News and Analysis
Deadline Nears for Group Experience Rating Program
October 23, 2020The enrollment deadline to participate in the OMA’s Workers’ Compensation Group Experience Rating program for the 2021/22 policy year is Nov. 16. The OMA has posted 2020/21 Workers’ Compensation Services offers to members’ workers’ comp dashboards. Contact OMA’s Brian Jackson or your account manager with questions. 10/21/2020
When Choosing Who Takes Drug Tests, Random Is Random
October 23, 2020How does your company decide who takes a random drug test? Drawing a name out of a fishbowl until you get someone you can afford to send isn’t the answer. In this video by OMA Connections Partner Working Partners®, you’ll learn how to keep random drug tests random. 10/22/2020
OSHA Publishes Daily COVID-19 Safety Tips
October 23, 2020OSHA has published approximately 200 COVID-19 tips on its homepage. Tips cover issues such as use of PPE, training employees on safety protocols, and assigning work shifts. OSHA has also published a set of FAQs on how N95 respirators protect wearers from coronavirus exposure. 10/21/2020
Campaign Focuses on Fighting COVID-19 Outside the Workplace
October 23, 2020With the uptick in COVID-19 cases, let your employees know about the National Association of Manufacturers’ “Creators Respond Commitment.” This campaign encourages employees to follow safety practices outside the workplace since experts indicate that community spread in happening largely as the result of social gatherings, including family get-togethers. Learn more. 10/20/2020
Two-Day Virtual Safety Symposium, Nov. 17-18
October 16, 2020OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips is conducting a two-day virtual safety symposium Nov. 17-18. Topics include COVID-19 wrongful death lawsuits, best practices in workplace safety, and a post-pandemic outlook. Learn more. 10/13/2020
Learn About BWC’s Better You’ Program on Oct. 27
October 16, 2020On Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. (ET), the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will conduct a free 25-minute webinar to learn more about the Better You, Better Ohio! Program. This free health-and-wellness program is for workers of businesses with 150 or fewer employees who are engaged in higher-risk industries, including manufacturing. Learn more here. 10/15/2020
Air Filtration, Ventilation Get More Attention After CDC’s Revised Guidance
October 9, 2020Earlier this week, the CDC revised its guidance on how the coronavirus spreads to include airborne transmission. As reported by EHS Today, the updated guidance notes that “poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces” may contribute to the buildup of virus-carrying particles. Air filtration and ventilation systems could be an important piece of the puzzle as social distancing and limiting interactions isn’t always possible at work sites, the article notes. 10/7/2020
BWC Employer Update Webinar Will Spotlight Dividend Payment, Face Masks
October 9, 2020The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) will conduct its 25-minute monthly Employer Update Webinar on the following days:
- Tuesday, Oct. 13 (1:30 p.m.); and
- Thursday, Oct. 29 (11:30 a.m.).
Among the topics covered will be the recently approved premium dividend, additional face masks for employers, payment plans, and tips for identifying fraud. If you’re unable to watch the event live, a recording of the webinar will be available here. 10/5/2020
BWC Names New Claims Chief
October 9, 2020The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has named Shawn Crosby as its new chief of claims services today. A Cincinnati resident who joined the BWC as a front-line clerk in 1993, Crosby most recently served as Cincinnati claims director. She replaces former claims chief Patricia Harris, who was recently promoted to chief operating officer. 10/7/2020
$1.5 Billion to Be Sent to Ohio Employers This Month
October 2, 2020Up to $1.5 billion in premium rebate checks are scheduled to be mailed to eligible employers in late October and early November after the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) board voted last Friday, Sept. 25 to approve the latest dividend payout. The dividend equals the full premium that employers paid in policy year 2019.
Here is the BWC’s FAQ document regarding the new payout. This rebate and the $1.6 billion rebate issued earlier this year are the seventh and eighth dividends worth $1 billion-plus since 2013. 9/28/2020