OHIO BWC UPDATES

OHIO BWC UPDATES

The BWC continues to make policy and process changes due to the COVID-19 emergency.  There are several timely and important topics to review closely at this time:

• BWC is currently delivering Estimated Annual Premium letters to employers for the 2020 policy year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021).  BWC’s 2020 payroll estimates are based on actual payroll reported for the year ending 6/30/2019.

However, BWC is reducing 2020 payroll estimates by approximately 20% due to assumed COVID-19 business challenges. This could impact what employers will owe when completing BWC’s 2020 True-Up Report (due

August 15, 2021).

• Currently BWC does not charge penalties or interest if employers underreport estimated payroll, however employers may want to adjust their 2020 estimated payroll to avoid a large 2020 True-Up (due 8/15/2021).
• Employers can revise their 2020 premium installment schedule to better match 2020 cash flow estimates.  Monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual options are available.  May 15, 2020 is the last day BWC accepts changes to employer’s 2020 installment plans.
• BWC is also allowing employers to add manual #8871 – Telecommuting, for operational employees temporarily working at home.
• May 29, 2020 is the enrollment deadline for BWC’s Transitional Work Bonus, Drug Free Safety Program and Industry Specific Safety Program for the policy year starting July 1, 2020.

BWC will provide rebates for the 2019 Safety Council Program as long as employers attended at least 4 monthly meetings by February 29, 2020.

Message for Safety Council Rebate Participants

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and Industrial Commission are still open. The Bureau is accepting and making determinations of eligibility on new claims during the state of emergency. They have canceled all Independent Medical Exams and are continuing payments for Temporary Total Disability and Wage Loss through April 30, 2020.

On April 10, the BWC Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve Gov. DeWine and Administrator McCloud’s recommendation to issue a $1.6 billion rebate to all state fund employers. The amount of each employer’s rebate will equal 100 percent of their paid workers’ compensation premium between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, and individual employer checks are expected to be delivered by the end of this month. More details about the rebate can be accessed here.

Until further notice, scheduled hearings at the Industrial Commission will take place via telephone, and hearings will be limited to allowances and the issuance or termination of temporary total disability, wage loss and permanent total disability.

On March 21, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced a BWC policy directive that will enable employers to defer workers’ compensation premium payments until June 1, 2020. More information about the policy change can be found here.

On March 30, the BWC announced they are waiving all safety and education and training requirements through June 30, 2020 for participants in the Policy Activity Rebate Program, Industry-specific Safety Program, Drug-Free Safety Program, One Claim Program, EM Cap Program and Grow Ohio.

For answers to other important workers’ compensation questions, go to Ohio’s BWC Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions Page.