that come with the job.

In Jim’s case, he ran his own electrical company for 33 years. Health reasons and a desire to simplify his life made him decide to sell his business to an employee. Bob Thomas, another electrical inspector, approached him to join L&I about 18 months ago.

“It’s something that’s a good fit for me with my previous experience,” Jim said. “I just enjoy staying involved — I think I’m helping.”

On the job site
On the job site, Jim noted how straight the wires were coming out of the main electrical panel. When necessary, wires made 90-degree turns and were stapled in an orderly fashion. Jim even took photos. “If anyone asks me how it should look, I’ll show them these pictures,” he said.

When he got back to the office, Jim decided it would be a good idea to call the company.

“As inspectors, we get a reputation as an enforcer,” he said. “Once in a while, you can pat a guy on the back and say, ‘Good job.’ It doesn’t take a lot of time, it’s good customer relations and it makes the department look good.”

But when Leilani West with Advanced Electric & Security Inc., in Edgewood, got the call, her first thought was: “What did we do wrong?”

When she heard Jim compliment the work on the Olympia home site, Leilani said she knew exactly who had done that job. Chad McWhirt, a journeyman, and Kristopher Heuett, a trainee, were the ones who had worked on the project.

“It’s not something we normally get, especially from an inspector,” Leilani said. “That was kind of weird.”

‘You’re the guy…’
So, it was something of a surprise to Jim when, a couple of weeks later, he was doing an inspection in Lacey and saw an unmarked van at a construction site. He stopped to check on the workers, who turn out to be the same pair from Advanced Electric.

“They tell me, ‘You’re the guy!’ We got a bonus because of what you said,” Jim explained. He said they were called into the office, each wondering what they had done wrong, when they were presented with bonuses.

Jim said his experience owning an electrical company helped him realize the benefit of making the phone call. As a former contractor and now an inspector, he said that unique perspective allows him to see the benefits of making the call — and, he said, he’ll do it again the next time he sees good work.

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