Blog
2022 Ohio BWC Year in Review
After a three-year hiatus, Ohio Safety Congress has finally scheduled an in-person return! This three-day event is scheduled for March 8-10, 2023, and is free to all Ohio BWC state-fund employers. The keynote address and several other sessions will be livestreamed online during the event. This is one of our favorite events, and we’re excited to see you all there!
Reinstated Safety Intervention Grant Program – $3 to $1 match on safety investments is back. More here!
Safety Council rebates finally returned! The program transitioned to virtual meetings in March 2020 and a hybrid option was offered for the 2021 policy year, but they also did away with the premium rebate benefit during those two policy years. Now that the program has returned to 100% in person, virtually any private or public state fund employer can earn a 2% premium rebate for attending at least ten meetings each policy year.
The Substance Abuse Recovery Program is funded by millions that the DeWine administration committed toward helping Ohio employers hire, manage and retain employees in recovery. The funds can be used to reimburse employers for employee drug testing (with some caveats), training, and related policy development.
As Governor Mike DeWine begins his second term in 2023, he’ll have a new Chief of Staff in Stephanie McCloud, formerly the Administrator (CEO) for Ohio BWC. John Logue will succeed her as the Administrator next year. Logue currently serves as BWC’s Chief of Strategic Direction, and has previously served as interim Administrator for the organization.
2022’s unpredictable market had a similar impact on BWC’s investments as it did on many of our own. The chart below tracks October ’21 through October ’22, which shows a $3.2 billion loss, but as of November 10, the fund had lost a bit more, totaling $3.6 billion in losses.
2025 Group Retro Deadline Approaching
Posted By Brandy King
January 15, 2025
Category: General
The clock is ticking on Group Retro enrollment for the 2025 Ohio BWC policy year! The deadline for Group Retro paperwork is January 27, 2025. If you're a Spooner client enrolling in Retro, you should have already received your program renewal from us. If you haven’t, please reach out to your client services manager. If your BWC policy was disqualified for savings programs for 2025 or you don’t have the flexibility of waiting to see savings, we’d also encourage you to explore SuretyHR, our self-insured PEO (professional employer organization). SuretyHR is an alternative to being insured by Ohio BWC for workers’ compensation. By creating a co-employment relationship with other employers, we’re able to place them in our own self-insured workers’ compensation plan. PEO clients also have the added benefit of SuretyHR’s team assisting with safety, HR, FMLA and unemployment claims administration, and quite a bit more. You can request a savings analysis from SuretyHR
We Won Again: An Update on Withheld Group Retro Refunds
Posted By Brandy King
January 07, 2025
Category: Ohio BWC, Group Retro, 20018 Group Retro, 2019 Group Retro, Group Retro Refunds Withheld
The team at Spooner Risk Control Services, Kent Elastomer Products, Inc. and Roetzel & Andress have scored another win in the fight to get businesses the Group Retro refunds they’ve earned. Background: At the end of 2020, we shared Ohio BWC’s decision to withhold Group Retro refunds owed to participating employers for the 2018 and 2019 policy years. This was based on the concept that employers were already returned 100% of premiums for those years via dividends released to Ohio employers in April and October of 2020. However, dividend distribution and Group Retro refunds are governed by different rules, and different portions of the Ohio Revised Code. We appealed this decision in August 2020, kicking off a legal battle with Ohio BWC that will continue into 2025. After the victory for Group Retro participants in February 2023, BWC appealed the magistrate’s ruling, stating five objections. A hearing was held on November 19, 2024 by the 10th District Court of Appeals, and four of the five objections were overruled. For the reasons detailed here, the court again ruled in favor of Ohio businesses granted a limited writ of mandamus (meaning BWC is obligated to pay out Group Retro refunds). Hellbent on not paying these earned program refunds to employers, BWC chose to file yet another appeal on December 30, 2024 arguing their reasoning for withholding the refunds. From here, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Court of
Update on Non-Compete Ban for 2025
Posted By Brandy King
December 16, 2024
Category: Non Compete, Employment Law, Non Solicitation Agreement, Ohio
FTC’s Non-Compete Ban Blocked, But Gray Area Remains In early 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced and finalized a rule banning the use of non-competes. Employers, Chambers of Commerce and trade organizations rallied against the new rule claiming it was anti-employer, some going as far as calling it “blatantly awful.” As expected, the change was met with litigation and in August of 2024, the ban was struck down by a federal judge in Texas who claimed the FTC overstepped its authority by issuing the rule. A non-compete (or non-competition agreement) is an agreement in which the employee agrees not to engage in conduct or activities that could increase competition for their employer. These types of arrangements are prevalent in finance, healthcare, design, tech and all types of sales or business development roles. They’re meant to protect things like trade secrets, privileged info and client retention. Non-competes aren’t the same as non-solicitation clauses. These agreements err more toward not calling on your former clients in your new role. Here’s an example of differentiating between the two. Non-Compete: “Upon leaving ABC Company, you may not engage in a similar role for another insurance company within a 50-mile radius.” Non-Solicitation: “Upon leaving ABC Company, you may not solicit (contact/call on) clients of ABC Company in your new role with another insurance company.” For now, bo
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