Raid of BWC or IC for State Budget Halted

After a series of negotiations with the Kasich administration, the OMA with other business groups have agreed to terms in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will prevent the transfer of any funds from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) or Industrial Commission (IC) to the General Revenue Fund (GRF) to help balance the state budget.

The transfer provision was included in the state budget bill and allowed the administration to reach into both the BWC and IC in order to shore up state tax revenue shortages.

The OMA and other major business groups opposed the provision in the budget stating that it improperly transfers employer dollars set aside for the workers’ compensation system, sets a bad precedent and creates constitutionality questions which could leave the state vulnerable to legal action.

The MOU is expected to be executed soon. 8/10/2017