Nearly 650 COVID-19 Workers’ Comp Claims Filed in Ohio

This new report from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) shows that from March 11 to June 16, a total of 642 Ohio workers filed claims alleging they contracted COVID-19 on the job. More than 500 of those claimants wor in health care or as first responders, while the 123 remaining cases were filed by employees in other sectors of the economy. According to the report, 109 of the claims have already been rejected.

According to the BWC’s FAQ document (Question 5), whether a COVID-related workers’ compensation claim is compensable depends on how an employee contracts the virus and the nature of his/her occupation. “Generally, communicable diseases like COVID-19 are not workers’ compensation claims because people are exposed in a variety of ways, and few jobs have a hazard or risk of getting the diseases in a greater degree or a different manner than the general public,” the BWC notes. 6/24/2020