Will starting a youth nonprofit affect my active L&I workers comp claim?

Workers comp through L&I isnt the same as regular unemployment! Be super careful, they can be strict. My cousin got his L&I benefits cut when they found out he was helping his brother with yard work (not even getting paid). Call ur claim manager ASAP!!!

This is an important question that comes up often. L&I workers' compensation and regular unemployment are completely different programs with different rules. For L&I claims, any activity that might demonstrate you can perform work-like functions could potentially affect your claim, even if unpaid. You absolutely should report this to your claim manager before proceeding. Setting up a nonprofit involves administrative tasks and potentially physical activities that your claim manager needs to evaluate against your work restrictions. The fact that you're not being paid doesn't matter - it's about your physical capabilities. I recommend documenting exactly what activities you'll be performing and having your doctor approve those specific tasks in writing. Also ask your doctor to clearly state what you still cannot do related to your regular job duties.

When i was on L&I last year for my back, I joined a community board as a volunteer and they made me fill out this form showing all the duties. My doctor had to sign off that it was ok with my restrictions. As long as what your doing doesn't violate your work restrictions, they usually approve it. But DO NOT just start doing it without telling them!!!!!

It was an L&I form my claim manager sent me after I told her about the volunteer position. I think it was called Activity Prescription Form or something like that. Definitely talk to your claim manager first, they'll tell you exactly what paperwork you need. If you cant reach them that's when problems start!!

I work in HR and deal with L&I claims regularly. Here's what you need to know: 1. You must report ANY activity that could demonstrate work capacity to L&I, paid or unpaid 2. The paperwork you need is called an Activity Prescription Form (APF) - your doctor needs to clearly outline what you can/cannot do 3. Be specific about the nonprofit tasks - administrative work, computer time, any physical activities 4. Get everything in writing and keep copies Most importantly, doing this BEFORE you start any activities shows good faith. L&I isn't necessarily trying to catch you, but they do need to know if you've recovered enough to do work-like activities because it affects your benefits and treatment plan. If you're having trouble reaching your claim manager, that's unfortunately common given their caseloads.

After spending WEEKS trying to reach my L&I claim manager last year (constant busy signals, voicemails never returned), I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to someone at L&I in about 20 minutes. They have this system that keeps calling for you until they get through. Saved me so much frustration! You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Definitely worth it because getting approval BEFORE starting your nonprofit activities is crucial. L&I can be really strict about this stuff.

To directly answer your original question: Yes, starting a youth nonprofit while on an active L&I claim could potentially affect your benefits if: 1. The activities violate your medical restrictions 2. You don't report it to L&I beforehand 3. The activities demonstrate capacity to perform your regular job duties Even volunteer work must be reported and approved. The key is being transparent with L&I and getting proper medical documentation. Many people successfully engage in limited volunteer activities while on L&I, but proper reporting is essential.

My brother got in BIG trouble with L&I cause they saw facebook pics of him volunteering at a community garden while claiming he couldnt work!!! they made him pay back like $6000!!! be careful what u post online too!!!

One final piece of advice: when you do get hold of your claim manager, ask them to document the conversation in your file. Get their email address and follow up with a summary of what was discussed. L&I claims can sometimes change hands, and having that paper trail of you actively seeking guidance shows you're acting in good faith.