Ohio's Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rates drop

Ohio employers, both public and private, will soon see their Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rates drop.

Rate reduction for private employers

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Administrator John Logue announced Ohio private employers will pay nearly $90 million dollars less in premiums in the next fiscal year due to an 8% rate reduction. This means that the average rate levels for the 275,000 private and public employers are at the lowest in over 60 years. Gov. DeWine credited businesses for adopting a safety focused culture.

A recent study found BWC had the fifth lowest workers’ compensation premium rates among all the states and Washington, D.C. through January 1, 2022. This ranking is an improvement from the 2020 12th-place ranking. In 2008, Ohio had the third highest rate in the country. 

Rate reductions continue to advance Ohio’s strong economic position according to Logue. The actual premium costs for individual private employers depend on several factors, including the expected future claim costs in their industry, their company’s recent claims history, and their participation in various BWC programs.

Rate reduction for public employers

Effective January 1, 2024, Ohio’s public employers will pay nearly $8 million less in premiums next year thanks to a rate cut of nearly 4%.  This rate reduction was made possible due to declining injury claims and relatively low medical inflation costs by Ohio’s counties, cities, public schools, and other public taxing districts.

Logue states that “[w]e are always looking for ways to save Ohio employers money.”  The actual rate reduction for an individual entity will be based upon multiple factors including employer type or classification, payroll levels, recent claims history, and their participation in various BWC programs.

The attorneys at McDonald Hopkins are well versed in claim defenses resulting in lower premium rates for both private and public employers including effective cost-saving representation at administrative hearings and in the judicial system.