C O M P N O T E S
Workers' compensation
BWC rebate programs
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.
Action required | Public employers | Private employers | |
Deductible program |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
July 31, 2023 (2024 rating year) |
Jan 31, 2024 (2024 rating year) |
Drug free safety program (DFSP) |
Annual report deadline |
Sep 30, 2023 (2023 rating year) |
Mar 31, 2023 (2022 rating year) |
Application deadline for new participants |
Nov 30, 2023 |
May 31, 2023 |
|
Online safety management self-assessment (SH-26) deadline and accident analysis training deadline (initial year only; new supervisors have 60 days from hire date to complete) |
Jan 31, 2024 |
Jul 31, 2023 |
|
EM cap |
Education requirements deadline |
Sep 30, 2023 |
Mar 31, 2023 |
Group experience rating |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
May 31, 2023 |
Nov 20, 2023 |
Group retrospective rating |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
Jul 31, 2023 |
Jan 31, 2024 |
Group rating and group retrospective rating (employers with a claim in the green period) |
Deadline to complete 2 hours of BWC approved training or BWC's online accident analysis form and safety class and to report all training to Sedgwick |
Dec 31, 2023 |
Jun 30, 2023 |
Individual retrospective rating |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
Jul 31, 2023 |
Jan 31, 2024 |
Industry specific safety program (ISSP) (the number of safety activities required is based on employer's annual payroll) |
Application deadline for new participants |
BWC discontinuing program |
BWC discontinuing program |
Deadline to complete industry-specific safety classes offered by BWC's Division of Safety & Hygiene (DS&H), or on-site safety consulting by DS&H experts followed by completion of an online on-site consultation survey (SH-29 form), or attend BWC’s Annual Ohio Safety Congress & Expo |
Dec 31, 2023 |
Jun 30, 2023 |
|
One claim program |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
Jul 31, 2023 |
Jan 31, 2024 |
Education requirements must be completed |
Sep 30, 2023 |
Mar 31, 2023 |
|
Safety council program |
Attendance of 10 safety council meetings must be completed |
Jun 30, 2023 |
Jun 30, 2023 |
Application deadline for re-enrolling and for new participants |
Jul 31, 2023 |
Jul 31, 2023 |
|
Transitional work bonus (TWB) |
Application deadline for new participants |
Nov 30, 2023 |
May 31, 2023 |
Prospective billing reminders
Premium installment and true-up reporting for private employers
To receive and maintain workers' compensation coverage, employers must pay premiums timely to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).
To remain eligible for BWC program discounts, to receive program rebates, and to avoid penalties here are some important reminders.
BWC will be mailing 2023 estimated annual premium notices along with your installment schedule around May 1, 2023.
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, 2023 employers can go online at www.bwc.ohio.gov and update their installment plan for the 2023 rating year.
Throughout the year, you have been making premium installment payments based on estimated payroll. Now, as we near the conclusion of 2022 policy year (7/1/2022 through 6/30/2023), BWC will be requiring all private employers to reconcile (“True-Up”) with their actual payroll. BWC will mail notices regarding the 7/1/2022 through 6/30/2023 True-Up around July 1, 2023; payroll reporting and payment are both due by August 15, 2023.
Failure to true-up and pay any additional premium will result in your policy being removed from all discount and rebate programs, and your policy may be ineligible for future year discounts and rebates.
If you have any questions regarding premium installments or the true-up process, contact your Sedgwick rate analyst at 800.825.6755.
Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rates
In March, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors approved base rates for the upcoming 7/1/2023 rating year for private employers. The rates will result in an 8% 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. Both the BWC Admin and IC portions of the rate decreased slightly from the prior year.
Employer type | BWC admin* | IC admin* | DWRF1 | DWRF2 | Total assessments* |
Private | 26.26 | 2.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 29.01 |
Public | 17.85 | 5.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 22.86 |
*Rates listed are a percentage of merit-rated premium and are effective for the 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024 payroll period for private employers and for the 1/1/2024 to 12/31/2024 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.
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