Other Ohio BWC Discount Programs
List Of Available Programs:
We’ve Helped Many Clients Enroll
Experienced claims managers
Manual Classification Review
Attorney representation at the industrial commission
Semi-Annual Safety Training
Things to Remember
- If an employer is prepared to offer transitional work, we recommend that the offer be made to the injured worker in writing via certified mail and copies of the offer be sent to the BWC, the MCO, and Hunter Consulting.
- If an injured worker’s physician of record agrees to the transitional work position that the employer has to offer and the injured worker refuses to accept the transitional duty position, ongoing compensation may be terminated.
- To benefit fully from this cost control strategy, the employer must pay the injured worker their normal wages/salary from the onset of the injury. If the employer pays the injured worker at a lower rate, the injured worker may have the option to file for wage loss compensation. Wage loss can carry a high reserve charge and adversely affect an employer’s premiums. By paying the normal wages/salary from the beginning, the BWC will not add a reserve.
Transitional Work Grant (TWG) Program
One key strategy for helping injured employees stay at work or return sooner is transitional work. Our Transitional Work Grant (TWG) Program supports you in creating a program tailored to your business and workforce needs. Getting an injured employee back to work safely before full recovery can reduce workers’ comp costs and positively impact your bottom line.
Transitional work grants are available for companies with 11 to over 200 employees, with reimbursement of up to 100% of the maximum grant amount. These grant amounts have been effective since July 1, 2023.
- 11-49 employees up to $3,700.
- 50-199 employees up to $6,800.
- 200+ employees up to $8,200.
The reimbursement increase reflects the new rate for functional job analysis (PDF), a vital tool for employers implementing TWG plans. As of July 1, the reimbursement rate will rise from $200 to $350 per job analysis.
BWC-accredited transitional work developers must use our functional job analysis template, which helps employers pinpoint suitable job tasks for injured workers based on their specific restrictions.
Enrolling in the program
Fill out the online Transitional Work Grant (TWG-1) application or send the paper TWG-1 (PDF) via email to the transitional work department. Eligible employers will receive an approval email. Once approved by BWC, the next step is to hire a BWC-accredited transitional work developer to create a customized program for your company. BWC provides grant funding only for plans and services developed by an accredited professional.
Transitional Work Bonus Program
Employers with a transitional work plan play an active role in helping their employees recover and return to work. Injured employees can resume their duties with minimal time off, as employers can assign roles or tasks that align with any medical or physical limitations.
This approach can offer cost savings, such as reduced workers’ compensation expenses and lower claim reserves. Additionally, employers participating in the Transitional Work Bonus Program with an approved plan may qualify for a back-end bonus. Eligible state-funded employers or public employer taxing districts can earn up to a 10% incentive for using a transitional work program to bring injured employees back to work, applicable to claims with injury dates within the bonus year.
Transitional Work Bonus Program phase out
This program will gradually phase out over three years, allowing employers who have integrated transitional work for injured employees to continue benefiting with minimal disruption.
BWC will implement a gradual reduction in the rebate: 7%, then 4%, and finally 0% over three years. The 7% rebate will begin on July 1, 2024, for private employers (PA) and January 1, 2025, for public employers (PEC). After three years, the Transitional Work Bonus program will end, with all rebates set to 0%.
Each year will have a rebate cap of $25,000 per employer, beginning with the July 1, 2024, policy year for PA and January 1, 2025, for PEC. Policies will be rolled forward with the program, and new employers may still apply to join. The final application deadlines are July 1, 2025, for private employers and January 1, 2026, for public employers. Final rebates will be issued on December 31, 2026, for private employers and June 30, 2027, for public employers.
Eligibility requirements
- Be current with all payments due to BWC.
- No cumulative lapses in workers' compensation coverage in excess of 40 days within the 12 months preceding the application deadline.
- Be in an active policy status. Active policy status does not include an employer with no coverage or lapsed.
- Must have reported actual payroll for the proceeding policy year and paid any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium with actual premium no later than the application deadline.
Enrolling in the program
For Private Employers: Submit the Application for the Transitional Work Bonus Program (TWB-1) by the last business day in May for the July 1 – June 30 program period.
For Public Employers: Submit the TWB-1 application by the last business day in November for the January 1 – December 31 program period.
Note: Once enrolled in the bonus program, your participation will automatically renew each year as long as eligibility requirements are met. You can check your program eligibility at any time.
Better You, Better Ohio!® health and wellness program
Description
The Better You, Better Ohio!® initiative is designed to enhance the well-being of employees working for small businesses (250 or fewer employees) in high-risk sectors. This program offers valuable resources that genuinely impact workers’ lives. It’s entirely free and easy to access through a quick, paperless process for both employees and employers.
Who can participate?
Why participate?
Having a healthy workforce brings significant advantages for employers. Healthier employees are less likely to sustain injuries, and if injuries occur, they tend to recover more quickly. Over time, a healthy team can lead to reduced costs for workers’ compensation and healthcare. Better You, Better Ohio!® is here to help by:
- Help prevent injuries through improved workforce health and safety
- Reduce absenteeism and improve presenteeism
- Reduce the severity of an injury
- Improve the recovery time from an injury
- Reduce time away from work due to an injury
How it helps Ohio’s workforce
The program provides employees with an abundance of resources to empower them to take charge of their health and wellness. Through complimentary offerings, they can actively work toward a healthier lifestyle, which includes:
- Health and wellness awareness, education, and training
- Health assessments and biometric screenings for better understanding of their health and well-being
- A member engagement website that allows them to develop health plans and track their progress to achieve their goals
- A state-of-the art mobile app for creating weekly action plans and getting health tips
- Digital coaching to help them on their journey to better health
Group-Retrospective-Rating Program
The Group-Retrospective-Rating Program is an incentive program we created to help you manage safety and claims more effectively. This program allows sponsors to form groups of employers who band together to achieve lower premiums.
Why participate?
In this program, you continue to pay your individual premium. However, you also have the chance to receive retrospective premium adjustments. These adjustments are based on the combined performance of your group. Depending on how well your group performs, you could receive either a premium refund or an assessment.
Who can participate?
Private, state-funded, and public employers can sign up for this program.
- Incentive Contract: Employer allows the injured worker to return to work at less than 100% productivity and the BWC will reimburse the employer a percentage of the injured worker’s wages for up to 13 weeks.
- On the Job Training: The BWC may pay for training if the injured worker needs to obtain or increase vocational skills on the job.
- Work Trial: The BWC pays the injured worker living maintenance up to 4 weeks while the employer tests, observes, and evaluates the injured worker prior to hiring.
Requirements
To be eligible for the program, you must:
- Be a private, state-fund employer or a public employer taxing district
- Be up to date on all premiums, administrative costs, assessments, fines, or monies owed to us
- Have reported actual payroll for the preceding policy year and paid any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium for that policy year
- Not have cumulative lapses in workers’ comp coverage more than 40 days within the 12 months preceding the application deadline
Note: Self-insuring employers and state agency public employers are not eligible to participate.
How to enroll
Third-party administrators (TPAs) representing sponsoring organizations send invitations to employers who may qualify for the program.
For Private Employers: Group sponsors must submit applications by the last business day in January before the policy year beginning on July 1.
For Public Employers: Applications must be submitted by the last business day in July before the policy year starting on January 1.
Each sponsoring organization’s group program is expected to significantly enhance accident prevention and claims management. The Group-Rating Safety Accountability letter (DOCX) outlines the safety service standards that enrolled employers can expect within a group program.
Group performance
Group retrospective premium adjustments rely on the collective performance of the group. As a participant, you have access to your quarterly claims costs as well as the group’s overall performance through the Group-retrospective-rating performance service. Additionally, you can download specific details about the claims that contribute to your share of the group’s total claim costs.
Group-Experience-Rating Program
This program enables both public and private employers with strong claim histories to participate through a sponsoring organization. By grouping these employers together, we assess them collectively as a single entity. New employers also have the opportunity to join an existing group.
Why participate?
By participating in group-experience rating, employers may enjoy much lower premium rates than they could attain on their own. An employer’s workers’ comp coverage is still through us; however, we do not form the group.
Who can participate?
Public and private employers with clean and maintained claim histories can participate in the program.
Requirements
As of the application deadline, you must:
- Be current on all payments due to BWC
- Be current on the payment schedule of any part-pay agreement you’ve entered to pay premiums or assessments
- Not have cumulative lapses in workers’ comp coverage more than 40 days in the past 12 months
- Not be a member of more than one group
- Have reported actual payroll for the preceding policy year, and paid any premium due, upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium for that policy year
Third-party administrators are required to submit a roster of employers in each group by the specified application deadline. All employers within a group must be businesses with significant similarities.
Each sponsoring organization’s group program should meaningfully enhance accident prevention and claims management. The Group-Rating Safety Accountability letter (DOCX) details the safety service standards you can expect as an employer participating in a group program.
How to enroll
Third-party administrators (TPAs) representing sponsoring organizations, like chambers of commerce or trade associations, invite eligible employers to apply for the program. You can access a list of group sponsors and TPAs relevant to your industry through the Group-experience-rating service.
For Private Employers: Group sponsors must submit applications by the Monday before the fourth Thursday in November, ahead of the policy year beginning July 1.
For Public Employers: Group sponsors must submit applications by the last business day in May, before the policy year that starts January 1.
New employers
New employers have the chance to join a group-experience-rating program, potentially earning a premium discount of up to 53 percent.
BWC considers a new employer to be a newly established business or an out-of-state company creating jobs within Ohio. However, certain entities—such as professional employer organizations (PEOs), alternate employer organizations (AEOs), self-insuring employers, and employers transferring experience—are ineligible for this program.
To join a group, you’ll need to select a sponsoring organization to include you in their group-rating program. To qualify, your business must be listed on a submitted group roster within 30 days of being assigned a policy number. You can download a list of group sponsors and third-party administrators (TPAs) through the Group-Experience rating service.
Individual-Retrospective-Rating Program
Applying for the program
When you choose to participate in Individual-Retrospective Rating, all of your business operations will be included under this rating system.
For Private Employers: Submit the Application for Individual-Retrospective-Rating Plan (U-20) by the last business day in January.
For Public Employers: Submit the Application for Individual-Retrospective-Rating Plan (U-21) by the last business day in July.
Each application covers one policy year, requiring you to reapply and meet eligibility criteria annually to continue participation.
If you need to make changes to your application, submit a new form before the deadline. All changes must be in writing and signed by a company officer. No changes will be accepted after the deadline, and we will use the most recent application or rescission to determine your premium obligation.
Overview
In exchange for a premium reduction, an employer agrees to take on a portion of the risk. The more risk assumed, the larger the potential reduction in premiums. The Individual-Retrospective-Rating Program enables employers to initially pay BWC a lower premium than they would otherwise. Each year, we reassess your premium and adjust it based on incurred losses and audited payroll over a 10-year evaluation period, billing you for any adjustments.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify for the program, as of the application deadline, you must:
- Have at least $25,000 of estimated premium
- Be in an active status
- Not have cumulative lapses in coverage in excess of 15 days within the last five rating years
- Be current on all payments due BWC and
- Report actual payroll for the preceding policy year, and pay any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium for that policy year no later than the due date or before the end of any grace period
You must demonstrate financial strength and stability, meeting specific criteria outlined in OAC 4123-17-42(C)(1). Private employers are required to submit audited financial statements prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) by the application deadline. For public employers, we will access audited or reviewed financial statements, prepared in line with GAAP or other accepted accounting bases as outlined in Ohio Auditor Bulletin 2005-002, from the Ohio Auditor’s website. We may also request additional financial information from public employers as needed. Additional financial criteria may apply in certain cases; see OAC 4123-17-42 for complete eligibility details.
Drug-Free Safety Program
Private employers must submit the U-140 prior to the last business day in May for the program year beginning July 1st. Public employers must submit the U-140 prior to the last business day in November for the program year beginning January 1st.
Eligibility
- Only State Fund employers may participate.
- Employer must be in good standing with the BWC.
- Employer must be current on all premium payments at time of application and throughout the policy year
- Employer may not have cumulative lapses of more than 40 days in the past 12 months
- Employer must continue to meet all eligibility requirements during participation in the program.
Other Benefits
- Increased productivity
- Fewer accidents
- Decreased severity of accidents
- Reduction in use of workers’ compensation medical benefits by substance users
- Decrease in theft
- Protecting the bottom line
The Deductible Program
Application (Form U-148) for the Deductible Program must be submitted by the last business day in January for private employers and by the last business day in July for public employers.
Deductible Levels
- $500
- $1,000
- $2,500
- $5,000
- $10,000
- $25,000
- $50,000
- $100,000
- $200,000
Eligibility
- Be a private, state-fund employer or public taxing district.
- Be current on all premium payments and deductible billings at the time you apply.
- Have active coverage by the application deadline
- Have no cumulative lapses in coverage in excess of 40 days within the 12 months preceding application deadline - deductible up to $10,000.
- Employers selecting a deductible of $25,000 or more cannot have cumulative lapses in coverage in excess of 15 days within the 5 years preceding the application deadline.
- For deductibles of $25,000 to $50,000 employers are required to submit reviewed/ audited financial statements for the 3 most recent fiscal years.
- For deductibles of $100,000 to $200,000 employers are required to submit audited financial statements for the 3 most recent fiscal years.
- Demonstrate financial strength and stability. Additional financial requirements may apply in certain circumstances.
Discount
Other Benefits
- Year 1: 20%
- Year 2: 15%
- Year 3: 10%
- Year 4: 5%
- Year 5: 5%
Benefits
To remain eligible, employers must:
- Not allow the total cost of the three medical only claims to exceed their expected losses calculated for that policy year
- Have a single significant claim entering their experience that prevents them from being renewed in their group rating program
- Attend a half-day class provided by BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene.
- Remain current on any premiums, assessments or monies due to BWC
- Re-apply each year
Claim Impact Reduction Program
Application for enrollment must be submitted by the last business day in January for private employers and the last business day in July for public employers.
Basics
Eligibility
- Be a private, state fund employer
- Be enrolled in a group rating program
- Have a single significant claim entering their experience that prevents them from being renewed in their group rating program
- Not have more than 3 medical only claims in addition to the one significant claim during the past five years
- Be current on any premiums, assessments or other monies due to the BWC
- Not have cumulative lapses in excess of 40 days within the last 12 months preceding the application deadline.
Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program (SURWSP)
The nation’s substance use crisis affects everyone, including businesses. Employers need to fill positions but are often reluctant to hire candidates with a history of drug use. Many individuals recovering from addiction are eager to work but struggle to find opportunities. Additionally, some employees may be battling addiction undetected, posing a risk to workplace safety.
Our Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program (SURWSP) can help.
Brought to you in partnership with Recovery Ohio, this program provides funding to help employers more effectively manage substance use issues in their workplace. Eligible employers can enroll in the program and get reimbursement for:
- Development and legal review of employer policies and procedures about substance use issues.
- Training for employees to understand substance use and their employer’s related policies.
- Training to equip supervisors and managers to better manage employees in recovery.
- Drug testing for prospective and current employees for those employers with recovery-friendly “second chance” testing policies.
- Access to a free employee wellness incentive program, our Better You! Better Ohio! program.
Enrollment
If an employer chooses to exclude a claim from the program, the employer must notify the BWC within 14 days of learning that the claim was filed. If payment of a bill will exceed the $15,000 maximum, the employer will pay the portion of the bill that will fulfill the $15,000 maximum. Then notify the provider to bill the MCO for the remainder.
If a claim becomes a lost-time claim, it will automatically be removed from the program. However, the BWC will NOT reimburse the employer for any bills paid in the claim.
$15K Medical-Only Program
Program Requirements
- Notify injured workers and their healthcare providers that the employer, not the MCO, is paying the medical bills
- Pay all bills within 30 days of receipt
- Pay bills with dates of injury:
- BEFORE July 1, 2009 as billed or as previously negotiated with providers
- AFTER July 1, 2009 in accordance with BWC’s fee schedule
- Notify BWC and MCO when the $15,000 maximum is reached
- Send proof of payment to MC
- Report some claims to Medicare
- Keep a record of all work-related injuries
Transitional work grants – growing for the better
Application (Form U-148) for the Deductible Program must be submitted by the last business day in January for private employers and by the last business day in July for public employers.
Deductible Levels
- $500
- $1,000
- $2,500
- $5,000
- $10,000
- $25,000
- $50,000
- $100,000
- $200,000
Eligibility
- Be a private, state-fund employer or public taxing district.
- Be current on all premium payments and deductible billings at the time you apply.
- Have active coverage by the application deadline
- Have no cumulative lapses in coverage in excess of 40 days within the 12 months preceding application deadline - deductible up to $10,000.
- Employers selecting a deductible of $25,000 or more cannot have cumulative lapses in coverage in excess of 15 days within the 5 years preceding the application deadline.
- For deductibles of $25,000 to $50,000 employers are required to submit reviewed/ audited financial statements for the 3 most recent fiscal years.
- For deductibles of $100,000 to $200,000 employers are required to submit audited financial statements for the 3 most recent fiscal years.
- Demonstrate financial strength and stability. Additional financial requirements may apply in certain circumstances.