News and Analysis
BWC’s ‘One Claim Program’ Enrollment Due Jan. 31
January 21, 2022The Ohio BWC offers its One Claim Program for employers that have been removed from a Group Experience Rating Program due to a significant claim. The program lessens the financial impact of a large claim affecting an employer’s claims experience.
An employer that meets the eligibility requirements will receive an up-front discount of 20% off the base rate in the first year. Contact Juliet Walker, managing director, OMA Workers’ Compensation Services, to see if your company qualifies. 1/19/2022
Smaller Manufacturers: Learn About ‘Better You, Better Ohio’ Wellness Program
January 21, 2022At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, Ohio BWC will host a free 25-minute webinar on the “Better You, Better Ohio!” program. This free health-and-wellness program is for workers of businesses with 150 or fewer employees engaged in higher-risk industries, including manufacturing. 1/20/2022
Employers Statewide Can Get Reimbursed for Drug Testing
January 14, 2022OMA Connections Partner Working Partners® reports that the Ohio BWC’s Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program (SURWSP) is reimbursing employers for drug-free workplace program-related purchases, including policy audits and development; employee education and supervisor training; courses and tools to help improve program administration; and drug testing (if employers have a second-chance policy).
All Ohio employers covered by the state’s workers’ compensation fund and current on their premium payments are eligible. Just complete a simple, online form to enroll. Employers can get reimbursed for expenses dating back to July 1, 2019, even if you weren’t enrolled in the program at the time. 1/13/2022
Court Decision Impacts Ohio Workers’ Comp Statute of Limitations
January 14, 2022Employers are accustomed to the practice of an injured worker filing a request for workers’ compensation or medical treatment days before the applicable statute of limitations in order to keep the claim alive. But as OMA Connections Partner Dinsmore notes in this insight, a recent decision by the Ohio Third District Court of Appeals means the mere filing of a request to amend a claim for additional conditions is not sufficient to toll the statute of limitations as prescribed in Ohio law. 1/13/2022
Do FMLA and Workers’ Comp Benefits Run Concurrently?
January 7, 2022When a workplace injury occurs, Ohio employers often wonder if Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave runs concurrently with workers’ compensation benefits. The short answer is “maybe,” according to the OMA’s general counsel Bricker and Eckler, which notes that employers have a responsibility to ensure FMLA and workers’ compensation benefits are applied properly. Read the firm’s insight on this important topic. 1/6/2022
Workers’ Comp Implications of Mandatory Vaccination Policies
January 7, 2022OMA Connections Partner Frantz Ward has published this insight into whether workers’ compensation benefits apply to Ohio employees that experience side-effects following a COVID-19 vaccination required by their employer.
The firm indicates that even common side-effects lasting only a few days can create workers’ compensation implications. But the firm also notes that based on current evidence, the vast majority of potential claims for vaccine side-effects appear to be fairly insignificant in terms of employers’ financial exposure. 1/4/2022
Experts Recommend Upgrading to Surgical Masks, Respirators Due to Omicron
January 7, 2022As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to spread, even amongst the vaccinated, experts say it’s time to exchange cloth masks for KN95 or N95 respirators, or disposable surgical masks, according to reports.
The typical cloth face mask may have upwards of 75% inward and outward leakage, according to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, an Ohio-based science non-profit. As illustrated by this document, research shows cloth masks will only protect someone from COVID-19 for 20 minutes, while an N95 can protect for up to 25 hours. 1/4/2022
CDC: Staying ‘Up to Date’ on COVID-19 Vaccination Means Getting Booster
January 7, 2022The CDC said this week that staying “up to date” on COVID-19 vaccinations means getting a booster shot. According to the agency, people who are up to date with their vaccines are “well protected from serious illness or other health outcomes.” The CDC says it will continue to follow the evidence related to vaccine effectiveness and protection against variants of the virus. 1/6/2022
Reminder: OSHA Recordkeeping Webinar, Jan. 13
January 7, 2022Here’s a reminder that at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, the OMA will host an interactive webinar to introduce OSHA recordkeeping. Presented by OMA Connections Partner Safex, this event is intended for those who are new to OSHA recordkeeping, as well as those who need a refresher. Learn more and register. 1/5/2022
Legalized Pot Backers Fall Short of Signature Goal
January 7, 2022Activists seeking to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Ohio have until Jan. 13 to collect the number of signatures necessary to place their proposal before the General Assembly. This comes after the group fell 13,062 valid signatures short. A spokesperson for the group expressed confidence it will meet the threshold in the next few days, according to Cleveland.com.
OMA Connections Partner Working Partners® says it is essential that employers strategize (then communicate) on how they’ll respond to marijuana in the workplace by using these steps to evaluate their stance. 1/5/2022