News and Analysis
BWC Billing “True-Up” Comes in July
February 19, 2016The last step in the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation transition to prospective billing of premium is the payroll true-up coming in July.
True-up is a new process that requires employers to report their actual payroll for the previous policy year and reconcile any differences in premium paid. This is an important step that is necessary for BWC to accurately calculate your premium. It’s also critical to maintaining your policy and your participation in your current rating plan or discount programs.
BWC will remove employers from their current rating plan or discount program if it does not receive a payroll true-up by the due date. Any outstanding payroll true-ups will render the employer ineligible for participation in future rating plans or discount programs until the all outstanding payroll true-ups are complete.
Employers must complete the true-up report even if their payroll for the year matches the estimate received from BWC.
Your policy year 2015 payroll true-up notice will be sent July 1 and your report will be due by August 15. Reports must be submitted online or by phone at 1-800-644-6292.
The BWC encourages you to create an e-account that allows you to manage your policy, pay bills and complete the payroll true-up. Learn how to create an e-account here.
Proponent Testimony Heard on Self-Insurance Bill
February 12, 2016Substitute House Bill 205 had its first proponent testimony hearing this week in the House Insurance Committee. The bill would remove the minimum number of employees an employer must have in order to apply to become self-insured for workers’ compensation in Ohio.
The BWC already has the authority to waive the minimum employee requirement as long as the company’s financial position meets the agency’s requirements. That change was the result of an OMA-driven amendment to the state budget bill.
House Bill 205, therefore, is not essential for financially strong companies with fewer than 500 employees to apply for self-insurance. Contact OMA’s Jeremy Sesco to discuss a self-insured analysis for your company.
Ohio Safety Congress is March 9-11
February 12, 2016BWC’s Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest and longest-running occupational safety, health and workers’ compensation event in Ohio. More than 6,000 attendees are expected to attend to learn techniques for injury and illness prevention, rehabilitation, and return-to-work. Safety services, industrial supplies, safety equipment and gear will be on display in the Expo Marketplace. Check it all out here.
BWC Offers Online Streaming Safety Video Service
February 12, 2016BWC has partnered with several safety video vendors to offer access to a selection of online streaming videos covering a range of popular safety topics. Ohio employers have access 24 hours a day seven days a week, giving them the freedom and flexibility to view videos at their convenience.
Support your safety program with this resource. Here are the details.
BWC Premium Due March 2
February 12, 2016State fund employers: If you are paying your BWC workers’ compensation premium on a bi-monthly basis and haven’t already paid it, your payment is due March 2. Questions? Ask OMA’s Brian Jackson.
BWC Tweaks Premium Billing Lead Time
February 5, 2016Last week the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) board of directors approved a change to its timing of sending premium invoices.
The BWC will send invoices at least 23 days prior to the due date, which is down from at least 29 days.
The BWC had originally proposed a minimum 18-day lead time; however, OMA objected to this on behalf of members as too short.
Here’s the amended rule and billing chart (see page 8) which shows the new invoicing schedule which starts June 1.
Employers Must Post OSHA 300A Starting Feb. 1
January 22, 2016OSHA is reminds employers to post OSHA’s Form 300A which summarizes the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses logged during 2015. The summary must be posted between Feb. 1 and April 30, 2016, and should be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted.
Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in specific low-hazard industries are normally exempt from federal OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping and posting requirements.
Due to changes in OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements that went into effect Jan. 1, 2015, certain previously exempt industries are now covered. Here are exempt and newly covered industries. Visit OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule webpage for more information on recordkeeping requirements.
Registration Open for Ohio Safety Congress & Expo 2016
January 15, 2016Registration is now open for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) 2016 Safety Congress and Expo (OSC16), March 9-11 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
BWC annually hosts the largest regional safety and health conference in the U.S. to help Ohio employers prevent workplace injuries and achieve better outcomes for injured workers. There is no cost for Ohio employers and their employees to attend the event.
OSC16 offers more than 200 educational sessions, 225 exhibitors and free continuing education credits. Those attending Safety Congress can learn to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, achieve better outcomes for injured workers, reduce workers’ compensation claims costs and keep Ohio’s work force healthy and productive.
A Reminder about Mandatory OSHA Notification of Serious Injury
January 15, 2016All employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.
A fatality must be reported within 8 hours. An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.
To make a report, call the nearest OSHA office or the OSHA 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742, or report online.
Be prepared to supply: Business name; names of employee(s) affected; location and time of the incident; brief description of the incident; contact person and phone number.
¿Tiene preguntas? ¿Necesita ayuda? ¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
January 15, 2016The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation this week announced a new resource for Spanish speaking employers and injured workers at this web page.
Customers seeking assistance can reach Spanish speaking staff daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through BWC’s contact center at 1-800-644-6292.
The page also links to Spanish language forms needed to establish and maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage, report a workplace injury and manage a claim.