Ohio Public Employer Workers’ Comp Rates Falling

Ohio’s 3,900 public employer taxing districts will pay an estimated $22 million less for workers’ compensation coverage next year following tadecision by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors to lower overall rates five percent beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

The overall average decrease of five percent will result in even greater reductions for several public employer industry groups. Rates for counties and school districts will decrease by an overall six percent; villages by an overall nine percent; and special districts (excluding transit authorities) by an overall 18 percent.

Rates for individual entities will differ based on several factors. Some employers may experience slight increases while others see decreases based on their own claims history and base rate changes that BWC staff proposed. The board is scheduled to vote on that recommendation, which proposes reductions for 12 of the 14 manual classifications associated with public employer taxing districts, at its November meeting.