The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) offers employers many different rating, bonus and rebate programs to encourage cost control, return-to-work, efficiency and safety.

If you are interested in enrolling in a BWC program, or are already enrolled, here are some important deadline dates to remember. If you have any questions or if you would like to learn more about these discount programs and the potential savings they have to offer to your organization, click on the program hyperlink or feel free to contact Lora Brooks, Sedgwick Program Specialist at 800.825.6755, ext. 65436.

To receive and maintain workers' compensation coverage, employers must pay premiums timely to the Ohio BWC.

Through the year, you have been making premium installment payments based on estimated payroll. Now, as we near the conclusion of 2020 policy year (7/1/2020 through 6/30/2021), BWC will be requiring all employers to reconcile (“true-up”) the payroll that was used to estimate their premium with their actual payroll for the policy year. BWC will also be sending information regarding premium installments for the upcoming 7/1/2021 through 6/30/2022 rating year.

Here are some important reminders and actions you can take to receive rebates and avoid penalties.

1. BWC will be mailing 2021 estimated annual premium notices along with your installment schedule around May 1, 2021.
   • If you expect your payroll to change during the 2021 rating year from the estimate provided, you can call BWC at 800.644.6292 and request a change to your payroll and installment schedule.
   • Failure to make installment payments based on the installment schedule can result in lapses in coverage, therefore make sure installment payments are paid by the due dates as noted on the installment schedule. The first installment payment will be due by mid/late June 2021.
     • If you are having trouble keeping up with your installment payments which result in lapses in coverage, this is a good opportunity to change to a less frequent installment schedule (quarterly, semi-annually, or annually).  Through May 15, 2021 employers can go online at www.bwc.ohio.gov and update their installment plan for the 2021 rating year.
   • If you pay your full 2021 premium by the June installment due date, you can earn a 2% early payment discount. There is no need to switch to an annual installment, but the premium must be paid in full by the due date. BWC will issue the 2% refund the following month.
2. BWC will mail notices regarding the 7/1/2020 through 6/30/2021 true-up around July 1, 2021; reporting and payment is due by August 15, 2021
   • Failure to true-up and pay any additional premium will result in your policy being removed from all discount and rebate programs and it will remain ineligible for discounts and rebate in future years.
3. Employers can receive a rebate for paying premiums and completing true-up online with BWC's Go-Green Rebate Program. Refer to Go-Green Rebate Program for more information.

If you have any questions regarding premium installments or the true-up process, contact your Sedgwick rate analyst at 800.825.6755.

In March, the Ohio BWC's board of directors approved base rates for the upcoming 7/1/2021 rating year for private employers. The rates will result in a 15% overall decrease in collectable premiums. Although the overall collectable rate is decreasing, each manual classification’s impact may be different. Refer to the chart to determine how your manual classification(s) may be impacted. BWC also approved the following assessment rates. The money collected through these assessments is used to fund the operation expenditures of BWC and Industrial Commission (IC), and to pay cost of living increases to injured workers collecting permanent and total disability benefits. Because these administrative rates are a percentage of premium rates, which are reduced, there is a need for an increase in order to collect roughly the same amount.

*Rates listed are a percentage of merit-rated premium and are effective for the 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2022 payroll period for private employers and for the 1/1/2022 to 12/31/2022 payroll period for public employers.

If you have any questions regarding these changes, or would like to see the impact that these changes may have to your workers’ compensation premiums, contact your Sedgwick rate analyst at 800.825.6755.