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							Rule 4123-17-01 | Annual rate revision, method of adoption, effective date, publication.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Private employers. (1) The annual revision
			 of premium rates as provided in division (B) of section 4123.34 of the Revised
			 Code applies to all renewals, reinstatements, and new coverage effective on or
			 after July first of each year, unless otherwise specifically provided. The
			 bureau of workers' compensation may adopt such changes in classification
			 of occupations or industries with respect to their degree of hazard as will
			 best serve to determine the risks of the different classes of occupations and
			 will enable the establishing of appropriate premium rates measured by the
			 hazard involved. (2) The revised premium
			 rates and changes in classification of occupations or industries with respect
			 to their degree of hazard, as provided in paragraph (A)(1) of this rule, will
			 be adopted by rules recommended by the administrator of workers'
			 compensation and with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers'
			 compensation board of directors as provided under division (F) of section
			 4121.12 of the Revised Code. (3) The rule, with any
			 revised premium rates and changes in classification of occupations or
			 industries attached thereto, will be filed in accordance with section 111.15 of
			 the Revised Code. Any revised premium rates and changes in classification of
			 occupations or industries become effective on the date indicated on the filed
			 rule. (B) Public employers, taxing
		  districts. (1) The annual revision
			 of premium rates for the taxing districts, as provided in section 4123.39 of
			 the Revised Code, applies to all renewals, reinstatements, and new coverage
			 effective on or after January first of each year, unless otherwise specifically
			 provided. The bureau may adopt such changes in classification of occupations or
			 industries with respect to their degree of hazard, as will best serve to
			 determine the risks of the different classes of occupations and will enable the
			 establishing of appropriate premium rates measured by the hazard
			 involved. (2) The revised premium
			 rates and changes in classification of occupations or industries with respect
			 to their degree of hazard as provided in paragraph (B)(1) of this rule, will be
			 adopted by rules recommended by the administrator and with the advice and
			 consent of the bureau's board of directors as provided under division (F)
			 of section 4121.12 of the Revised Code. (3) The rule with any
			 revised premium rates and changes in classification of occupations or
			 industries attached thereto, will be filed in accordance with section 111.15 of
			 the Revised Code. Any revised premium rates and changes in classification of
			 occupations or industries become effective on the date indicated on the filed
			 rule. (C) Public employers, state of Ohio, its
		  agencies and instrumentalities. (1) The annual revision
			 of contribution rates for the state of Ohio, its agencies and
			 instrumentalities, as provided in section 4123.40 of the Revised Code, for all
			 state agencies is effective July first of each year. (2) The revised
			 contribution rates as provided in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule will be adopted
			 by rules recommended by the administrator and with the advice and consent of
			 the bureau's board of directors as provided under division (F) of section
			 4121.12 of the Revised Code. (3) The rule with the
			 revised contribution rates will be filed in accordance with section 111.15 of
			 the Revised Code. The revised rates become effective on the date indicated on
			 the filed rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 27, 2023 at 9:07 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-02 | Successorship.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Responsibilities. (1) Whenever one employer
			 succeeds another employer in the operation of a business in whole or in part,
			 the successor shall notify the bureau of workers' compensation of the
			 succession. (2) Pursuant to this
			 rule, the bureau will provide to the parties to the transfer of experience the
			 necessary forms and instructions to complete the transfer of the appropriate
			 payrolls and claims. The bureau will review the transfer and if any questions
			 arise, the bureau may conduct a premium audit on each party's
			 account. (3) The successor must
			 preserve the predecessor's payroll records for the five years preceding
			 the date of succession. (B) Experience. (1) Where one legal
			 entity, not having coverage in the most recent experience period, wholly
			 succeeds another legal entity in the operation of a business, the
			 successor's rate will be based on the predecessor's experience within
			 the most recent experience period. (2) Where a legal entity
			 having an established coverage or having had experience in the most recent
			 experience period wholly succeeds one or more legal entities having established
			 coverage or having had experience in the most recent experience period, the
			 experience of all the involved entities will be combined to establish the rate
			 of the successor. (3) Where a legal entity
			 succeeds in the operation of a portion of a business of one or more legal
			 entities having an established coverage or having had experience in the most
			 recent experience period, the successor's rate will be based on the
			 predecessor's experience within the most recent experience period,
			 pertaining to the portion of the business acquired by the
			 successor. (4) When any combination
			 or transfer of experience is indicated under any of the provisions of this
			 rule, the effective date of such combination or transfer to the beginning date
			 of the following policy year. In cases where an entity institutes workers'
			 compensation coverage on the same date it wholly succeeds another entity or in
			 cases where the date of succession is determined to be the first date of the
			 policy year, the experience of the predecessor will be transferred to the
			 successor effective as of the actual date of succession. (5) For an out of state
			 employer purchasing an existing Ohio operation, the bureau may use the out of
			 state experience of the employer as a factor in determining the employer's
			 experience. (6) In addition to
			 paragraphs (B)(1) to (B)(5) of this rule, and regardless of whether the
			 predecessor's transfer to the successor was voluntary or through an
			 intermediary bank or receivership, the bureau will transfer the
			 predecessor's experience under the workers' compensation law to the
			 successor if any of the following criteria are met: (a) The successor expressly or impliedly agrees to assume such
				obligations; (b) The succession transaction amounts to a de facto
				consolidation or merger; (c) The successor is merely a continuation of the predecessor;
				or (d) The succession transaction is entered into for the purpose of
				escaping obligations under the workers' compensation law. (7) If all of the
			 following conditions are met, the bureau will not transfer the experience from
			 the predecessor to the successor: (a) There is a material change in ownership; (b) There is a change in governing classification;
				and (c) There is a change in process and hazard. (8) In addition to
			 paragraph (B)(7) of this rule, the bureau will not transfer the experience from
			 the predecessor to the successor if both of the following are met: (a) The time between the predecessor ceasing all operations and
				the effective date of purchase is greater than six months; and (b) There is no family relationship or other connection between
				the predecessor and the successor. (9) The bureau will
			 consider, but is not bound by, language in a purchase agreement between parties
			 regarding non-assumed liabilities when determining experience
			 transfers. (C) Rights and obligations. (1) Where one employer
			 wholly succeeds another in the operation of a business, the bureau will
			 transfer the predecessor's rights and obligations under the workers'
			 compensation law to the successor. (2) In addition to
			 paragraph (C)(1) of this rule and regardless of whether the predecessor's
			 transfer to the successor was voluntary or through an intermediary bank or
			 receivership, the bureau will transfer the predecessor's rights and
			 obligations under the workers' compensation law to the successor if any of
			 the following criteria are met: (a) The successor expressly or impliedly agrees to assume such
				obligations; (b) The succession transaction amounts to a de facto
				consolidation or merger; (c) The successor is merely a continuation of the predecessor;
				or (d) The succession transaction is entered into for the purpose of
				escaping obligations under the workers' compensation law. (3) If all the following
			 conditions are met, the bureau will not transfer the predecessor's rights
			 and obligations to the successor: (a) There is a material change in ownership; (b) There is a change in governing classification;
				and (c) There is a change in process and hazard. (4) In addition to
			 paragraph (C)(3) of this rule, the bureau will not transfer the
			 predecessor's rights and obligations to the successor if both of the
			 following are met: (a) The time between the predecessor ceasing all operations and
				the effective date of purchase is greater than six months; and (b) There is no family relationship or other connection between
				the predecessor and the successor. (5) The bureau will
			 consider, but is not bound by, language in a purchase agreement between parties
			 regarding non-assumed liabilities when determining rights and obligations
			 transfers. (6) The successor will be credited with
			 any credits of the predecessor available at the time the bureau completes the
			 transfer. This paragraph applies where an employer wholly succeeds another
			 employer in the operation of a business on or after September 1,
			 2006. (D) No retroactive coverage may be granted except as
		  provided in rule 4123-14-03 of the Administrative Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 27, 2023 at 9:07 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-03 | Employer's experience rating plan.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				February 15, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Experience period" means: (a) For private employer policy years commencing on or after July 1, 2016, the oldest four of the latest five completed policy years immediately preceding the beginning of the policy year to which a rate is applicable. (b) For public employer taxing districts policy years commencing on or after January 1, 2016, the oldest four of the last five completed calendar years immediately preceding the beginning of the policy year to which the rate is applicable. (2) "Inactive employer" means an employer that satisfies all the following criteria: (a) The employer is assigned a "cancelled" policy status or a "no coverage" policy, and (b) As of the last day of September for private employers, or the last day of March for public employers, the employer is not paying premiums or assessments to the Ohio state insurance fund under either its own identity, the identity of any successor entity, or as a self-insured entity. (3) "Significant negative impact" occurs when: (a) An inactive employer reported ten per cent or more of the payroll in a manual classification during the experience period, and (b) The base rate for the manual classification is higher by including the payroll,   losses, and costs of such inactive employer in the calculation of that manual classification base rate, than the manual classification base rate is when the payroll,  losses, and costs of the inactive employer are excluded. For the purpose of determining "significant negative impact," the bureau of workers' compensation shall test each inactive employer separately. (B) An employer's premium rates shall be the manual classification base rates as provided under rules 4123-17-02, 4123-17-06, and 4123-17-34 of the Administrative Code for each of the employer's manual classifications except as modified by the employer's experience rating, and shall apply for the twelve-month period beginning on the first of July for private employers and for the calendar year beginning on the first of January for public employer taxing districts. (1) In calculating the manual classification base rate and the expected loss rate under this rule, the bureau shall exclude the experience in a manual classification of an inactive employer if the inclusion of that inactive employer's experience in that manual classification would have a significant negative impact upon the remaining employers in a particular manual classification. (2) The calculation of the manual classification base rate and the expected loss rate, as modified in paragraph (B)(1) of this rule, shall be applied to all employers reporting payroll in the manual classification. (C) An experience-rated employer's manual classification experience-modified rate shall be determined by multiplying its experience modification (EM) as defined in paragraph (D) of this rule times the manual classification base rate for each of the employer's assigned manual classifications.  (D)  An employer's EM is determined in accordance with the following formula: .jpg) TML = Actual losses of the employer for the experience period, limited in accordance with paragraph (E)(1) of this rule. TLL = Total limited losses = TEL multiplied by LLR TEL = Total expected losses, determined by applying expected loss rate to the payroll of each manual classification in the employer's experience period, as provided in the appendix to rule 4123-17-05.1 of the Administrative Code for private employers and in the appendix to rule 4123-17-33.1 of the Administrative Code for public employer taxing districts. The total expected losses are then used to determine credibility group, credibility, and the maximum value of a loss. LLR = Limited loss ratio, calculated for each credibility group within each industry group, as provided in appendix B to rule 4123-17-05 of the Administrative Code for private employers and appendix B to rule 4123-17-33 of the Administrative Code for public employer taxing districts. C = Credibility given to an employer's own experience, determined by the employer's total expected losses, as provided in the appendix to rule 4123-17-05.1 of the Administrative Code for private employers and in the appendix to rule 4123-17-33.1 of the Administrative Code for public employer taxing districts. (E) For a private employer that is not an alternate employer organization as defined in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code or a professional employer organization as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code, and who is individually experience rated, individually retrospective rated, group retrospective rated, or in a deductible program under rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative Code, the employer's EM as calculated in paragraph (D) of this rule is further adjusted by multiplying the EM adjustment factor as provided in appendix A to this rule and the employer's EM. (F) For a public employer taxing district employer that is not an alternate employer organization as defined in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code or a professional employer organization as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code, and who is individually experience rated, individually retrospective rated, group retrospective rated, or in a deductible program under rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative Code, the employer's EM as calculated in paragraph (D) of this rule is further adjusted by multiplying the EM adjustment factor as provided in appendix B to this rule and the employer's EM.  (G) An employers' EM shall be subject to the following conditions and limitations: (1) Actual losses shall include all incurred costs but shall be limited as provided in rule 4123-17-12 of the Administrative Code, and at the claim level to the amounts provided in the appendix to rule 4123-17-05.1 of the Administrative Code for private employers and the appendix to rule 4123-17-33.1 of the Administrative Code for public employer taxing districts according to the total expected losses of an employer; and (2) An employer shall not be eligible for experience modification of manual classification base rates unless its expected losses are at least the minimum amount as provided in the appendix to rule 4123-17-05.1 of the Administrative Code for private employers and the appendix to rule 4123-17-33.1 of the Administrative Code for public employer taxing districts. (3) The year-over-year increase in an employer's EM may be limited pursuant to rule 4123-17-03.2 of the Administrative Code. (4) Actual losses where COVID-19 was contracted by an employee arising during the period between the emergency declared by executive order 2020-01D, issued March 9, 2020 and July 2, 2021 which is fourteen days after the Executive Order was repealed, shall be excluded from employer's experience for the purpose of experience rating calculations. (5) Actual losses occurring on or after March 23, 2022  where a student is a participant of the work-based learning  program shall be excluded from an employer's experience for the purpose of experience rating calculations if both of the following conditions apply: (a) The employer provides work-based learning experiences for students enrolled in a  career-technical education program approved under section 3317.161 of the Revised Code; and (b) The claim is based on a student's injury, occupational disease, or death sustained in the course of and arising out of the student's participation in the employer's work-based learning experience. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated February 18, 2025 at 7:55 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-03.2 | Experience modification cap.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Experience
			 modification" or "EM" means the experience modification as
			 determined under rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code.  (2) "Eligibility determination
			 date" means the March first immediately preceding the policy year for
			 which the EM is being calculated for private employers, and the September first
			 immediately preceding the policy year for which the EM is being calculated for
			 public employer taxing districts. (B) Except as provided for in paragraph
		  (D) of this rule, the bureau of workers' compensation shall limit the
		  increase in EM of an employer meeting the eligibility requirements of this rule
		  to twenty-five per cent of the initial EM calculated for that employer in the
		  preceding rating year if the employer is either individually experience rated
		  or base rated in both the current and preceding rating years for any policy
		  years for private employers beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2027 or
		  for any policy years for public employer taxing districts beginning January 1,
		  2023 and ending December 31, 2027. (C) Eligibility
		  requirements. As of the eligibility determination date: (1) The employer must be
			 current with respect to all payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph
			 (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code; (2) The employer must not
			 have cumulative lapses in workers' compensation coverage in excess of
			 forty days within the preceding twelve months; and (3) The employer must
			 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 eligibility determination date. (D) An employer removed from the EM cap
		  program for failure to meet the criteria set forth in paragraph (C)(3) of this
		  rule will be rerated for the full policy year at the employer's base rate
		  or experience-modified rate as determined by the employer's expected
		  losses for the policy year. (E) Application of cap to successor policies. (1) Where a transfer of
			 experience occurs pursuant to rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative Code, the
			 resulting EM is not subject to limitation under this rule unless one of the
			 following apply: (a) The transfer is a combination as a result of bankruptcy
				proceedings, when the transaction is a change in policy number without any
				change in exposure; or (b) A base-rated successor wholly or partially succeeds a single
				policy. (2) If the criteria in
			 paragraph (E)(1)(a) or (E)(1)(b) of this rule are met, the predecessor's
			 published EM in the preceding rating year will be the EM published for the
			 successor in the same rating year for purposes of determining whether the cap
			 applies under this rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 3, 2025 at 11:10 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-03.3 | Employer premium size factors.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The administrator of workers'
		  compensation, with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers'
		  compensation board of directors, hereby sets the premium size factors in the
		  appendix to this rule to be effective July 1, 2024. (B) A private employer is eligible for
		  the premium adjustment under this rule provided the private employer is not a
		  professional employer organization as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised
		  Code, and the private employer is individually experience rated, individually
		  retrospective rated, group retrospective rated, or participating in a
		  deductible program under rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative
		  Code. (C) The premium size factors in the
		  appendix to this rule will be applied using the following formula to determine
		  an employer's initial premium: Initial premium equals payroll multiplied by base
		  rate multiplied by EM multiplied by EM adjustment factor where: Payroll equals the amount of payroll reported by
		  the employer as required under agency 4123 of the Administrative Code; Base rate equals the rate that an employer who is
		  not experience rated pays as a percentage of their payroll; EM equals experience modification as defined in
		  rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code; and EM adjustment factor equals experience
		  modification adjustment factor as defined in rule 4123-17-03 of the
		  Administrative Code. (D) The following limitations apply to
		  the initial premium calculated in paragraph (C) of this rule: (1) For an employer that
			 is individually experience rated, group retrospectively rated, or participating
			 in a deductible program under rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative Code, the
			 initial premium is adjusted by the following formula: Premium equals initial premium multiplied by
			 premium size factor where: Initial premium equals initial premium as
			 calculated in paragraph (C) of this rule; and Premium size factor equals the appropriate
			 premium size factor obtained from the table in the appendix to this rule when
			 applying the initial premium as calculated in paragraph (C) of this rule to the
			 experience rated premium range. (2) For individual
			 retrospective rated employers, the premium size factors will only apply to the
			 minimum premium and not to any payments on annual evaluation billings made by
			 the employer. (3) For employers
			 participating in the deductible program, the premium size factors will only
			 apply to the post deductible credited premium and not to any deductible claim
			 cost reimbursement payments made by the employer. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated February 3, 2025 at 11:10 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-04 | Classification of occupations or industries.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve the classification of occupations or
		industries pursuant to sections 4121.12, 4121.121, and 4123.29 of the Revised
		Code. The administrator hereby establishes the following classifications of
		occupations or industries to be effective July 1, 2025, as indicated in the
		appendix to this rule, the classification of occupations or industries that is
		based upon the national council on compensation insurance as required by
		division (A)(1) of section 4123.29 of the Revised Code. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:15 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-05 | Private employer industry group and limited loss ratio tables.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, and 4123.34
		of the Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets the industry group
		assignment and limited loss ratio tables parts A and B, to be effective July 1,
		2025, applicable to the payroll reporting period July 1, 2025, through June 30,
		2026, for private employers as indicated in appendices A and B to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:16 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-05.1 | Private employer credibility table.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, and 4123.34
		of the Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets the experience rating table
		part A, "credibility and maximum value of a loss," to be effective
		July 1, 2019, applicable to the payroll reporting period July 1, 2019 through
		June 30, 2020, for private employers as indicated in appendix A to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated March 27, 2025 at 1:57 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-06 | Private employer contributions to the state insurance fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, and 4123.34
		of the Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets the private employer class
		code base rates, and private employer class code expected loss rates per one
		hundred dollar unit of payroll to be effective July 1, 2025, applicable to the
		payroll reporting period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, for private
		employers as indicated in appendices A and B to this rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:16 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-07 | Officers of corporations, elective coverage entities, and ministers.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				September 4, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Church"
			 means an established and legally recognized church, congregation, denomination,
			 society, corporation, fellowship, convention, or association that is formed
			 primarily or exclusively for religious purposes. (2) "Elective
			 coverage persons" means a sole proprietor, a member of a partnership, a
			 member of a limited partnership, an individual incorporated as a corporation
			 with no employees, or an officer of a family farm corporation. (3) "Elective
			 coverage entity" means a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited
			 partnership, an individual incorporated as a corporation with no employees, or
			 a family farm corporation. (4) "Family farm
			 corporation" has the same meaning as defined in division (E) of section
			 4123.01 of the Revised Code. (5) "Minister"
			 means a duly ordained, commissioned, accredited, or licensed minister, member
			 of the clergy, rabbi, priest, or Christian science practitioner. (B) Officers of
		  corporations. (1) The actual
			 remuneration of an executive officer of a corporation, such as president, vice
			 president, secretary, treasurer, and any other executive officer enumerated in
			 and empowered by the corporate charter or any regularly adopted bylaws of the
			 corporation and elected or appointed and empowered by the directors to perform
			 duties for the corporation, shall be included in the payroll report of the
			 corporation pursuant to rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code, subject to
			 the weekly minimum and maximum provided in rule 4123-17-30 of the
			 Administrative Code. Such remuneration is to be assigned to the classification
			 code applicable to the duties performed. (2) Paragraph (B)(1) of
			 this rule does not apply to family farm corporations. The remuneration of the
			 officers of such corporation will not be reported as part of the payroll of
			 such employer, unless such employer elects to include as an
			 "employee," within Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code, any officer of
			 the family farm corporation, in which case the procedure outlined in paragraph
			 (C) of this rule applies. (C) Elective coverage
		  entities. (1) Remuneration of an
			 elective coverage person shall not be reported as part of the payroll of an
			 elective coverage entity unless that entity elects to include any such person
			 as an employee. (2) Upon the filing of
			 notice pursuant to paragraph (E) of this rule, the actual remuneration of an
			 elective coverage person shall be reported and included in the payroll report
			 of the employer pursuant to rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code, subject
			 to the weekly minimum and maximum provided in rule 4123-17-30 of the
			 Administrative Code. Such remuneration is to be assigned to the highest rated
			 classification code applicable to the duties performed. (D) Ministers. (1) Division (A)(2)(a) of
			 section 4123.01 of the Revised Code excludes from coverage ministers, assistant
			 ministers, or associate ministers in the exercise of their ministry. The
			 remuneration for such persons shall not be reported as part of the payroll of a
			 church employer, unless the church elects to include such persons as
			 employees. (2) Upon the filing of
			 notice pursuant to paragraph (E) of this rule, the actual remuneration of a
			 minister, assistant minister, or associate minister shall be reported and
			 included in the payroll report of the employer. Such remuneration is to be
			 assigned to the classification code applicable to the duties
			 performed. (E) An employer may elect to include an
		  elective coverage person or minister, assistant minister, or associate minister
		  as an employee under paragraph (C) or (D) of this rule by notifying the bureau
		  of workers' compensation on a form prescribed by the bureau. After proper
		  election notice, elective coverage persons or ministers, assistant ministers,
		  or associate ministers will be entitled to receive compensation and benefits as
		  provided in Chapter 4123. of the Revised Code. (1) Coverage for such
			 persons will not be effective until notice has been filed and the mandatory
			 payment made with the bureau. Additional premium for elective coverage must be
			 paid by the due date indicated on the invoice. (2) Coverage will remain
			 in effect, and the employer will be responsible for the payment of estimated
			 premium thereon, until the bureau receives notice, in writing or by phone, from
			 the employer requesting termination of coverage for the elective coverage
			 persons or ministers, assistant ministers, or associate ministers. (3) An employer's
			 failure to pay estimated premiums timely will terminate or lapse coverage for
			 its elective coverage persons or ministers, assistant ministers, or associate
			 ministers in accordance with bureau policy. Reinstatement of coverage will also
			 be determined in accordance with bureau policy. No retroactive coverage may be
			 granted except as provided in rule 4123-14-03 of the Administrative
			 Code. (F) Household workers. Coverage that is extended to a person who, in his
		  or her household, employs household worker(s) pursuant to section 4123.01 of
		  the Revised Code, does not include such person himself. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated September 4, 2025 at 7:26 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-08 | Classifications according to national council on compensation insurance.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				In accordance with division (A)(1) of section
		4123.29 of the Revised Code, the purpose of this rule is for the bureau of
		workers' compensation to conform the classifications of industries
		according to the categories the national council on compensation insurance
		(NCCI) establishes that are applicable to employers in Ohio. This rule is based
		upon "Rule 1, Classification Assignment," effective January 1, 2002,
		of the classification rules of the NCCI and "Rule 2G, Interchange of
		Labor." The rule is used with the permission of the NCCI and is modified
		to conform to the requirements of the Ohio administrative code and the bureau
		of workers' compensation. Where the NCCI scopes of basic manual
		classifications contains additional rules and information relating to the
		reporting of payroll or classification of industries under the manual
		classifications, such scopes and rules shall apply under the rules of the
		bureau of workers' compensation, unless otherwise specifically
		excepted. (A) Classification system. (1) The purpose of the
			 classification system is to group employers with similar operations into
			 classifications so that: (a) The assigned classification reflects the exposures common to
				those employers. (b) The rate charged reflects the exposure to loss common to
				those employers. (2) Subject to certain
			 exceptions, it is the business of the employer within a state that is
			 classified, not separate employments, occupations or operations within the
			 business. (B) Explanation of
		  classifications. Classifications are divided into two types -
		  basic classifications and standard exception classifications. (1) Basic
			 classifications. Basic classifications describe the business of
			 an employer. This term is applied to all classifications listed in this manual,
			 except for the standard exception classifications. Examples of classifications that describe the
			 business of the employer include: (a) Business: manufacture of a product = classification:
				furniture manufacturing. (b) Business: a process = classification: engraving. (c) Business: construction or erection = classification:
				carpentry. (d) Business: a mercantile business = classification: hardware
				store. (e) Business: a service = classification: beauty
				salon. (2) Standard exception
			 classifications. Standard exception classifications describe
			 occupations that are common to many businesses. These common occupations are
			 not included in a basic classification unless specified in the classification
			 working. The standard exception classifications are described as
			 follows: (a) Clerical office or drafting employees NOC (code 8810);
				clerical office or drafting telecommuter employees (code 8871). The noted classifications are assigned when
				all the following conditions are met: the basic classification(s) wording
				applicable to the business does not include clerical office, drafting or
				telecommuting employees; other rules do not prohibit the assignment of code
				8810 or code 8871; and the employee meets the duties, site and other
				requirements listed as follows: (i) Duties. Duties must be limited to one or more of
				  the following work activities: (a) Creation or
					 maintenance of employer records, correspondence, computer programs,
					 files. (b) Drafting. (c) Telephone duties,
					 including telephone sales. (d) Data entry or word
					 processing. (e) Copy or fax machine
					 operations, unless the insured is in the business of making copies or faxing
					 for the public. (f) General office work
					 similar in nature to those noted in this paragraph. (ii) Site. (a) Code 8810 - the noted
					 duties must take place in a work station that is separated from the operative
					 hazards of: (i) Factories. (ii) Stores; (iii) Shops; (iv) Construction
						sites; (v) Warehouses; (vi) Yards; (vii) Any other work
						areas such as: (A) Work or service
						  areas. (B) Areas where inventory
						  is located. (C) Areas where products
						  are displayed for sale. (D) Areas to which the
						  purchaser customarily brings the product from another area for
						  payment. (b) Work stations or
					 service areas as described in paragraph (B)(2)(a)(ii)(a) of this rule must be
					 physically separated by: (i) Floors. (ii) Walls. (iii) Partitions. (iv) Counters. (v) Other physical
						barriers that protect the clerical employee from the operating hazards of a
						business. (c) Code 8871 - the noted
					 duties must take place in a clerical work area located within the home of the
					 clerical employee. It must be separate and distinct from the location of the
					 employer. (iii) Other
				  requirements. (a) Employees who
					 otherwise meet the requirements for code 8810 or code 8871 will not be
					 disqualified from assignment to this classification if they perform certain
					 incidental duties directly related to that employee's duties in the
					 office. These duties include: (i) Depositing of funds
						in a bank. (ii) Pickup or delivery
						of mail. (iii) Purchase of office
						supplies. (iv) Entering an area
						exposed to the operative hazards of the business for clerical purposes, such as
						delivering paychecks. (b) Employees who
					 otherwise meet the requirements for code 8810 or code 8871 will be disqualified
					 from assignment to this classification if their duties involve: (i) Outside sales or
						outside representatives. (ii) Direct supervision
						of nonclerical employees not performed in an eligible site according to
						paragraph (B)(2)(a)(ii)(a) of this rule. (iii) Physical
						labor. (iv) Any work exposed to
						the operative hazards of the business, such as a stock or tally clerk, that is
						necessary, incidental, or related to any operations of the business other than
						a clerical office. (b) Drivers, chauffeurs and their helpers NOC - commercial (code
				7380). This classification is assigned to employees
				who perform work on or in connection with a vehicle. This code includes garage
				employees and employees using bicycles as part of their work duties. Duties
				include, but are not limited to, delivering goods owned by the employer. Code 7380 does not apply when the basic
				classification wording includes drivers. (c) Salespersons, collectors or messengers - outside (code
				8742). This classification is assigned to employees
				who perform these duties away from the employer's premises. This code excludes employees who: (i) Deliver
				  merchandise. (ii) Use vehicles to
				  deliver or pick up goods, even if they collect or sell. These employees must be
				  assigned to the classification applicable to the business for
				  drivers. (iii) Use public
				  transportation or walk to deliver goods, even if they collect or sell. These
				  employees must be assigned to the governing classification applicable to the
				  business. Code 8742 does not apply when the basic
				  classification wording includes outside salespersons, collectors or
				  messengers. (d) Automotive salespersons (code 8748). This classification is assigned to employees
				who perform these duties on or away from the employer's premises. These
				employees are subject to the same rules and treatment as salespersons,
				collectors, or messengers - outside. (3) General
			 inclusions. Some operations appear to be separate
			 businesses but are included within all basic classifications. These are called
			 general inclusions. These operations are not separately classified. They
			 include the following: (a) Restaurants or cafeterias operated by the insured for
				employee use. Exception: if these operations are conducted in connection with
				construction, erection, lumbering or mining operations, they must be separately
				classified. (b) Manufacture of containers by the insured, such as bags,
				barrels, bottles, boxes, cans, cartons or packing cases for sole use in the
				operations insured by the policy. (c) Hospitals or medical facilities operated by the insured for
				its employees. (d) Maintenance or repair of the insured's buildings or
				equipment by the insured's employees. (e) Printing or lithographing by the insured on its own
				products. Some employees may perform general inclusion
				duties for more than one basic classification. In such cases, refer to
				paragraph (F) of this rule for classification treatment. Exceptions: A general inclusion operation must be
				separately classified if: (i) The operation is
				  conducted as a separate and distinct business of the insured (refer to
				  paragraph (D)(3) of this rule.) (ii) The operation is
				  specifically excluded in the wording of the basic classification. (iii) The principal
				  business is described by a standard exception classification. (4) General
			 exclusions. Some operations in a business are so unusual
			 for the type of business described by the applicable basic classification, that
			 they are separately classified even though the operations are not conducted as
			 a secondary business. These are called general exclusions. They are: (a) Aircraft operations - all operations of the flying and ground
				crews. (b) New construction or alterations. (c) Stevedoring. (d) Sawmill operations. (e) Employer-operated day care service. (5) Governing
			 classification. The governing classification at a specific job
			 or location is the classification, other than a standard exception
			 classification, that produces the greatest amount of payroll. If a basic classification is not applicable,
			 the governing classification is the standard exception classification that
			 produces the greatest amount of payroll. The governing classification is used to
			 determine the classification treatment of: (a) Miscellaneous employees. (b) Local managers. (c) Executive officers who regularly engage in duties that are
				ordinarily performed by a superintendent, foreperson or worker. Example of a governing classification: a
				business has the following payroll amounts assigned to the following
				classifications: $220,000 for code 2003 (bakery); $120,000 for code 8017
				(store; retail); and $240,000 for code 8810 (clerical). The governing code for this business is code
				2003 because it is the classification code, other than the standard exception
				code (code 8810), with the greatest amount of payroll. (6) Principal
			 business. Principal business is described by the
			 classification, other than a standard exception or general exclusion, with the
			 greatest amount of payroll. If the business is best described by a standard
			 exception operation, and there is no basic classification other than the
			 general inclusion or exclusion operations, then the standard exception
			 operation that produces the greatest amount of payroll for the business is
			 considered the principal business. (C) Classification wording. The following list provides an explanation of
		  classification wording usage. (1) Classification
			 captions and notes. The "caption" is the heading that
			 precedes the classification itself and is part of the classification
			 wording. The "note" is the phrase that follows
			 the classification and is part of the classification wording. The classification wording, including captions
			 and notes, controls, restricts or explains the classification usage. Example of a classification entry: Store: fruit or vegetable - retail. No handling
			 of fresh meats; "store" is the caption in the example and "no
			 handling of fresh meats" is the note. (2) Words and
			 phrases. (a) All employees, all other employees, all operations, or all
				operations to completion. If a classification includes any of these
				phrases, no other classification can be assigned unless noted in the
				classification wording. This applies even if some operations or employees are
				at a separate location. Examples of classifications that include
				"all employees," "all other employees," all
				operations," or "all operations to completion": (i) Code 9186 (carnival,
				  circus or amusement device operator - traveling - all employees & drivers);
				  all employees must be assigned to this classification. (ii) Code 7382 (bus co.:
				  all other employees & drivers); all employees, other than garage employees,
				  must be assigned to code 7382, not 8385; (iii) Code 5402
				  (greenhouse erection-all operations); all work for the erection of a greenhouse
				  must be assigned to this classification. (iv) Code 6005 (jetty or
				  breakwater construction-all operations to completion & drivers); all work
				  for the construction of a jetty from the beginning to the end of the project
				  must be assigned to this classification. Exceptions: The following operations within the
				  business must be classified separately even if the classification wording
				  includes "all employees," "all other employees," "all
				  operations," or "all operations to completion": (a) Construction or
					 erection permanent yard (code 8227). (b) Contractor -
					 executive supervisor or construction superintendent (code 5606). (c) Classifications
					 describing an operation that is a standard exception unless the basic
					 classification includes the standard exception operation. (d) Classifications
					 describing an operation that is a general exclusion. (e) Any separate and
					 distinct business (refer to paragraph (D)(3)(c) of this rule). (b) Clerical. Clerical means clerical office employees and
				drafting employees as defined in paragraph (B)(2)(a) of this rule. Clerical includes clerical telecommuters as
				defined in paragraph (B)(2)(a) of this rule. (c) Drivers. Drivers means drivers, chauffeurs, and their
				helpers as defined in paragraph (B)(2)(b) of this rule. (d) "Includes" or "&." If the classification wording uses the terms
				"includes" or "&," the operation or employees cited
				after those terms must not be assigned to a separate classification. This
				applies even though the operation or employees may be described by another
				classification or are at a separate location. Examples of classification that include the
				terms "includes" or "&": (i) Code 0005 (farm:
				  nursery employees & drivers); all drivers must be assigned to this
				  classification. (ii) Code 4829 (chemical
				  mfg. NOC - all operations & drivers - includes blending or mixing); all
				  drivers and all blending and mixing operations must be assigned to this
				  classification. (iii) Code 8832
				  (physician & clerical); all clerical employees must be included in this
				  classification. Note: if an insured's operations are
				  assigned to more than one basic classification, an employee's payroll may
				  be allocated among codes appropriate for each operation. This procedure is
				  provided under paragraph (F) of this rule, interchange of labor. (e) Local manager. Local manager is an employee, regardless of
				title, who is in direct charge of the operative procedures in the yard of a
				business. This employee is subject to the hazards of the business. Therefore,
				the payroll of the local manager must be assigned to the governing
				classification unless another basic classification assigned to the business
				specifically includes this employee. (f) "No" or "Not." A classification that includes a restrictive
				phrase beginning with "no" or "not" must not apply to any
				risk that conducts any operation described in the restrictive phrase. Examples of classifications that include the
				terms "no" or "not": (i) Code 2143 (fruit
				  juice mfg.-no bottling of carbonated liquids); this code cannot be assigned to
				  a business that manufactures fruit juice if it also bottles carbonated
				  liquids. (ii) Code 4611 (drug,
				  medicine or pharmaceutical preparation-no mfg. of ingredients); this code
				  cannot be assigned to a business preparing drugs, medicines, or pharmaceuticals
				  if the business also manufactures the ingredients. (iii) Code 8106 (steel
				  merchant-not applicable to junk dealers); this code cannot be assigned to a
				  steel merchant if that business also deals in junk. Exception: for mercantile, mining or
				  construction operations, this rule applies to each job or location. (g) "NOC." "NOC" means "not otherwise
				classified." If the classification wording uses the term "NOC",
				that classification applies only if no other classification more specifically
				describes the insured's business. Examples of classification that include the
				term "NOC": (i) Code 2688 (leather
				  goods mfg. NOC). (ii) Code 3022 (pipe or
				  tube mfg. NOC & drivers). (iii) Code 8017 (store:
				  retail NOC). None of the listed codes will be assigned
				  to a business if there is another code that more specifically and accurately
				  applies to that business. (h) "Or" or "And." The terms "or" or "and"
				mean and/or. Examples of classifications that include the
				term "or" or "and": (i) Code 2586 (cleaning
				  or dyeing); a business that does cleaning and/or dyeing is classified to this
				  code. (ii) Code 4720 (soap or
				  synthetic detergent mfg.); a business that manufactures soap and/or synthetic
				  detergents is classified to this code. (iii) Code 7600
				  (Telecommunications Co. - cable TV/satellite - all employees and drivers); a
				  business that installs overhead telephone and/or cable TV lines is classified
				  to this code. (i) Salespersons. Salespersons means salespersons, collectors,
				and messengers as defined in paragraph (B)(2)(c) of this rule. (j) Stories in height. Certain classification wording refers to
				"stories in height." A story is defined as fifteen feet in height. It
				is measured from the lowest point above ground level to the highest point above
				ground level. Some of these classifications are: (i) Code 5037 (painting:
				  metal structures - over two stories). (ii) Code 5059 (iron or
				  steel-erection-frame structures not over two stories). (k) To be separately rated. Certain classification wording contains the
				phrase "to be separately rated." Operations or employees referenced
				in those classifications must be separately classified. Examples of classifications that include the
				term "to be separately rated": (i) Code 2111 (cannery
				  NOC can mfg. to be separately rated as code 3220); in a business that cans
				  foods, the manufacturing of the cans must separately classified to code
				  3220. (ii) Code 4131 (mirror
				  mfg.-mfg. of glass, frames, backs, or handles to be separately rated); in a
				  business that makes mirrors, the work of producing glass, or fabricating
				  frames, backs, or handles must be separately classified. (iii) Code 8107
				  (machinery dealer NOC-store or yard & drivers, operations away from
				  premises, other than demonstration or repair, to be separately rated); in a
				  business that is a machinery dealer, work other than demonstrating or repairing
				  the equipment that is not done at the insured's location must be
				  separately classified. Rules regarding the assignment of more than
				  one basic classification apply. Refer to paragraph (D)(3) of this rule. (D) Classification
		  procedures. The purpose of the classification procedure is to
		  assign the one basic classification that best describes the business of the
		  employer within a state. Subject to certain exceptions described in this rule,
		  each classification includes all the various types of labor found in a
		  business. It is the business that is classified, not the
		  individual employments, occupations or operations within the business. Certain exceptions apply as noted: (1) Separate legal
			 entities. Classification rules apply separately to each
			 legal entity operating in a state even if multiple entities are insured under a
			 single policy. (2) Businesses not
			 described by a classification. If no basic classification clearly describes
			 the business, the classification that most closely describes the business must
			 be assigned. All the rules pertaining to the assigned basic classification
			 apply to this operation. (3) Assignment of more
			 than one basic classification. More than one basic classification may be
			 assigned to an insured who meets conditions set forth in paragraphs (D)(3)(a)
			 to (D)(3)(c) of this rule. Operation means activities, enterprises, processes,
			 secondary businesses or undertakings. (a) The insured's principal business is described by a basic
				classification that requires certain operations or employees to be separately
				rated. (b) The insured conducts one or more of the following
				operations: (i) Construction or
				  erection. (ii) Farming. (iii) Employee leasing,
				  labor contracting, temporary labor services. (iv) Mercantile
				  business. (c) The insured conducts more than one operation in a
				state. (i) For purposes of this
				  rule, an insured is conducting more than one operation in a state if portions
				  of the insured's operations in that state are not encompassed by the
				  classification applicable to the insured's principal business. To qualify
				  for a separate classification, the insured's additional operation
				  must: (a) Be able to exist as a
					 separate business if the insured's principal business in the state ceased
					 to exist. (b) Be located in a
					 separate building, or on a separate floor in the same building, or on the same
					 floor physically separated from the principal business by structural
					 partitions. Employees engaged in the principal business must be protected from
					 the operating hazards of the separate additional operations. (c) Maintain proper
					 payroll records. Refer to paragraph (F)(2) of this rule on maintenance of
					 proper payroll records. Example of two operations that could
					 qualify as two separate businesses: an insured operates bowling lanes and a
					 movie theater. These distinct operations can qualify as two separate businesses
					 for classification purposes because: (i) The operations of
						bowling lanes and movie theaters are not ordinarily conducted as one business,
						and therefore, are not included within each other's scope. (ii) Either the bowling
						lane (if the movie theater ceases to exist) or the movie theater (if the
						bowling lane cease to exist) can be expected to continue its
						operations. Examples of operations that must be
						separately classified because they are specifically excluded in the wording of
						a classification considered to be the insured's principal business: (A) Code 0251 (irrigation
						  works operation & drivers); code 0251 and the farm classification cannot be
						  assigned to the same risk unless the operations described by these
						  classifications are conducted as separate and distinct businesses. Irrigation
						  system construction must be separately rated as code 6229. (B) Code 5059 (iron or
						  steel: erection-frame structures not over two stories in height); code
						  5040-iron or steel: erection-frame structures cannot be assigned to the same
						  job or location that code 5059 applies to. (C) Code 8265 (iron or
						  steel scrap dealer & drivers); wrecking or salvaging must be separately
						  rated. This code cannot be assigned to a risk engaged in an operation described
						  by another classification unless the operations subject to Code 8265 are
						  conducted as a separate and distinct business. (ii) If the separate
				  additional operation is not encompassed in the classification applicable to the
				  insured's principal business and meets all the conditions listed in
				  paragraph (D)(3)(c)(i) of this rule, the insured is considered to be engaged in
				  an additional operation. If this is the case, a separate basic classification
				  may be assigned to each operation that qualified as a separate additional
				  operation. (iii) If the additional
				  operation does not meet all conditions listed in paragraph (D)(3)(c)(i) of this
				  rule and is not encompassed in the classification applicable to the
				  insured's principal business and has a rate: (a) Lower than the
					 insured's principal business, assign this operation to the same
					 classification as the insured's principal business. (b) Higher than or equal
					 to the insured's principal business, assign this operation to the
					 classification that describes the additional operation. (iv) Policies with more
				  than one classification may include employees working under several
				  classifications. Payroll assignment for these employees is subject to the
				  interchange of labor rule. Refer to paragraph (F) of this rule. (d) Construction or erection operations. These operations are identified by a
				"circle" immediately following the code number. Each distinct type of construction or
				erection operation must be assigned to the class that specifically describes
				the operation only if separate payroll records are maintained for each
				operation. If separate payroll records are not
				maintained for any construction or erection operation, the highest rated
				classification that applies to the job or location where the operation is
				performed must be assigned. If a construction or erection operation is
				included in the scope of another classification, a separate code must not be
				assigned. (i) Insured
				  subcontractors. An insured subcontractor who performs a
				  single type of work on a construction project or job just be classified based
				  on the classification that describes the particular work involved. Example of how to classify the work
				  performed by an insured subcontractor: The insured subcontractor who performs only
				  excavation work in connection with the construction of a sewer is classified
				  under code 6217 (excavation) rather than under code 6306 (sewer
				  construction). Exception: all operations in conjunction
				  with concrete construction including making and erecting forms, placing
				  reinforcing steel and stripping forms, when done by subcontractors, must be
				  assigned to the appropriate concrete construction classification. (ii) Uninsured
				  subcontractors. Uninsured subcontractors covered under the
				  principal or general contractor's policy are classified on the basis of
				  the classification that would apply if the work were performed by the
				  principal's own employees. Example of how to classify the work
				  performed by an uninsured subcontractor: The uninsured subcontractor who performs
				  only excavation work, but is covered under the policy of the principal
				  contractor who is performing the construction of a sewer, is classified under
				  code 6306 (sewer construction). (e) Farm operations. These operations are identified by a
				"square" immediately following the code number. A farm is defined as any parcel(s) of land
				used for the purpose of agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, dairying, or
				stock or poultry raising as a business or commercial venture. If separate payroll records are maintained, a
				division of payroll is allowed for each separate and distinct type of
				commercial farm operation. If payroll records of the farm classification
				are not clear, and separate payroll records are not maintained, the entire
				payroll of the farm must be segregated on the basis of proportionate
				acreages. Each farm classification includes: (i) All
				  employees. (ii) Drivers. (iii) All normal repair
				  and maintenance of buildings or equipment performed by the employees of the
				  insured. (iv) Operations usual and
				  incidental to a farm, such as: (a) Maintenance of cows,
					 hogs or chickens for family use. (b) A family orchard or
					 truck garden. (c) Hay or grain crops
					 raised for the purpose of maintaining work animals on the farm. (d) Outside domestic
					 workers at the farm location. Each farm classification excludes inside
					 domestic workers at the farm location. (f) Employee leasing, labor contractors and temporary labor
				services. (i) Workers assigned to
				  clients must be classified the same as direct employees of the client
				  performing the same or similar duties. (ii) If the client has no
				  direct employees performing the same or similar duties, leased employees are
				  classified as if they were direct employees of the client entity. Example of how to classify workers assigned
				  to clients of employee leasing companies, labor contractors, and temporary
				  labor services: The client is a retail store classified to
				  code 8017: (a) Code 8017 is
					 applicable to the worker assigned as a cashier, just as it is applicable to the
					 client's employee who works as a cashier. (b) Code 7380 is
					 applicable to the worker assigned as a delivery truck driver, just as it is
					 applicable to the client's employee who drives a delivery
					 truck. (g) Mercantile businesses. These operations are identified by a
				"diamond" immediately following the code number. A mercantile business is any store or dealer
				engaged in the sale of goods or merchandise, or in the sale of services. For mercantile businesses, the classification
				is assigned separately for each location. Store operations are classified based on the
				principal type of merchandise sold and whether the operations are wholesale or
				retail. For purposes of the rule, principal means more than fifty per cent of
				gross receipts, excluding receipts derived from the sale of lottery
				tickets. The following definitions and instructions
				must be used to determine the appropriate store classification. (i) Type of merchandise
				  sold. If a store sells a variety of goods, each
				  of which may be subject to a different classification, the store must be
				  assigned to the classification that best describes the merchandise that
				  generates more than fifty per cent of the gross receipts. (ii) Wholesale vs.
				  retail. Retail applies to the sale of merchandise
				  to the general public for personal or household consumption or use and not for
				  resale. Wholesale applies to the sale of
				  merchandise for resale to others; or sale to manufacturers, builders,
				  contractors, or others for use in their business or as raw materials. Exception: if a store's sales are
				  clearly retail in nature, the appropriate retail store classification may be
				  assigned regardless of the definition of retail. Examples of store sales that are clearly
				  retail in nature: (a) A store selling
					 artwork in a shopping mall whose majority of sales are for artwork purchased by
					 businesses. (b) A store selling art
					 supplies in a shopping mall whose majority of sales are to artists who use the
					 materials in their business. (iii) Combination of
				  retail and wholesale. A store that sells merchandise on a
				  combined wholesale and retail basis must be assigned to the appropriate store
				  classification depending on whether the majority of gross receipts come from
				  wholesale or retail sales. (4) Standard
			 exceptions. Standard exceptions must be separately
			 classified unless specifically included in a classification assigned to the
			 business. Classifications for standard exceptions apply
			 even if the basic classification includes phrases such as "all
			 employees" or "all operations." Examples of classifications that include
			 "all employees" or "all operations" but do not specifically
			 refer to any standard exception employees: (a) Code 6260 (tunneling-pneumatic-all operations); this
				classification does not specifically include any standard exception employees.
				Those employees are separately classified to codes 8810, 8871, 8742, and
				7380. (b) Code 8829 (convalescent or nursing home-all employees); this
				classification does not specifically include any standard exception employees.
				Those employees are separately classified to codes 8810, 8871, 8742, and
				7380. Examples of classifications that specifically
				include standard exception employees: (i) Code 4361
				  (photographer-all employees & clerical, salespersons, drivers); this
				  classification specifically includes clerical employees, salespersons, and
				  drivers. For this type of business, those employees are not separately
				  classified to codes 8810, 8871, 8742, and 7380.  (ii) Code 9061 (club NOC
				  & clerical); this classification specifically includes clerical employees.
				  For this type of business, those employees of this type of business are not
				  eligible for classification to code 8810 or 8871. (5) Businesses described
			 by a standard exception classification. If the principal business is described by a
			 standard exception classification, the operations of all employees not included
			 in the definition of standard exception classification must be assigned to the
			 separate basic classification that most closely describes their
			 operation. Example of principal business that is described
			 by a standard exception code: the insured is a public museum: (a) Professional and clerical employees are assigned to code
				8810. (b) Maintenance employees are assigned to code 9101. (c) Gift shop employees are assigned to code 8017. (6) Classifications
			 limited to separate businesses. The assignment of certain classifications is
			 limited by their notes to separate and distinct businesses because the notes
			 may describe an operation that frequently is an integral part of a business
			 described by another classification. Example of assignment of a classification
			 limited by a note: (a) Code 4511 (Analytical laboratories or assaying - including
				laboratory, outside employees, collectors of samples, and drivers); cannot be
				assigned to a risk engaged in operations described by another classification
				unless the operations subject to code 4511 are conducted as a separate and
				distinct business. (7) Repair
			 operations. Risks with shop operations that involve the
			 repair of a product for which there is no repair classification are assigned to
			 the classification that applies to the manufacture of the product, unless this
			 repair work is specifically referred to by another classification, footnote, or
			 definition in the manual. Example of repair operations that are
			 classified to the manufacturing code: (a) A pump repair business is assigned to code 3612 (pump mfg.).
				There is no separate code for pump repair. (b) A motor repair business is assigned to code 3643 (electric
				power or transmission equipment mfg.). There is no separate code for motor
				repair. (8) Recycling
			 operations. (a) The collection, sorting and handling of recyclable materials
				for resale to others must be assigned to the appropriate store or dealer
				classification, or to the classification that most closely describes the
				business. (b) Risks with operations that involve the reuse of materials for
				the production of a new product must be assigned to the classification that
				applies to the manufacture of the product unless such work is specifically
				referred to another classification, footnote, or definition in the
				manual. (E) Payroll assignment: miscellaneous
		  employees. (1) Miscellaneous
			 employees who perform duties that are commonly conducted for separate
			 operations that are subject to more than one basic classification must be
			 assigned to the governing classification. (2) Miscellaneous
			 employees include general superintendents (other than construction
			 superintendents), maintenance or power plant employees, shipping or receiving
			 clerks, and yard workers (other than construction). Refer to paragraph (D)(5) of this rule if the
			 governing classification is a standard exception. Example of classification for miscellaneous
			 employees: The insured has two separate operations, a
			 machine shop (code 3632) on one floor of the building and a plastics
			 manufacturing business (code 4452) on another floor. If it is determined that
			 code 3632 is the governing classification, all elevator operators, porters,
			 cleaners, superintendents, and shipping clerks serving both operations are
			 assigned to code 3632. (F) Payroll assignment: interchange of
		  labor. Some employees may perform duties directly
		  related to more than one properly assigned classification according to
		  paragraph (D)(3) of this rule. Their payroll may be divided among the properly
		  assigned classifications provided that: (1) The classifications
			 can be properly assigned to the employer according to the rules of the
			 classification system. (2) The employer
			 maintains proper payroll records, which show the actual payroll by
			 classification for that individual employee. (a) Records must reflect actual time spent working within each
				job classification and an average hourly wage comparable to the wage rates for
				such employees within the employer's industry. (b) Estimated or percentage allocation of payroll is not
				permitted. Note: if payroll records do not show the
				actual payroll applicable to each classification, the entire payroll of the
				individual employee must be assigned to the highest rated classification that
				represents any part of his or her work. (3) Payroll for holiday,
			 vacation, sick pay, overtime and all other forms of payroll that are not
			 directly attributable to a specific classification code must be allocated to
			 the classification code with the greatest amount of payroll applicable to the
			 individual employee. If none of the classification codes applicable
			 to the employee has the greatest amount of payroll, the payroll for holiday,
			 vacation sick pay, overtime and all other forms of payroll that are not
			 directly attributable to a specific classification code must be allocated to
			 the highest rated classification code applicable to the employee. (4) Some employees
			 qualify for division of payroll between two or more basic classification codes
			 and also engage in operations that are classified by codes 8810, 8742, 8748 or
			 8871. The payroll for these standard exception operations must be allocated to
			 the basic classification code with the largest amount of payroll applicable to
			 that employee. (5) An executive order
			 from the governor requires a business to change its standard means of
			 operations.  For the duration of the executive order, if an
			 employer has employees work from home, the appropriate classification for the
			 operations performed will be assigned to the employer, and a division of
			 payroll will be allowed between two or more classifications including standard
			 exception classifications. Examples of division payroll allowed under an
			 executive order: (a) Any operational employee sent home to telework and
				performs clerical duties or assigned no duties, all payroll is reported to
				8871.  (b) When operational employees are sent home and continue
				to perform the same task or job duty as they performed at their employer's
				location the classification assigned to those operations does not change and
				reporting to class code 8871 is prohibited. Example, the employer manufactures
				surgical masks. The employees are sent home and continue to sew masks to meet
				customers' needs. The operational classification of 2501 cloth, canvas and
				related product manufacturing NOC still applies to these operations. The
				exposures for the employee do not change. Exceptions: Code 8810 (clerical office employees), code
				8871 (clerical telecommuter employees), code 8742 (salespersons, collectors, or
				messengers-outside) and code 8748 (automobile salespersons) are not available
				for division of payroll under this rule. However, when an interchange of labor
				exists between code 8810 and code 8871: (i) Code 8871 will be
				  assigned when the employee spends more than fifty per cent of the time worked
				  telecommuting as described by paragraph (B)(2)(a)(ii)(c) of this
				  rule. (ii) Code 8810 will be
				  assigned when the employee spends fifty per cent or less of the time worked
				  telecommuting as described by paragraph (B)(2)(a)(ii)(c) of this
				  rule. (c) The distribution of payroll for the employee may result
				in no single basic classification code that represents the largest amount of
				that employee's payroll. In such cases, the payroll included in the
				standard exception codes (8810, 8742, 8748 and 8871) will be assigned to the
				highest rated classification code that represents any part of the
				employee's work. This rule does not apply to miscellaneous
				employees. Refer to paragraph (E) of this rule for these employees. Examples of instances of interchange of labor
				where an employee's payroll may be divided between two or more
				classifications: (i) In a business that
				  manufactures clocks, all employees must be assigned to either code 3385 (clock
				  mfg.), code 8810 (clerical), code 8742 (salespersons-outside), or code 7380
				  (drivers). In this example, division of payroll is only allowed for employees
				  whose work is divided between activities described by codes 3385 and 7380.
				  Codes 8810 and 8742 are not eligible for division of payroll. (ii) In a business that
				  sells furniture, all employees must be assigned to either code 8044 (store:
				  furniture & drivers), code 8810 (clerical), or code 8742
				  (salespersons-outside). No division of payroll is allowed in this example,
				  since drivers are already included in the basic classifications. Codes 8810 and
				  8742 are not eligible for division of payroll. (iii) In a business that
				  manufactures paper and also further processes this paper into wallpaper, all
				  employees must be assigned to either code 4239 (paper mfg.), code 4279
				  (wallpaper mfg.), code 8810 (clerical), code 8742 (salespersons-outside), or
				  code 7380 (drivers). A division of payroll is allowed for employees whose work
				  is divided among activities described by codes 4239, 4279, and 7380. Codes 8810
				  and 8742 are not eligible for division of payroll. 
			
			
			
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-09 | Clerical office payroll.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Clerical office payroll shall include only the
		payroll of those employees whose duties are confined to keeping the books and
		records of the employer, and conducting correspondence, and drafting, or who
		are engaged wholly in office work where such books and records are kept, having
		no other duties of any nature in or about the employer's premises. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:25 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-10 | Excess premiums.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, 4123.32,
		and 4123.34 of the Revised Code. Pursuant to sections 4123.29 and 4123.34 of
		the Revised Code, the administrator is to keep premiums at the lowest level
		consistent with the maintenance of a solvent state insurance fund and of a
		reasonable surplus. Pursuant to section 4123.321 of the Revised Code, in the
		event there is developed as of any given premium rate revision date a surplus
		of earned premium over all losses which, in the judgment of the bureau's
		board of directors, is larger than is necessary adequately to safeguard the
		solvency of the fund, the bureau's board of directors may return such
		excess surplus to the subscriber to the fund in either the form of cash refunds
		or a reduction of premiums, regardless of when the premium obligation has
		accrued. The bureau's board of directors has full discretion and authority
		to determine whether there is an excess surplus of premium; whether to return
		the excess surplus to employers; the nature of the cash refunds or reduction of
		premiums; the employers who are subscribers to the state insurance fund who are
		eligible for the cash refunds or reduction of premiums; the payroll period or
		periods for which a reduction of premium has accrued and the premium payment
		for which the reduction of premium applies; the applicable date of the cash
		refunds or reduction of premiums; and any other issues involving cash refunds
		or reduction of premiums due to an excess surplus of earned premium. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 27, 2023 at 9:08 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-11 | Rule of merit rating controlling the employee having but one eye, one hand, etc.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Should any employee having but one hand, arm, eye, foot or leg thereafter lose any one of the foregoing members in an industrial accident or as the result of an occupational disease the same shall be merit-rated, not as a permanent total disability, but as a permanent partial disability, based upon the loss of the last member only. The remaining cost shall not be charged against the accident experience of the employer. 
			
			
			
			
		
		
			Supplemental Information
			
				Authorized By:
				–
				 
				Amplifies:
				–
				 
				
				
				
				
					Five Year Review Date:
					
					 
				
				
					Prior Effective Dates:
					7/1/1962
					 
				
			 
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-12 | Catastrophe claims.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) A "catastrophe" is defined
		  as an occurrence in which two or more employees of one employer are killed or
		  receive injuries resulting in permanent and total disability. (B) "Catastrophe cost" is
		  defined as the costs enumerated in section 4123.30 of the Revised Code,
		  including reserves for these costs, as a direct result of a
		  catastrophe. (C) Catastrophe cost in excess of two
		  hundred fifty thousand dollars shall not be included in the experience of a
		  classification code or of an employer. (D) Catastrophe cost in excess of two
		  hundred fifty thousand dollars for a retrospective policy year as defined in
		  rule 4123-17-41 of the Administrative Code, shall not be included in the annual
		  evaluation or final settlement of that retrospective policy year. (E) Notwithstanding the provisions of
		  this rule, the administrator of workers' compensation may consider any
		  special circumstances which may affect the determination of a
		  catastrophe. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:26 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-13 | Employer application for workers'
	 compensation coverage.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An employer may institute
		  workers' compensation coverage under this rule by submitting an
		  application for coverage that completely provides all the information necessary
		  for the bureau of workers' compensation to establish coverage for the
		  employer. (1) The application for
			 coverage shall be submitted on a form designated by the bureau that includes,
			 at a minimum, the following information: (a) The legal name and business entity type, for example
				corporation, limited liability company, sole proprietorship, or
				partnership; (b) Address of the employer; (c) The federal tax identification number or social
				security number of the employer; (d) Information related to the description of the
				employer's operations, including: (i) A description of the
				  work done or industry conducted by the employer,  (ii) The estimated
				  average number of employees in each kind of work, and (iii) The estimated wages
				  of employees in each kind of work over the next twelve months. (e) Information related to whether the applicant for
				coverage has purchased an existing business or has another associated
				policy; (f) Name of the owners or corporate officers, and, where
				applicable for elective coverage, the name and necessary identifying
				information of the sole proprietor, partners, ministers, or officers of the
				family farm corporation; (g) Signature of the person completing the application for
				coverage; and (h) A non-refundable application fee equal to the minimum
				administrative annual charge set forth in rule 4123-17-26 of the Administrative
				Code. (2) If the bureau
			 receives an application for coverage that does not contain all of the
			 information specified by paragraph (A)(1) of this rule, the bureau will attempt
			 to contact the employer to obtain the necessary information. If the applicant
			 does not provide the necessary information, the bureau will deny the
			 employer's application for coverage based upon the employer's failure
			 to provide all the information specified by paragraph (A)(1) of this
			 rule. (3) When an applicant
			 fails to provide the information specified by paragraph (A)(1) of this rule and
			 has employed one or more persons, the employer may be considered a
			 non-complying employer under rule 4123-14-01 of the Administrative Code, and
			 the bureau may recover premium and penalties from the employer under rule
			 4123-14-02 of the Administrative Code. (B) Upon receipt of the application, the
		  bureau will assign payroll to the classification codes applicable to the duties
		  performed. The bureau will provide the employer notice of its determination
		  regarding the employer's classification codes and division of the
		  employer's payroll within those classification codes, the rates for those
		  classification codes, and estimated premium due for the remainder of the policy
		  year in which the employer applies for initial coverage. (C)  If the bureau determines, after
		  reviewing the information submitted with the application provided for in
		  paragraph (A) of this rule, that the employer was subject to division (B)(2) of
		  section 4123.01 of the Revised Code but failed to comply with the law in
		  matters of workers' compensation coverage, the bureau will notify the
		  employer in writing of such a finding and request any additional information
		  necessary to make a determination of the period for which the employer was not
		  in compliance with the law. Upon such determination, the bureau will notify the
		  employer of the premium and assessments due for the period of
		  noncompliance. (D) If the bureau determines, after
		  reviewing the information submitted with the application provided for in
		  paragraph (A) of this rule, that the employer is essentially the same employer,
		  regardless of entity type for which workers' compensation coverage
		  previously had been provided, the bureau may do either of the following:
		   (1) Transfer the prior policy to the employer,
			 and if necessary reactivate a previously cancelled policy in order to complete
			 the transfer, pursuant to rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative Code, and the
			 employer will assume any outstanding obligations under the prior policy; or
			  (2) Deny or rescind the application, and the
			 employer will maintain the prior or existing policy. (E) Upon receipt of the application fee,
		  the bureau will issue a notice of workers' compensation coverage pursuant
		  to section 4123.83 of the Revised Code. The notice will indicate that coverage
		  is contingent on payment of estimated premium and assessments due. (F) Upon receipt of the application fee,,
		  the employer's coverage begins. (1) Unless the provisions
			 of paragraph (D) of this rule apply, such coverage is effective from the date
			 of receipt of the application for coverage pursuant to paragraph (A) of this
			 rule. (2) A credit in an amount
			 equal to the application fee will be applied to the employer's account
			 upon receipt of the first estimated premium payment. (3) If the first estimated premium payment is not
			 made, the employer's coverage will lapse back to the effective date of
			 the policy. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 27, 2023 at 9:08 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-14 | Reporting of payroll and reconciliation of premium due.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. (1) As used in this
			 chapter of the Administrative Code: (a) "Applied EM" means the experience modification, or
				"EM," as set forth in rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code,
				except where such EM is modified by participation in the group experience
				rating program set forth in rules 4123-17-61 to 4123-17-66 of the
				Administrative Code, the claim impact reduction program set forth in rule
				4123-17-71 of the Administrative Code, or the EM cap program set forth in rule
				4123-17-03.2 of the Administrative Code. In such cases, "applied EM"
				means the experience modifier resulting from participation in those
				programs. (b) "Current" with respect to payments due the bureau
				of workers' compensation means not more than forty-five days past
				due. (c) "Payments due the bureau" means any premiums,
				administrative costs, assessments, fines or monies otherwise due to any fund
				administered by the bureau for which the employer has not submitted a dispute
				of the obligation to the bureau's adjudicating committee as set forth in
				rule 4123-14-06 of the Administrative Code. (d) "Payroll" or "wages" means the entire
				remuneration allowed by an employer to employees in the employer's service
				for the applicable period. (e) "Public employer taxing district" means an employer
				that is not the state itself and subject to the provisions of sections 4123.38
				and 4123.39 of the Revised Code. (f) "Remuneration" has the same meaning as defined in
				division (H) of section 4141.01 of the Revised Code. (i) The definition of
				  remuneration applies to all persons of such employers considered to be
				  employees under the statutes or rules of the bureau, regardless of whether the
				  employer is required to report payroll or remuneration to the Ohio department
				  of job and family services under Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code or whether
				  the employer reports payroll or remuneration to the Ohio department of job and
				  family services for such persons considered to be employees by the
				  bureau. (ii) For employees who
				  customarily receive tips or gratuities, remuneration includes all actual wages
				  paid and all tips and gratuities. (2) All other terms have
			 the same meaning as prescribed in section 4123.01 of the Revised
			 Code. (B) Private employers: notice of
		  estimated premium. (1) Except as otherwise
			 provided in paragraph (E) of this rule, the bureau will notify private
			 employers of the development of estimated premium no later than the first day
			 of May preceding the policy year for which such premium is due. (2) The bureau will provide all of the
			 following: (a) The estimated payroll used by the bureau to calculate the
				employer's estimated premium due; (b) The classification codes in which the employer's payroll
				is allocated and the base rates for each of the classification codes
				identified; (c) The employer's applied EM used in determining premium
				due; and (d) The employer's estimated premium due for the applicable
				policy year. (3) An employer may revise the estimated
			 payroll amount used to calculate estimated premium due for the policy year for
			 good cause shown, as determined by bureau policy. (a) The estimated premium will be revised for the policy year and
				the balance of installments for the remainder of the policy year will be
				adjusted to reflect the new estimated premium amount. (b) Requests will not be accepted to revise payroll for a policy
				year after the last business day of March in that policy year; the adjustment
				to premium due will be upon the employer's report of actual payroll
				pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule. (C) Private employers: invoice and
		  estimated premium payments. (1) Except as otherwise
			 provided in paragraph (E) of this rule, the bureau will provide private
			 employers with an invoice for estimated premium no later than the first day of
			 June immediately preceding the policy year for which the estimated premium is
			 charged. The bureau will provide subsequent invoices according to a schedule
			 made available with the notice of estimated premium. (2) Payment of invoices
			 will be due no later than the date indicated on each invoice. (3) The administrator of
			 workers' compensation may assess penalties and late fees on payments
			 received after the deadlines set forth in paragraph (C)(2) of this rule,
			 pursuant to rule 4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code. (D) Private employers: payroll report and
		  reconciliation of premium due. (1) Except as otherwise
			 provided in paragraphs (D)(5) and (E) of this rule, after the conclusion of
			 each policy year, every private employer shall submit a payroll report to the
			 bureau containing the number of employees employed within each of the
			 employer's assigned classification codes and the aggregate amount of wages
			 paid to such employees over the relevant time period. (2) The bureau will establish an
			 electronic payroll reconciliation process to address the difference between
			 estimated gross payroll and actual gross payroll immediately upon the filing of
			 the payroll report. (3) The payroll report shall report data
			 for the full policy year. The report must be filed by, and any payment due the
			 bureau paid by the fifteenth day of August, and effective the policy year
			 beginning July 1, 2024, by the thirty-first day of August, immediately
			 following the conclusion of the policy year. Any balance due the employer will
			 be credited to the employer's account. (4) An employer may elect to provide
			 payment other than through the electronic reconciliation process, provided
			 payment is received by the fifteenth day of August, and effective the policy
			 year beginning July 1, 2024, by the thirty-first day of August, immediately
			 following the conclusion of the policy year. (5) The administrator may
			 waive the provisions of paragraph (D)(1) of this rule for private employers
			 who: (a) Are not an alternate employer organization ("AEO")
				as defined in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code or a professional employer
				organization ("PEO") as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised
				Code; (b) Do not have any employees in the policy year, including no
				employees subject to rule 4123-17-07 of the Administrative Code;
				and (c) Have reported no payroll on the payroll report for the three
				previous policy years. (E) Alternate employer organizations and
		  professional employer organizations. (1) Each employer that is
			 recognized by the administrator as an AEO or as a PEO shall submit a monthly
			 payroll report. (2) The AEO or the PEO shall
			 electronically report data for each month no later than the fifteenth day after
			 the last day of the month for which payroll is being reported and pay all
			 monthly premium and assessments concurrently with the filing of the monthly
			 payroll report.  (3) If an AEO or a PEO fails to make
			 timely payment of premiums and assessments pursuant to this rule, coverage will
			 lapse, and the administrator will proceed to revoke the registration of the AEO
			 or the PEO pursuant to rule 4123-17-15.7 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4) The administrator may waive the provisions of paragraph
			 (D)(1) of this rule for a client employer of an AEO or a PEO if the client
			 employer: (a) meets all of the
				criteria of paragraphs (D)(5)(a) and (D)(5)(b) of this rule; (b) has been in an AEO
				agreement or a PEO agreement for the entire policy period; and (c) reports all wages
				under the workers' compensation policy for the AEO or PEO for the entire
				policy period. (F) Public employer taxing districts:
		  notice of estimated premium. (1) The bureau will
			 notify public employer taxing districts of the development of estimated premium
			 due no later than the last day of October preceding the start of the policy
			 year. (2) The bureau will
			 provide all of the following: (a) The estimated payroll used by the bureau to calculate the
				employer's estimated premium due; (b) The classification codes in which the employer's payroll
				is allocated and the base rates for each of the classification codes
				identified; (c) The employer's applied EM; and (d) The employer's estimated premium due for the applicable
				policy year. (3) An employer may
			 revise the estimated payroll amount used to calculate estimated premium due for
			 the policy year for good cause shown, as determined by bureau
			 policy. (a) The estimated premium will be revised for the policy year and
				the balance of installments for the rest of the year will be adjusted to
				reflect the new estimated premium amount. (b) Requests will not be accepted to revise payroll for a policy
				year after the last business day of September in that policy year; the
				adjustment to premium due will be upon the employer's report of actual
				payroll pursuant to paragraph (H) of this rule. (G) Public employer taxing districts:
		  invoice and estimated premium payments. (1) The bureau will provide public
			 employer taxing districts with an invoice for estimated premium no later than
			 the first day of December immediately preceding the policy year for which the
			 estimated premium is charged. The bureau will provide subsequent invoices
			 according to a schedule made available with the notice of estimated
			 premium. (2) Payment of invoices
			 will be due no later than the date indicated on each invoice. (3) The administrator may
			 assess penalties and late fees on payments received after the deadlines set
			 forth in paragraph (G)(2) of this rule pursuant to rule 4123-17-16 of the
			 Administrative Code. (H) Public employer taxing districts:
		  payroll report and reconciliation of premium due. (1) After the conclusion
			 of each policy year, every public employer taxing district shall submit a
			 payroll report to the bureau containing the number of employees employed within
			 each of the employer's assigned classification codes and the aggregate
			 amount of wages paid to such employees over the policy year. (2) The employer shall
			 submit its payroll report electronically and remit any payments due the bureau
			 no later than the fifteenth day of February, and effective the policy year
			 beginning January 1, 2025, no later than the last day of February, immediately
			 following the conclusion of the policy year. Immediately upon receipt of the
			 payroll report, the bureau will adjust the premium and assessments charged to
			 each employer for the difference between estimated gross payrolls and actual
			 gross payrolls. At the conclusion of the payroll and premium reconciliation,
			 each employer shall remit any payments due the bureau. If the reconciled
			 premium results in a credit, the bureau will post such credit to the
			 employer's account. (I) Allocation of payroll. (1) If an employer elects
			 under section 4123.292 of the Revised Code to obtain other-states'
			 coverage directly from an other-states' insurer for employment
			 relationships localized in Ohio, the employer shall notify the bureau of the
			 election on a form prescribed by the bureau and provide the bureau with a copy
			 of the other-states' coverage policy. (2) An employer that
			 elects to obtain other-states' coverage directly from an
			 other-states' insurer under section 4123.292 of the Revised Code shall
			 include on the payroll report required by this rule only the remuneration for
			 work the employees performed in Ohio and other work not covered by the
			 other-states' policy. The employer will maintain documentation of the
			 amount of remuneration paid to its employees for work performed outside of Ohio
			 and covered by the other-states' policy and provide it to the bureau upon
			 request. (3) If an employer
			 employs an employee covered under a federal Longshore and Harbor Workers'
			 Compensation Act policy, the employer shall include on the payroll report the
			 remuneration for work the employees performed in Ohio for which the employees
			 are eligible to receive compensation and benefits under Chapters 4121. and
			 4123. of the Revised Code. The employer will maintain documentation of the
			 amount of remuneration for work covered by an insurer under the federal
			 Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and provide it to the
			 bureau upon request. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:30 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-14.1 | Misrepresentation of payroll.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) No employer shall knowingly
		  misrepresent to the bureau of workers' compensation the amount or
		  classification of payroll upon which the premium under this chapter is based.
		  No self-insuring employer shall knowingly misrepresent to the bureau the amount
		  of paid compensation paid by such employer. (B) As used in the rule,
		  "knowingly" means that the employer had actual knowledge of the
		  misrepresentation and was aware that the misrepresentation would cause a
		  certain result. An employer will not be deemed to have knowingly misrepresented
		  its payroll, its classification of payroll, or its paid compensation where the
		  employer's determination of how to report was based on: (1) The employer's
			 reasonable interpretation of a law, rule, or classification code;
			 or (2) Prior reporting
			 instructions or written advice received from the bureau. (C) Whenever the bureau finds that an
		  employer violated division (A) of section 4123.25 of the Revised Code by
		  knowingly misrepresenting its payroll or classification of payroll to the
		  bureau, the administrator of workers' compensation or the
		  administrator's designee may impose a penalty that the administrator or
		  the administrator's designee deems appropriate upon the employer based on
		  the following criteria: (1)  Amount of difference
			 between the premium the employer paid and the amount the employer should have
			 paid; (2) The frequency with
			 which the employer has misrepresented its payroll or classification of payroll
			 to the bureau; (3) The number of
			 misrepresentations or misclassifications the employer has made to the
			 bureau; (4) The duration for
			 which the employer made such misrepresentations or
			 misclassifications; (5) Whether the bureau
			 has found misclassified or underreported payroll in a premium audit on prior
			 occasion; and (6)  Any additional circumstances that
			 warrant consideration in determining the penalty amount. (D) The penalty imposed under paragraph (C) of this rule
		  will not exceed ten times the amount of the difference between the premium the
		  employer paid and the amount the employer should have paid. (E) Whenever the self-insuring employers evaluation board
		  finds that a self-insuring employer violated division (B) of section 4123.25 of
		  the Revised Code by knowingly misrepresenting its paid compensation to the
		  bureau, the self-insuring employers evaluation board may impose a penalty upon
		  the employer as provided under section 4123.25 of the Revised
		  Code. (F) Except for a self-insuring employer, an employer may
		  appeal a penalty imposed under this rule to the adjudicating committee under
		  section 4123.291 of the Revised Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated June 17, 2024 at 10:43 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-14.2 | Installment payments.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				March 26, 2018 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) An employer may elect to pay its
		  estimated premium due in equal installments of two, four, six, or twelve in
		  number. (1) Employers paying in
			 advance of the installment schedule will not incur a penalty for early
			 payment. (2) Employers paying the
			 minimum administrative charge shall not be eligible for an installment
			 plan. (B) Initial installment
		  plans. (1) All eligible private
			 employers will be invoiced on the six-payment installment plan. (2) All eligible public
			 employer taxing districts will be invoiced on the twelve-payment installment
			 plan. (C) An employer may change its
		  installment plan upon request. (1) A private employer
			 must request a change in installment plan no later than the fiftheent day of
			 May preceding the start of the policy year.  (2) A public employer
			 taxing district must request a change in installment plan no later than the
			 fifteenth day of November preceding the start of the policy year. (D) Each installment shall be due by the
		  date indicated on the invoice. (E) In making payment arrangements with an employer, the bureau
		  may alter an installment plan if it determines such change is
		  appropriate. (F) Election of installment payments under this rule shall not
		  disqualify an employer from participation in the rating plans and discount
		  programs established in this chapter, but any lapse periods imposed on an
		  employer for failure to timely pay installments shall be counted toward the
		  maximum number of days during which an employer is permitted to be lapsed in
		  the eligibility criteria for such rating plans and discount
		  programs. (G)  A public employer taxing district may elect to defer payment
		  of installments due prior to April thirtieth in that policy year until April
		  thirtieth. Such election must occur on or before November fifteen of the
		  previous policy year. If an employer makes such election, the bureau will apply
		  a deferment fee of 0.94 per cent to the total amount of the installments that
		  are deferred. (H) The bureau will grant an early
		  payment discount to an employer that pays the full twelve month estimated
		  annual premium by the due date for the first installment for each policy year.
		  The employer must be in an active policy status as of the due date for the
		  first installment to be eligible for this discount. For purposes of this rule,
		  "active policy status" does not include a policy that is a no
		  coverage policy or a policy that is lapsed. If an employer elects to pay all
		  installments in a single payment, the bureau will grant a discount to the
		  eligible employer for that policy period as set forth in this rule. The
		  discount cannot reduce the total amount due below the minimum required premium
		  as provided in rule 4123-17-26 of the Administrative Code. (1) A discount of two per
			 cent will be available to private employers for the policy years commencing on
			 July 1, 2017. (2) A discount of two per
			 cent will be available to public employer taxing districts for the policy years
			 commencing on January 1, 2017. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated June 17, 2024 at 10:43 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15 | Alternate employer organizations and professional employer organizations.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in rules 4123-17-15 to 4123-17-15.7 of
		  the Administrative Code: (1) "Alternate
			 employer organization" or "AEO" has the same meaning as defined
			 in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code. "Alternate employer
			 organization" or "AEO" does not include a service agency that is
			 in the business of employing individuals for the purpose of utilizing the
			 services of the individuals for a temporary period of time. (2) "Professional employer
			 organization" or "PEO" has the same meaning as defined in
			 section 4125.01 of the Revised Code. PEOs that coemploy a part of a client
			 employer's workforce are to comply with the provisions set forth in
			 paragraph (C) of this rule. "Professional employer organization" or
			 "PEO" does not include a service agency that is in the business of
			 employing individuals for the purpose of utilizing the services of the
			 individuals for a temporary period of time. (3) "Client employer" has the
			 same meaning as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code for client
			 employers of a PEO and section 4133.01 of the Revised Code for client employers
			 of an AEO. "Client employer" does not mean an employer who is a
			 noncomplying employer as defined in rule 4123-14-01 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4) "AEO
			 agreement" means an alternate employer organization agreement as defined
			 in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code. On entering into an AEO agreement all
			 worksite employees of a client employer are covered under the workers'
			 compensation policy of the AEO. (5) "PEO agreement" means a
			 professional employer organization agreement as defined in section 4125.01 of
			 the Revised Code. (6) "PEO reporting entity"
			 means a professional employer organization reporting entity as defined in
			 section 4125.01 of the Revised Code. (7) "Assurance organization,"
			 "coemploy," and "shared employee" have the same meaning as
			 defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code. (8) "Trade
			 secret" has the same meaning as defined in section 1333.61 of the Revised
			 Code. (9) "Working
			 capital" means the excess of current assets over current liabilities as
			 determined by generally accepted accounting principles. (10) "Worksite
			 employee" has the same meaning as defined in section 4133.01 of the
			 Revised Code. (11) "Policy number," is a term
			 synonymous with "risk number," meaning the identification number that
			 the bureau of workers' compensation assigns to an employer. (B) Where an AEO or a PEO is required to
		  give notice, register, or make a report to the bureau under rules 4123-17-15 to
		  4123-17-15.7 of the Administrative Code, the AEO or the PEO shall do so on
		  forms prescribed by the bureau. Forms are to be completed in full, as
		  determined by the bureau, for such notice, registration, or report to be
		  effective. (C) Partial leases. (1) A PEO may enter into
			 a PEO agreement to coemploy part of a client employer's workforce,
			 provided the client employer is not a temporary agency, for workers'
			 compensation purposes only to the extent wages are paid by and reported under
			 the tax identification number of the PEO for federal tax purposes. (2) Under such partial
			 lease agreement, the PEO shall report under its workers' compensation
			 policy number the payroll associated with the wages paid by and reported by the
			 PEO for federal tax purposes under the PEO's tax identification number.
			 The client employer shall report under its workers' compensation policy
			 number all payroll associated with wages not paid by and not reported under the
			 PEO's tax identification number. (3) All of a client
			 employer's payroll within a classification code is to be reported in its
			 entirety under either the workers' compensation policy number of the PEO
			 or client employer; such payroll cannot be split between the PEO and client
			 employer. (D) Obligations of an AEO. An AEO must perform all of the following
		  functions: (1) Annually provide
			 written notice to each worksite employee an AEO assigns to perform services to
			 a client employer of the relationship between and the responsibilities of the
			 AEO and the client employer; (2) Process and pay all
			 wages and applicable state and federal payroll taxes associated with the
			 worksite employee under the federal tax identification tax number of the client
			 employer, either directly by the AEO or through a third party vendor contracted
			 by the AEO that is not a client employer, irrespective of payments made by the
			 client employer, pursuant to the terms and conditions of compensation in the
			 AEO agreement between the AEO and the client employer. (3) Pay all related
			 payroll taxes associated with a worksite employee under the federal tax
			 identification number of the client employer independent of the terms and
			 conditions contained in the AEO agreement between the AEO and the client
			 employer. (4) Annually certify to
			 the bureau that all client employer federal payroll taxes have been timely and
			 appropriately paid and provide proof of payment to the bureau upon
			 request. (5) In any AEO agreement
			 between an AEO and a client employer, list the client employer on the W-2 of
			 all worksite employees, but the AEO remains jointly and severally liable for
			 all applicable local, state, and federal withholding and employer-paid taxes
			 with respect to the worksite employees. (6) File federal payroll
			 taxes entirely under the tax identification number of the client employer but
			 remain jointly and severally liable for all wages and payroll taxes associated
			 with worksite employees. (7) If any client
			 employer of an AEO fails to transmit payment to the AEO sufficient to cover
			 payment of all wages and employer-paid taxes, keep a record of the nonpayment
			 or underpayment and a record that the AEO nonetheless paid the wages and taxes
			 owed. (8) Maintain
			 workers' compensation coverage, pay all workers' compensation
			 premiums, and manage all workers' compensation claims, filings, and
			 related procedures associated with the worksite employee in compliance with
			 Chapters 4121. and 4123. of the Revised Code under the AEO's policy
			 number, except that when worksite employees include elective coverage persons
			 as those terms are defined in rule 4123-17-07 of the Administrative Code,
			 payroll reports are to include the entire amount of payroll associated with
			 those persons and are not subject to the weekly minimum and maximum provided in
			 rule 4123-17-30 of the Administrative Code. (9) Maintain complete
			 records separately listing the classification codes of each client employer and
			 the payroll reported to each classification code for each client employer for
			 each payroll reporting period during the time period covered in the AEO
			 agreement. Payroll is to be kept in a manner that clearly identifies the
			 appropriate classification codes assigned to each client employer, the payroll
			 reported in each classification code, and the amount of premiums paid for each
			 client employer for each payroll period covered in the AEO
			 agreement. (10) Maintain a complete
			 record of workers' compensation claims for each client employer, with
			 claims separately identified according to the client employer. (11) Report individual
			 client employer payroll, claims, and classification data under a separate and
			 unique subaccount to the bureau. (12) Within fourteen days
			 of receiving notice from the bureau that a dividend, refund, or rebate will be
			 applied to workers' compensation premiums, provide a copy of that notice
			 to any client employer to whom that notice is relevant. (13) Within thirty days
			 after receiving a dividend, refund, or rebate that is applied to workers'
			 compensation premiums, either fully redistribute or fully credit the client
			 employer to whom that dividend, refund, or rebate is relevant. (14) Not provide partial
			 or split workers' compensation coverage for worksite employees in which
			 the client employer provides that coverage for some, but not all, of the client
			 employer's worksite employees. (E) Obligations of a PEO. A PEO must perform all of the following
		  functions: (1) Provide written
			 notice to each shared employee it assigns to a client employer of the
			 relationship between and the responsibilities of the PEO and the client
			 employer. (2) Pay wages and payroll
			 taxes associated with shared employees as established within the PEO agreement,
			 either directly by the PEO or through a third party vendor contracted by the
			 PEO that is not a client employer. The responsibility for making payments under
			 this section is not contingent on receipt of payment from the client employer.
			 Shared employee wages are to be paid by and reported under the tax
			 identification number of the PEO for federal tax purposes. A PEO may only enter
			 into agreements in which all employees of the client employer are shared and
			 reported under the PEO's tax identification number for federal tax
			 purposes, but reported under the client employer's policy number for
			 workers' compensation purposes, when: (a) The client employer's payroll is wholly reported under
				the PEO employer's tax identification number for federal tax purposes;
				and (b) The client employer's payroll is wholly reported under
				the client employer's policy number for workers' compensation
				purposes. (3) Be responsible for
			 maintaining both adequate and required employment-related records for
			 employees, and for reporting such information as may be required by appropriate
			 governmental agencies. (4) Comply with
			 applicable state laws regarding workers' compensation insurance
			 coverage. (5) Maintain complete
			 records, separately listing the payroll and claims of its client employers for
			 each payroll reporting period. Payroll is to be kept in a manner that clearly
			 identifies the appropriate classification codes assigned to each client
			 employer, the payroll reported in each classification code, and the amount of
			 premiums paid for each client employer for each payroll period covered in the
			 PEO agreement. Claims are to be separately identified according to the client
			 employer. (6) Report individual
			 client employer payroll, claims, and classification data under a separate and
			 unique subaccount to the bureau. (7) Maintain
			 workers' compensation coverage, pay all workers' compensation
			 premiums and manage all workers' compensation claims, filings, and related
			 procedures associated with a shared employee in compliance with Chapters 4121.
			 and 4123. of the Revised Code, except that when shared employees include
			 ministers or elective coverage persons as those terms are defined in rule
			 4123-17-07 of the Administrative Code, payroll reports are to include the
			 entire amount of payroll associated with those persons and are not subject to
			 the weekly minimum and maximum provided in rule 4123-17-30 of the
			 Administrative Code. The PEO must maintain workers' compensation coverage
			 under its workers' compensation policy number for all payroll reported
			 under its tax identification number for federal tax purposes, except as
			 provided in paragraph (D)(2) of this rule. (8) Within fourteen days
			 after receiving notice from the bureau that a dividend, refund, or rebate will
			 be applied to workers' compensation premiums, provide a copy of that
			 notice to any client employer to whom that notice is relevant. (9) Within thirty days
			 after receiving a dividend, refund, or rebate that is applied to workers'
			 compensation premiums, either fully redistribute or fully credit the client
			 employer to whom that dividend, refund, or rebate is relevant. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15.1 | AEO agreements and PEO agreements.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Where a client employer enters into
		  an AEO or a PEO agreement: (1) Each client employer
			 must establish and maintain an individual account with the bureau of
			 workers' compensation. (2) The AEO or the PEO is
			 considered the succeeding employer, solely for purposes of workers'
			 compensation experience, and is subject to rule 4123-17-02 of the
			 Administrative Code. (3) If the AEO agreement
			 or the PEO agreement between a client employer and the AEO or the PEO is
			 terminated, or if the AEO or the PEO declares bankruptcy or ceases operation in
			 Ohio, the AEO or the PEO must notify the bureau and each client associated with
			 that AEO or that PEO within thirty days from the effective date of termination,
			 and identify on forms prescribed by the bureau the portion of the experience of
			 the AEO or the PEO related to the client employer that will be transferred to
			 the client employer. (4) An AEO or a PEO shall
			 report any transfer of employees between related AEO entities, PEO entities or
			 PEO reporting entities to the bureau within fourteen calendar days after the
			 date of the transfer. The AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting entity shall
			 include in the report all client payroll and claim information regarding the
			 transferred employees and a notice of all workers' compensation claims
			 that have been reported to the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting entity in
			 accordance with the internal reporting policies of the AEO, the PEO or the PEO
			 reporting entity. (B) An AEO or a PEO shall notify the
		  bureau within thirty days when entering into an AEO agreement or a PEO
		  agreement, or when changing the type of a PEO agreement. The AEO, or the PEO
		  for payroll reported under the PEO's policy, must list payroll within the
		  existing classification codes of the client employer. If the bureau is not
		  notified within thirty days, the bureau will recognize the AEO agreement or the
		  PEO agreement on the date the bureau receives notice and the client employer is
		  responsible for reporting payroll and claims under the client employer's
		  individual policy until the recognized effective date of the
		  agreement. (C) An AEO or a PEO which enters into an
		  AEO agreement or a PEO agreement with a noncomplying employer or an AEO or a
		  PEO which fails to comply with rules 4123-17-15 to 4123-17-15.7 of the
		  Administrative Code will not be considered the employer for workers'
		  compensation purposes. In these instances, the payroll of the shared employees
		  is to be reported by the client employer under its workers' compensation
		  policy number for workers' compensation premium and claims purposes,
		  unless barred by federal law. Claims that are filed by the client
		  employer's shared employees will be charged to the experience of the
		  client employer. (D) The bureau will not recognize an AEO
		  agreement or a PEO agreement between an out of state client employer and an AEO
		  or a PEO where the employees of the out of state client employer do not have
		  sufficient contacts with Ohio to meet the jurisdictional conditions for
		  coverage. (E) An AEO agreement or a PEO agreement,
		  or a change in an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement, filed with the bureau will
		  have the following effective date with the bureau for workers'
		  compensation premium and claims purposes: (1) For a self-insured
			 AEO or self-insured PEO entering into an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement, the
			 commencement date of the AEO agreement or PEO agreement; or (2) For a state fund AEO
			 or state fund PEO entering into an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement or changing
			 an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement, and for a self-insured AEO or self-insured
			 PEO changing an existing AEO agreement or PEO agreement: (a) If the commencement date of the AEO agreement or the PEO
				agreement, or change in the AEO agreement or the PEO agreement, is January
				first or July first, the commencement date; or (b) If the commencement date of the AEO agreement or the PEO
				agreement, or change in the AEO agreement or the PEO agreement, is not January
				first or July first, the next January first or July first, whichever is
				earlier. (F) An AEO or a PEO cannot enter any AEO
		  agreement or PEO agreement where the client employer is an AEO or a PEO, and
		  the bureau will not recognize any AEO agreement or PEO agreement where the
		  client employer is an AEO or a PEO. (G) The following acts are not
		  permitted: (1) A PEO from entering
			 into an AEO agreement with any client employer, and (2) An AEO from entering
			 into a PEO agreement with any client employer. (H) For each occurrence of the following, an AEO or a PEO will be
		  assessed fifty dollars as a late processing fee: (1) The AEO or the PEO
			 fails to notify the bureau within thirty days when entering into, or changing,
			 an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement; (2) The AEO or the PEO
			 fails to notify the bureau or client employer within thirty days of termination
			 of an AEO agreement or a PEO agreement; (3) The AEO or the PEO
			 fails to notify the bureau or a client employer within thirty days of declaring
			 bankruptcy; and (4) The AEO or the PEO
			 fails to notify the bureau or a client employer within thirty days of ceasing
			 operations in Ohio. (I) An AEO or a PEO may appeal any late processing fees assessed
		  by the bureau under paragraph (H) of this rule pursuant to the administrative
		  hearing procedure set forth in section 4123.291 of the Revised
		  Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
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							Rule 4123-17-15.2 | Registration and reporting requirements.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The AEO or the PEO shall register
		  with the bureau of workers' compensation no later than thirty days after
		  the formation of the AEO or the PEO. An AEO or a PEO operating in this state
		  shall register annually with the administrator of workers'
		  compensation. (1) The AEO or the PEO
			 will submit an initial registration fee as set forth in the appendix to this
			 rule with its initial application. The AEO or the PEO will submit an annual
			 renewal fee as set forth in the appendix to this rule to the bureau on or prior
			 to December thirty-first of each year. (2) The AEO or the PEO
			 will submit the following information when registering with the
			 bureau: (a) A list of each of the client employers of the AEO or the PEO
				that is current as of the date of registration for purposes of initial
				registration or current as of the date of annual registration renewal, or
				within fourteen days of adding or releasing a client, that includes the client
				employer's name, address, federal tax identification number, and bureau of
				workers' compensation policy number; (b) The name or names under which the AEO or the PEO conducts
				business; (c) The address of the principal place of business of the AEO or
				the PEO and the address of each office it maintains in this state; (d) The taxpayer or employer identification number of the AEO or
				the PEO; (e) A list of each state in which the AEO or the PEO has operated
				in the preceding five years, and the name, corresponding with each state, under
				which the AEO or the PEO operated in each state, including any alternative
				names, names of predecessors, and if known, successor business entities, and
				whether the entity is an AEO or PEO in the other state(s); (f) A list of all corporate officers of the AEO or the
				PEO; (g) A list of all related corporate entities; (h) An attestation of the accuracy of the data submissions from
				the chief executive officer, president, or other individual who serves as the
				controlling person of the AEO or the PEO; (i) Security pursuant to sections 4125.05 and 4133.07 of the
				Revised Code; and (j) The most recent financial statement prepared and audited in
				accordance with rule 4123-17-15.4 of the Administrative Code, and such
				financial statement is to be no older than thirteen months at the time it is
				submitted to the bureau. (B) On an annual basis, on a date
		  determined by the bureau, the AEO or the PEO shall provide an annual report of
		  its client employers and total workforce to the bureau. The report will list
		  all individual employees, by client employer. For each employee, the AEO or the
		  PEO will provide employee identification information, quarterly payroll,
		  associated classification code, title or position, and department. (C) A PEO reporting entity that will
		  complete the financial reporting mandates of this chapter for commonly owned or
		  controlled PEOs must register with the bureau and pay an initial registration
		  fee as set forth in the appendix to this rule. (1) The PEO reporting
			 entity shall submit the following information when registering with the
			 bureau: (a) A list of each of the PEOs for which the PEO reporting entity
				will complete financial reporting mandates; (b) The name or names under which the PEO reporting entity
				conducts business; (c) The address of the PEO reporting entity's principal
				place of business and the address of each office it maintains in this
				state; (d) The PEO reporting entity's taxpayer or employer
				identification number; (e) A list of all corporate officers of the PEO reporting
				entity; (f) The most recent financial statement prepared and audited in
				accordance with rule 4123-17-15.4 of the Administrative Code, and such
				financial statement is to be no older than thirteen months at the time it is
				submitted to the bureau; (g) Security pursuant to section 4125.05 of the Revised Code; and
				 (h) An attestation of the accuracy of the data submissions from
				the chief executive officer, president, or other individual who serves as the
				controlling person of the PEO reporting entity. (2) The PEO reporting
			 entity will renew such registration and pay an annual renewal fee as set forth
			 in the appendix to this rule no later than December thirty-first of each
			 year. (D) The administrator may grant limited
		  registration to an AEO or a PEO for reasons specified by the administrator in
		  the certificate of limited registration if the AEO or the PEO provides all of
		  the following items: (1) A properly executed
			 request for limited registration on a form prescribed by the
			 bureau; (2) A limited
			 registration fee as set forth in the appendix to this rule; (3) All information set
			 forth in paragraphs (A)(2)(a) to (A)(2)(h) of this rule; and (4) Information and
			 documentation necessary to show that the AEO or the PEO satisfies all of the
			 following criteria: (a) The AEO or the PEO is domiciled outside of Ohio and does not
				maintain an office in the state; (b) The AEO or the PEO is licensed or registered as an AEO or a
				PEO in another state; (c) The AEO or the PEO does not participate in direct
				solicitations for client employers located or domiciled in Ohio;
				and (d) The AEO or the PEO has fifty or fewer shared employees
				employed or domiciled in Ohio on any given day. For purposes of this paragraph,
				an AEO or a PEO is not domiciled outside of Ohio if a commonly owned or
				otherwise related corporate entity is domiciled in Ohio or maintains an office
				in the state. (5) The administrator may
			 demand security of the limited registration AEO or the limited registration PEO
			 pursuant to sections 4125.05 and 4133.07 of the Revised Code. (E) The bureau will maintain a list of
		  AEOs, PEOs, and PEO reporting entities registered under this rule that is
		  readily available to the public. (F) The following acts are not
		  permitted: (1) Beginning on and
			 after January 1, 2022, an AEO, that is currently registered in Ohio under this
			 rule, owning, co-owning, or commonly controlling an AEO, a PEO, or a PEO
			 reporting entity that is registered in Ohio under this rule, and (2) Beginning on and
			 after January 1, 2022, a PEO or a PEO reporting entity, that is currently
			 registered in Ohio under this rule, owning, co-owning, or commonly controlling
			 an AEO that is registered in Ohio under this rule. (G) Except to the extent necessary for the administrator to
		  administer the statutory duties of the administrator and for employees of the
		  state to perform their official duties, all records, reports, client lists, and
		  other information obtained from an AEO, a PEO or a PEO reporting entity under
		  this rule are confidential and are considered trade secrets and will not be
		  published or open to public inspection. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15.4 | Financial mandates.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An AEO, a PEO, or a PEO reporting
		  entity shall prepare financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
		  accounting principles and submit them electronically for registration and
		  registration renewal pursuant to sections 4125.05 and 4133.08 of the Revised
		  Code. (1) The financial
			 statements shall be audited by an independent certified public accountant
			 authorized to practice in the jurisdiction in which that accountant is
			 located. (a) The resulting report of the auditor is not to include either
				of the following: (i) A qualification or
				  disclaimer of opinion as to adherence to generally accepted accounting
				  principles; or (ii) A statement
				  expressing substantial doubt about the ability of the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO
				  reporting entity to continue as a going concern. (b) If an AEO or a PEO does not have at least twelve months of
				operating history on which to base financial statements, the financial
				statements are to be reviewed by a certified public accountant. (2) A PEO reporting
			 entity may submit a combined or consolidated financial statement for its member
			 PEOs to satisfy this paragraph. If the combined or consolidated financial
			 statement includes entities that are not PEOs or that are not in the PEO
			 reporting entity, the controlling entity of the PEO reporting entity that is
			 submitting the consolidated or combined financial statement shall guarantee
			 that the PEOs of the PEO reporting entity have completely satisfied paragraph
			 (B) of this rule. (B) An AEO, a PEO, or a PEO reporting
		  entity is obligated to maintain positive working capital at initial or annual
		  registration, as reflected in the financial statements submitted to the bureau
		  of workers' compensation under paragraph (A)(2)(j) of rule 4123-17-15.2 of
		  the Administrative Code. If a deficit in working capital is reflected in the
		  financial statements submitted to the bureau, the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO
		  reporting entity shall: (1) Submit to the bureau
			 a quarterly financial statement for each calendar quarter during which there is
			 a deficit in working capital, accompanied by an attestation of the chief
			 executive officer, president, or other individual who serves as the controlling
			 person of the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting entity that all wages, taxes,
			 workers' compensation premiums, and employee benefits have been paid by
			 the AEO, the PEO, or members of the PEO reporting entity. (2) Obtain a bond,
			 irrevocable letter of credit, or securities with a minimum market value in an
			 amount sufficient to cover the deficit in working capital. Such security is to
			 be held by a depository designated by the administrator of workers'
			 compensation to secure payment by the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting entity
			 of all taxes, wages, benefits, or other entitlements due or otherwise
			 pertaining to shared employees, if the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting
			 entity does not make those payments when due. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15.5 | Self-insured AEOs and PEOs.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An AEO or a PEO registered with the
		  bureau of workers' compensation under rule 4123-17-15.2 of the
		  Administrative Code may apply to pay compensation directly as a self-insuring
		  employer. (1) The AEO or the PEO
			 must meet all eligibility criteria set forth in section 4123.35 of the Revised
			 Code. (a) The AEO or the PEO will provide five years of financial
				records as set forth in division (B)(1)(e) of section 4123.35 of the Revised
				Code. The administrator of workers' compensation cannot waive this
				mandate. (b) Worksite employees of an AEO and shared employees of a PEO
				will be considered employees of the AEO or the PEO for the purposes of meeting
				the provisions of division (B)(1)(a) of section 4123.35 of the Revised Code
				only if the following criteria are met: (i) An AEO will
				  demonstrate to the bureau that it is in compliance with all of the
				  following: (a) The duties of
					 organization regarding worksite employees set forth in section 4133.03 of the
					 Revised Code, as amplified in paragraph (D) of rule 4123-17-15 of the
					 Administrative Code; (b) The provisions of
					 section 4133.07 of the Revised Code; and (c) The provisions of
					 section 4133.10 of the Revised Code, as amplified by paragraphs (A)(3) and
					 (A)(4) of rule 4123-17-15.1 of the Administrative Code; (ii) A PEO will demonstrate to the bureau that it is in compliance
				  with all of the following: (a) The duties of
					 organization regarding shared employees set forth in section 4125.03 of the
					 Revised Code, as amplified by paragraphs (C) and (E) of rule 4123-17-15 of the
					 Administrative Code; (b) The provisions of
					 section 4125.05 of the Revised Code; and (c) The provisions of
					 section 4125.07 of the Revised Code, as amplified by paragraphs (A)(3) and
					 (A)(4) of rule 4123-17-15.1 of the Administrative Code. (iii) Client employer
				  wages. (a) For an AEO, all of
					 the client employer's wages for worksite employees are paid and reported
					 under the tax identification number of the client employer for federal tax
					 reporting purposes as stated in section 4133.03 of the Revised Code and
					 paragraph (D) of rule 4123-17-15 of the Administrative Code. (b) For a PEO, all of the client employer's wages are paid
					 and reported under the tax identification number of the PEO for federal tax
					 reporting purposes. (2) Any AEO or PEO
			 application for self-insured status will be referred to the self-insured review
			 panel pursuant to paragraph (F)(1) of rule 4123-19-14 of the Administrative
			 Code. (3) Any application to
			 add an AEO or a PEO to an existing self-insured entity will be referred to the
			 self-insured review panel pursuant to paragraph (F)(1) of rule 4123-19-14 of
			 the Administrative Code. (B) An AEO or PEO granted the privilege
		  of self-insured status must do all of the following: (1) If determined
			 necessary by the bureau, furnish security, in the amount, and in the form of a
			 letter of credit from a federally insured financial institution or other
			 security approved by the bureau, as provided by paragraphs (F), (G), and (H) of
			 rule 4123-19-03 of the Administrative Code. (a) The amount of security deemed necessary will be as determined
				by the bureau. (b) The AEO or the PEO is not permitted to use an assurance
				organization to meet its security obligations under this rule. (c) The bureau may, pursuant to paragraph (N) of rule 4123-19-03
				of the Administrative Code, demand the AEO or the PEO to furnish additional
				security within thirty days of receiving the notice issued pursuant to this
				rule. (2) Submit to the bureau
			 every two years, or upon the bureau's request, an actuarial estimate of
			 the unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense liabilities of the AEO or the PEO
			 performed by an independent actuary with a fellow of the society of actuaries
			 or casualty actuary society credential. (3) Make contribution to
			 the self-insuring employers' guaranty fund as set forth in rule 4123-19-15
			 of the Administrative Code. For purposes of this rule, the premium as reported
			 on the total of the last two full six-month semi-annual payroll reports will
			 include the premium of the AEO or the PEO and all its client
			 employers. (4) Pay all assessments
			 levied upon self-insuring employers under rule 4123-17-32 of the Administrative
			 Code. (5) Reimburse the bureau
			 for disabled workers' relief fund payments on claims for which the AEO or
			 the PEO, or its client employers are employer of record, pursuant to paragraph
			 (B) of rule 4123-17-29 of the Administrative Code. (6) Make a quarterly
			 report to the bureau that details the active clients, all claims, and the claim
			 reserves for each claim of the AEO or the PEO. (C) For purposes of this rule, "paid
		  compensation" means all amounts paid by the AEO or the PEO and its client
		  employers for living maintenance benefits, all amounts for compensation paid
		  pursuant to sections 4121.63, 4121.67, 4123.56, 4123.57, 4123.58, 4123.59,
		  4123.60 and 4123.64 of the Revised Code, all amounts paid as wages in lieu of
		  such compensation, all amounts paid in lieu of such compensation under a
		  nonoccupational accident and sickness program fully funded by the AEO or the
		  PEO, or its client employers, and all amounts paid by an AEO or a PEO and its
		  client employers for a violation of a specific safety standard pursuant to
		  Section 35 of Article II, Ohio Constitution and section 4121.47 of the Revised
		  Code. Any reimbursement received from the surplus fund pursuant to section
		  4123.512 of the Revised Code by the AEO or the PEO, or its client employers for
		  any such payments or compensation paid is to be applied to reduce the amount of
		  paid compensation reported in the year in which the reimbursement is made. Any
		  amount recovered by the AEO or the PEO, or its client employers under section
		  4123.931 of the Revised Code and any amount that is determined not to have been
		  payable to a claimant in any final administrative or judicial proceeding will
		  be deducted, in the year collected, from the amount of paid compensation
		  reported. (1) For an AEO or a PEO
			 that is a self-insuring employer for which paragraph (I) of rule 4123-17-32 of
			 the Administrative Code is applicable, paid compensation includes any amounts
			 paid by the state insurance fund for claims directly attributable to the AEO or
			 the PEO and any client employers of the AEO or the PEO. In determining the
			 applicability of paragraph (I) of rule 4123-17-32 of the Administrative Code to
			 an AEO or a PEO, the bureau will use the date on which the AEO or the PEO was
			 added to the self-insured policy if such date is after the effective date of
			 the self-insured policy. (2) If a client employer
			 enters into a new AEO agreement with an AEO, or a new PEO agreement with a PEO,
			 that is self-insured risk which paragraph (I) of rule 4123-17-32 of the
			 Administrative Code is applicable, paid compensation includes any amounts paid
			 by the state insurance fund for claims directly attributable to that client
			 employer. (D) An AEO or a PEO granted the privilege
		  of self-insured status cannot: (1) Enter into AEO
			 agreements or PEO agreements to provide workers' compensation coverage
			 through the state insurance fund; or  (2) Enter into a
			 partial-lease agreement. (E) An AEO or a PEO granted the privilege
		  of self-insured status shall do all of the following: (1) Prior to entering
			 into an AEO or a PEO agreement with a client employer, provide written notice
			 to the client employer that the submission of a lease termination notice form
			 by the AEO or the PEO to the administrator will require the AEO or the PEO to
			 report all information necessary for the administrator to develop a state fund
			 experience modification factor for each client employer involved in the lease
			 termination. (2) The self-insured AEO
			 or the self-insured PEO will submit all necessary information by the date set
			 by the administrator, and in a format determined by the administrator. This
			 information is to be submitted each year following the submission of a lease
			 termination notice form by the AEO or the PEO, for as many years as deemed
			 necessary by the administrator to develop a state fund experience modification
			 factor for each client employer involved in the lease termination. The
			 self-insured AEO or the self-insured PEO may have to submit additional
			 information to the administrator if the administrator determines that
			 additional information is needed to develop a state fund experience
			 modification factor for each client employer involved in the lease
			 termination. (3) A self-insured AEO or
			 a self-insured PEO that submits a lease termination notice form to the
			 administrator will provide the following information to the administrator
			 within thirty calendar days from the lease termination date for each client
			 employer involved in the lease termination: (a) The payroll of each client employer involved in the lease
				termination, organized by classification code and policy year; (b) The medical and indemnity costs of each client employer
				involved in the lease termination, organized by claim; and (c) Any other information the administrator may need to develop a
				state fund experience modification factor for each client employer involved in
				the lease termination. (4) The administrator may
			 revoke or refuse to renew the privilege of operating as a self-insuring
			 employer if an AEO or a PEO fails to provide the information requested by the
			 administrator under this rule. (F) The administrator will use the
		  information provided under this rule to develop a state fund experience
		  modification factor for each client employer involved in a lease termination
		  with a self-insured AEO or a self-insured PEO. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15.6 | Client employer information.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An AEO or a PEO shall provide a list
		  of all of the following information to the client employer upon the written
		  request of the client employer: (1) All premiums and
			 payroll associated with that client employer; (2) All workers'
			 compensation claims, and the compensation and benefits paid, and reserves
			 established for each claim; and (3) Any other information
			 available to the AEO or the PEO from the bureau of workers' compensation
			 regarding that client employer. (B) The AEO or the PEO will provide the
		  information pursuant to paragraph (A) of this rule in writing to the requesting
		  client employer within forty-five days after receiving a written request from
		  the client employer. An AEO or a PEO has provided this information to the
		  client employer when: (1) The information is
			 received by the United States postal service; or (2) When the information
			 is personally delivered, in writing, directly to the client employer. For
			 purposes of this rule, a communication sent via electronic mail is personally
			 delivered at the time the communication was sent by the AEO or the PEO to a
			 valid electronic mail address for the client employer. (C) If an AEO or a PEO fails to comply
		  with a client employer's written request for information, the client
		  employer may submit a complaint to the bureau. (1) The bureau will
			 investigate the complaint to determine whether the AEO or the PEO has complied
			 with this rule. (2) If the bureau finds
			 the AEO or the PEO has failed to comply with this rule: (a) The bureau will provide the requested information to the
				client employer. All administrative costs associated with investigation and
				providing the information to the client employer will be assessed to the AEO or
				the PEO; and (b) The bureau will provide the client employers of the AEO or
				the PEO with notification of the failure to comply with the rule and advise the
				client employers of their ability to request information under this
				rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-15.7 | Denial or revocation of AEO or PEO registration.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The administrator of workers'
		  compensation shall deny or revoke the registration of an AEO, a PEO, or a PEO
		  reporting entity if it fails to comply with the provisions of rule 4123-17-15.4
		  of the Administrative Code. (B) The administrator may deny or revoke
		  the registration of an AEO, a PEO, or a PEO reporting entity upon finding that
		  the AEO, the PEO, or the PEO reporting entity has done any of the
		  following: (1) Obtained or attempted
			 to obtain registration through misrepresentation, misstatement of a material
			 fact, or fraud; (2) Misappropriated any
			 funds of a client employer; (3) Used fraudulent or
			 coercive practices to obtain or retain business or demonstrated financial
			 irresponsibility; (4) Failed to appear,
			 without reasonable cause or excuse, in response to a subpoena lawfully issued
			 by the administrator; or (5) Failed to comply with
			 the provisions of rules 4123-17-15 to 4123-17-15.5 of the Administrative
			 Code. (C) Concurrent with, or upon, the denial
		  or revocation of the registration of an AEO, a PEO, or a PEO reporting entity,
		  the administrator may deny or revoke the registration of any AEO, PEO, or PEO
		  reporting entity, that is majority owned or commonly controlled by the same
		  entity, parent, or controlling person. (D) An AEO or a PEO may appeal a denial or revocation of status
		  under this rule pursuant to the administrative hearing procedure set forth in
		  Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. (E) The administrator's decision to deny or revoke an
		  AEO's registration or a PEO's registration is stayed pending the
		  exhaustion of all administrative appeals by the AEO or the PEO. The bureau of
		  workers' compensation may notify client employers of the
		  administrator's decision to deny or revoke the registration of the AEO or
		  the PEO upon issuance of the administrator's decision, provided the bureau
		  also notifies client employers that the AEO or the PEO has the right to appeal
		  the administrator's decision. (F) Upon revocation of the registration of an AEO or a PEO, each
		  client employer associated with that AEO or PEO will file payroll reports and
		  pay workers' compensation premiums directly to the administrator on its
		  own behalf at a rate determined by the administrator based solely on the claims
		  experience of the client employer. (G) If pursuant to this rule the
		  administrator has denied or revoked the registration of an AEO or a PEO, or a
		  PEO reporting entity, then any of the following are ineligible to reapply as an
		  AEO or a PEO, or a PEO reporting entity for a period of two years from the date
		  of denial or revocation of the registration, and rescission of the PEO or PEO
		  reporting entity's status as a coemployer: (1) The former AEO, the
			 former PEO, or the former PEO reporting entity; or (2) Any applicant that is
			 majority owned, or commonly controlled, by the same entity, parent, or
			 controlling person of the former AEO, former PEO, or former PEO reporting
			 entity. (H) When an employer contacts the bureau to determine whether a
		  particular AEO or PEO is registered, if the administrator has denied or revoked
		  that AEO's registration or that PEO's registration, and if all
		  administrative appeals are not yet exhausted when the employer inquires, the
		  appropriate bureau personnel will inform the inquiring employer of the denial,
		  revocation, or rescission and the fact that the AEO or the PEO has the right to
		  appeal the administrator's decision. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-16 | Penalties: late payment and reporting.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Annual payroll
			 report" means the report of the employer's actual payroll
			 expenditures submitted pursuant to section 4123.26 of the Revised Code for
			 private employers, section 4123.41 of the Revised Code for public employers,
			 and under rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (2) "Payments"
			 means premiums, administrative costs, assessments, fines or monies otherwise
			 due to any fund administered by the bureau of workers' compensation,
			 including amounts due for retrospective rating. (B) Premium payments are due by the date
		  indicated on the invoice provided by the bureau pursuant to rule 4123-17-14 of
		  the Administrative Code. Other payments and reports pursuant to Chapter 4123.
		  of the Revised Code will be considered late if not received by the bureau on
		  the due date specified by statute or administrative rule implementing such
		  statute. If statute and rule do not specify a date for a payment, such payments
		  will be considered late if not received by the bureau by the due date on the
		  invoice issued by the bureau. (1) The administrator of
			 workers' compensation may establish a grace period during which a penalty
			 will not be assessed on late payments or late reporting. (2) If the bureau imposes
			 a lapse in coverage on an employer's policy for failure to make premium
			 payments within a grace period established by the administrator pursuant to
			 paragraph (B)(1) of this rule, such lapse will be effective from the first day
			 of the month which falls nearest the due date of the payment. (C) Penalties for late
		  payments. (1) If an employer fails
			 to pay premium and assessments when due, the administrator may assess a penalty
			 at the interest rate established by the state tax commissioner pursuant to
			 section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. (2) If an employer
			 recognized by the administrator as an alternate employer organization as
			 defined in section 4133.01 of the Revised Code, or a professional employer
			 organization, as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code, fails to make
			 timely payment of premiums and assessments in accordance with rule 4123-17-14
			 of the Administrative Code, the administrator will revoke the alternate
			 employer organization's registration or the professional employer
			 organization's registration pursuant to rule 4123-17-15.7 of the
			 Administrative Code. (D) Penalties for failure to file or pay
		  amounts due under the annual payroll report. (1) If an employer fails
			 to file or pay amounts due under the annual payroll report within the grace
			 period established by the administrator pursuant to paragraph (B)(1) of this
			 rule: (a) The employer will be removed from all rating plans and
				discount programs for the policy year immediately following the policy year to
				which the annual payroll report pertains. Unless otherwise specified in the
				rules of the program, such employer will be base-rated or experience-rated, as
				determined by the expected losses of the employer pursuant to rules 4123-17-33
				and 4123-17-34 of the Administrative Code, and (b) The premium and assessments due from the employer for the
				policy year to which such report pertains will be calculated based on the
				estimated payroll of the employer used in calculating estimated premium due,
				increased by ten per cent. (2) The bureau will not
			 impose a lapse in coverage on an employer that is current with its estimated
			 premium payments for failure to file an annual payroll report for the preceding
			 policy year. (E) Certification of past-due amounts to
		  the attorney general. Pursuant to sections 131.02 and 4123.323 of the
		  Revised Code, the bureau will certify past due amounts to the attorney general
		  according to the following schedule: (1) Premium payments:
			 seventy-five days after the annual payroll report for the policy year to which
			 the premium payments pertain is due under rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative
			 Code. (2) Penalties for failure
			 to make estimated premium payments: seventy-five days after the annual payroll
			 report for the policy year to which the premium payments pertain is due under
			 rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (3) All other assessments
			 and penalties thereon: forty five days after the due date set forth in
			 paragraph (B) of this rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
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							Rule 4123-17-17 | Auditing and adjustment of payroll reports.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Every employer amenable to the
		  workers' compensation law shall keep, preserve, and maintain complete
		  records showing in detail all expenditures for payroll reportable to Ohio and
		  the division of such expenditures in the various divisions and classification
		  codes of the employer's business. If an employer elects under section
		  4123.292 of the Revised Code to obtain other-states' coverage, the
		  employer shall also keep records of all payroll reported to the
		  other-states' insurer for work performed outside of Ohio. Both types of
		  payroll records shall be preserved for at least five years after the respective
		  time of the transaction upon which such records are based. (B) All books, records, papers, and
		  documents reflecting upon the amount and the classification codes of the
		  payroll expenditures of an employer shall be kept available for inspection at
		  any time by the bureau of workers' compensation or any of its assistants,
		  agents, representatives, or employees. If any employer fails to keep, preserve,
		  and maintain such records and other information reflecting upon payroll
		  expenditures, or fails to make such records and information available for
		  inspection, or fails to furnish the bureau or any of its assistants, agents,
		  representatives, or employees, full and complete information in reference to
		  expenditures for payroll when such information is requested, the bureau may
		  determine upon such information as is available the amount of premium due from
		  the employer, and the bureau's findings shall constitute prima facie
		  evidence of the amount of premium due from the employer. (C) The bureau shall have the right at
		  all times to inspect, examine, or audit any or all books, records, papers,
		  documents, and payroll of an employer for the purpose of verifying the
		  correctness of reports made by employers as required by law. (1)  The bureau shall
			 have the right to make adjustments as to classification codes, allocation of
			 wage expenditures to classification codes, amount of wage expenditures, premium
			 rates, or amount of premium. (2) Except as provided in
			 rules 4123-17-14 and 4123-17-28 of the Administrative Code, adjustments in an
			 employer's account which result in changes to the amount of premium due
			 from an employer for a policy year shall be limited to the annual or adjustment
			 periods ending within twenty-four months immediately prior to: (a) The date when such error affecting the reports and the
				premium are brought to the attention of the bureau by an employer through
				written application for adjustment, or (b) The date that the bureau provides written notice to the
				employer of the bureau's intent to inspect, examine, or audit the
				employer's records. (D) Where the bureau has assigned two or more classification
		  codes for an employer's operations, the employer shall keep an appropriate
		  record showing a correct and verifiable segregation of all payroll into such
		  classification codes. If it is found that the employer has failed to keep such
		  record, the part of the payroll which cannot be reasonably determined by the
		  bureau as belonging to any other classification codes shall be placed by the
		  bureau under the assigned classification code having the highest rate, and the
		  employer will be assessed premium accordingly. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:33 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-19 | Employer contribution to the marine industry fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to establish contributions made to the marine
		industry fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121 and 4131.14 of the
		Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets the premium rates per one hundred
		dollar unit of payroll to be effective July 1, 2025 as indicated in the
		appendix to this rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:22 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-20 | Employer contribution to the coal-workers pneumoconiosis fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the workers' compensation board of
		directors, has authority to establish contributions made to the coal-workers
		pneumoconiosis fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121 and 4131.04 of
		the Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets the premium rates per one
		hundred dollar unit of payroll, as indicated in the appendix to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:33 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-22 | Traveling expense.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Where employees who travel in the course of their
		employment are required to pay their travel expenses out of their remuneration,
		the employer, in submitting payroll reports of the earnings of such employees,
		may deduct from the remuneration an amount representing actual travel expenses,
		not exceeding an amount equal to one-third of the remuneration, provided the
		employer maintains complete detailed records documenting the travel
		expenses. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:34 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-23 | Duties outside the state.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The entire remuneration of employees whose employment involves activities both within and  outside the borders of Ohio, and where the supervising office of the employer is located in Ohio, shall be included in the payroll report. However, if the employer elects to obtain other-states' coverage under section 4123.292 of the Revised Code directly through an other-states' insurer the employer shall report payroll as set forth in paragraph (I) of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (B) The remuneration of employees of other than Ohio employers, who have entered into a contract of employment outside of Ohio to perform transitory services in interstate commerce only, both within and outside of the boundaries of Ohio, shall not be included in the payroll report. (C) The bureau of workers' compensation respects the extraterritorial right of the workers' compensation insurance coverage of an out-of-state employer for its regular employees who are residents of a state other than Ohio while performing work in the state of Ohio for a temporary period not to exceed ninety days.  While temporarily within this state the rights of the employee and the employee's dependents under the laws of the other state are the exclusive remedy against the employer on account of injury, disease or death pursuant to division (H)(5) of  section 4123.54 of the Revised Code and remuneration for such employees shall not be included in the payroll report. However, if a temporary period exceeds ninety consecutive days the out-of-state employer shall include in the payroll report the remuneration for work the employees perform in Ohio beyond that ninety day period. (D) Employees hired to work specifically in Ohio must be reported for workers' compensation insurance under the Ohio fund, regardless of where the contracts of hire were entered. (E)  When an Ohio employer hires an employee to perform transitory work outside of Ohio and the employee is not covered by the workers' compensation laws of the state of residence for claims arising outside that state because the contract of employment was not entered into in the state of residence, the employer and his employee, if the employment relationship maintains sufficient contacts with the Ohio location to be covered by Ohio workers' compensation law, may mutually agree to be bound by the workers' compensation laws of the state of Ohio by executing form C-110, or mutually agree to be bound by the workers' compensation law of some other state by executing form C-112, such forms to be obtained from and filed with the bureau of workers' compensation within ten days after execution. 
			
			
			
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-24 | Other states coverage policy.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. For purposes of this rule: (1) "Other states
			 coverage policy (OSCP)" is the policy offered by the bureau of
			 workers' compensation under section 4123.292 of the Revised Code to
			 provide optional coverage to eligible Ohio employers for workers'
			 compensation exposures in states other than Ohio. (2) "Contracting
			 carrier" means the insurer providing other states coverage through the
			 bureau. (3) "Limited other
			 states coverage" is insurance coverage for eligible Ohio employers who
			 have employment relationships localized in Ohio but whose employees have
			 incidental exposures in jurisdictions outside Ohio. (4) "Other states
			 coverage" is insurance coverage for eligible Ohio employers who have
			 regular or full time employment exposure in jurisdictions outside of
			 Ohio. (B) OSCP application. (1) An employer wishing
			 to obtain an OSCP will complete and submit an application to the bureau, and if
			 the employer has an existing other states policy, the employer will provide any
			 declaration page or certificate of coverage of any existing other states
			 policy. Declaration pages or certificates of coverage for previous policy years
			 may be requested as deemed appropriate by the bureau. (2) The bureau will only
			 process a complete application, and no application will be deemed complete
			 until all information requested by the bureau in connection with the
			 application is supplied. (3) The bureau may make
			 reasonable inspections of an applicant's place of business and of any
			 records applicable to ensuring proper classification code assignment to the
			 policy or to review loss prevention or safety programs prior to reaching a
			 decision regarding an application for coverage. The bureau will provide
			 advanced notice to the employer of any such inspection.  (4) Only employers
			 meeting the following criteria are eligible for an OSCP: (a) The employer is headquartered, primarily located, or has a
				history of predominant business operations in Ohio; (b) The employer has an active state fund workers'
				compensation policy with the bureau; (c) The employer cannot have cumulative lapses in workers'
				compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the prior twelve months;
				and (d) The employer's Ohio policy cannot have past due balances
				at the time of application or renewal. (5) The bureau will
			 establish underwriting guidelines for determining whether to approve or deny an
			 application. In addition to the criteria set forth in paragraph (B)(4) of this
			 rule, the bureau's underwriting guidelines may consider the
			 following: (a) The applicant's history with the bureau, including
				compliance with applicable workers' compensation laws and rules, payment
				of premiums and assessments, claims history, safety record, and experience
				ratings; and (b) The applicant's history with coverage through any
				insurer for worker's compensation in any jurisdiction other than Ohio,
				including premium payment records, claims history, safety record, and
				experience modification history, if any. (6) The following
			 employers are not eligible for an OSCP:  (a) Self-insuring employers providing compensation and benefits
				pursuant to section 4123.35 of the Revised Code;  (b) Temporary employment agencies or other staffing
				entities; (c) Professional employer organizations as defined in Chapter
				4125. of the Revised Code, and each of the professional employer
				organization's client employers; and (d) Alternate employer organizations as defined in Chapter 4133.
				of the Revised Code, and each of the alternate employer organization's
				client employers. (7) The bureau has the
			 authority, in the administrator of workers' compensation's
			 discretion, to approve or deny an OSCP application. The decision of the
			 administrator is final. (a) In the event that an employer is denied an OSCP, the bureau
				will provide written documentation of the reason for denial; and (b) An employer may reapply once the reason for denial is
				remedied. (C) Premium payment and policy
		  issuance. (1) An employer whose
			 application for coverage is approved by the bureau will receive a quote for the
			 cost of coverage. If the employer elects to obtain coverage, the bureau will
			 issue an OSCP only after the following: (a) The bureau's receipt of premium payment for the OSCP;
				and (b) If an employer has previously had a policy covering its
				exposure out of state, submission of proof of cancellation of the existing
				policy or the expiration date of the previous policy. (2) Coverage under an
			 OSCP will be effective when the OSCP is issued. (a) The bureau will issue the policy within five business days of
				receipt of premium if cancellation notices and other information necessary from
				the policyholder to issue the OSCP are provided; and (b) Coverage becomes effective per the effective date of the
				policy as issued by the contracting carrier. (D) OSCP renewal. (1) An employer wishing
			 to renew its OSCP may complete the renewal application, which will be provided
			 by the bureau. The bureau will establish a deadline for the renewal
			 application. (2) If the renewal
			 application is not completed by an employer, the renewal quote will be based
			 upon the previous policy year's information. (3) The bureau will non-renew an
			 employer's OSCP if the employer is not eligible for coverage under this
			 rule at the time of renewal. (4) The premium for the OSCP renewal
			 period has to be received by the bureau prior to the expiration of the previous
			 policy period. (5) If the renewal premium is not
			 received by the expiration of the previous policy, notice of the policy
			 cancellation for non-payment will be sent to the insured employer under the
			 laws and procedures of the jurisdiction from which coverage is provided. If the
			 bureau received an insured employer payment late, the bureau may, in the
			 administrator's discretion, reinstate the coverage or may require the
			 employer to submit a new OSCP application. (6) The bureau has the authority, in the
			 administrator's discretion, to non-renew an employer's OSCP. The
			 decision of the administrator is final. (E) Audits and inspection. (1) An OSCP will expire
			 per the terms of the policy issued by the contracting carrier, unless otherwise
			 canceled as set forth in this rule. (2) An employer with an
			 OSCP will have to complete a final audit at the conclusion of each OSCP term
			 and upon cancellation pursuant to the terms of the OCSP. (3) In the event of a
			 claim filed in a jurisdiction outside Ohio, the bureau may make reasonable
			 inspection of an applicant's place of business and of any records
			 necessary to secure information for the purpose of determining compensability
			 of such claim. (4) Any audit will be
			 conducted in accordance with rule 4123-17-17 of Administrative
			 Code. (5) Adjustments to
			 premium may be made based on the results of any audit. The employer will have
			 to pay any balance due within the timelines established by the
			 bureau. (6) If the employer
			 refuses or otherwise fails to cooperate with an audit by the bureau, the bureau
			 may estimate the insured's payroll. Any estimated payroll pursuant to this
			 section may result in an adjustment of premium. (7) In the event of an
			 audit dispute, the bureau will make reasonable efforts with the insured to
			 resolve the disputed findings. (8) If resolution between
			 the bureau and the insured cannot be made, the audit findings can be appealed
			 to the extent allowable under the laws and procedures of the jurisdiction for
			 which coverage is being provided. (F) Policy cancellation. (1) An OSCP may be
			 canceled for any of the following reasons: (a) At the written request of the employer; (b) Employer misrepresentation regarding its
				operations; (c) Fraud committed by, or for the benefit of, the
				employer; (d) Employer failure to complete a final audit or pay any amounts
				due as a result of a final audit; (e) Any past due balance owed for the OSCP; (f) Refusal on the part of the insured to permit reasonable
				audits or inspections; or (g) Any reason the contracting carrier is authorized to cancel a
				policy, as established by the laws of the jurisdiction for which coverage is
				being provided. (2) An OSCP may be
			 canceled under the laws and procedures of the jurisdiction for which coverage
			 is being provided. (a) Notice of cancellation will be provided in accordance with
				the laws and procedures of the jurisdiction for which coverage is being
				provided; and (b) A policy cancellation can be appealed to the extent allowable
				under the laws and the procedures of the jurisdiction for which coverage is
				being provided. (G) Assignment of payroll. (1) If an employer is
			 issued an OSCP for limited other states coverage, the bureau may assign payroll
			 in the event of a claim to the jurisdiction where the claim is filed. The
			 payroll amount will not exceed one hundred per cent of the injured
			 workers' wages for one year. (2) The assignment of
			 payroll may result in a premium adjustment for the OSCP. The employer will have
			 to pay any balance due within the timelines established by the
			 bureau. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-25 | Military and naval service.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Remuneration given by employers to employees while
		engaged in active military or naval service of the United States of America
		shall be excluded from the payroll reports which the employers are required to
		submit to the bureau of workers' compensation for premium purposes unless
		the employees are also required to render services to the employers while
		engaged in active military or naval service. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:34 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-26 | Minimum annual administrative charge.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to calculate contributions by employers pursuant to
		sections 4121.121, 4123.341, and 4123.342 of the Revised Code. The
		administrator hereby establishes that in cases where an employer reports no
		payroll for a payroll reporting period the employer shall pay a minimum annual
		administrative charge at a rate of one hundred twenty dollars annually. In
		cases where an employer reports payroll resulting in a premium of less than the
		minimum administrative charge, the employer shall pay the one hundred twenty
		dollar minimum annual administrative charge. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:34 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-27 | Protest of an employer's experience.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				A protest of an employer's experience is to be
		submitted in writing, which includes by e-mail. Only the employer or a
		representative with a permanent authorization from that employer can file a
		protest. A protest will be considered on its merits only if the protest is
		timely received by the bureau of workers' compensation. A protest is
		timely filed if the date of receipt by the bureau is within two years of the
		initial effective date of the basic rate(s) on which the protested experience
		is predicated. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 14, 2023 at 1:20 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-28 | Correction of inaccuracies affecting employer's premium rates.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Whenever the bureau of workers'
		  compensation detects an inaccuracy in the recording or processing of data,
		  records, payroll, claims, or other pertinent items affecting the
		  employer's status, experience modification, or premium, the bureau will
		  correct such discrepancy . This correction will be accomplished regardless of
		  whether this entails increasing or decreasing the employer's experience
		  modification or premium rate. The employer or its representative will be
		  advised of any correction and the effect thereof made under the authority of
		  this rule. (B) Any correction made pursuant to the
		  provisions of paragraph (A) of this rule will be applied to the current rating
		  year, the rating year immediately preceding the current rating year, and to all
		  rating years subsequent to the current rating year as of the date on which the
		  error was discovered by the bureau or reported to the bureau, whichever date is
		  earlier, except in matters involving disability relief and service-connected
		  disabilities and cases covered by rules 4123-17-02, 4123-17-17, and 4123-19-03
		  of the Administrative Code. In cases where two or more employers may be
		  affected by such correction, the same period of adjustment will be applied to
		  all affected employers. (C) Notwithstanding paragraphs (A) and
		  (B) of this rule or paragraphs (C) and (D) of rule 4123-17-17 of the
		  Administrative Code, the bureau may adjust the employer's account or
		  experience for a period in excess of twenty-four months immediately prior to
		  the beginning of the current payroll reporting period for the following
		  circumstances: (1) If the bureau
			 determines that the employer misrepresented payroll or failed to submit payroll
			 for any period, the bureau may adjust the employer's account or
			 experience resulting in an increase in any amount of premium above the amount
			 of contributions made by the employer to the fund for the entire period the
			 employer misrepresented payroll or the entire period the employer failed to
			 submit payroll, regardless of when the misrepresentation of payroll or failure
			 to submit payroll occurred. (2) If the bureau
			 excluded any claim costs from the employer's account or experience
			 because the costs were subject to an appeal to court under section 4123.512 of
			 the Revised Code and by a final adjudication it is determined that the claim
			 costs are to be charged to the claim, the bureau may adjust the
			 employer's account or experience resulting in an increase in any amount
			 of premium above the amount of contributions made by the employer to the fund
			 for the entire period affected by the addition of the claim costs to the
			 employer's account or experience. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated April 3, 2024 at 1:28 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-29 | Disabled workers' relief fund; employers' assessments and self-insurers' payments.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) State fund employers. (1) In order to make
			 disabled workers' relief fund (DWRF) payments to claimants having dates of
			 injury or disability prior to January 1, 1987, assessments shall be levied in
			 the following manner for so long as payments to such claimants are
			 required: (a) Private state fund employers: zero cents per
				one-hundred-dollar unit of payroll, effective July 1, 2016; (b) Public employer taxing districts: zero cents per
				one-hundred-dollar unit of payroll, effective January 1, 2016; (c) Public employer state agency: one cent per one-hundred-dollar
				unit of payroll, effective July 1, 2022. These assessments shall be billed at the same
				time state insurance fund premiums are billed and payments shall be credited to
				the DWRF. (2) In order to make DWRF
			 payments to claimants having dates of injury or disability on or after January
			 1, 1987, assessments shall be levied in the following manner for so long as
			 payments to such claimants are required: (a) Private state fund employers: zero per cent of premium,
				computed at basic rate, effective July 1, 2015; (b) Public employer taxing districts: zero per cent of premium,
				computed at basic rate, effective January 1, 2015; (c) Public employer state agency: zero per cent of premium,
				computed at basic rate, effective July 1, 2015; These assessments shall be billed at the same
				time state insurance fund premiums are billed and payments shall be credited to
				the DWRF. (B) Self-insuring employers. (1) Each self-insuring
			 employer shall reimburse the bureau for DWRF payments made in claims in which
			 it is the employer of record, without regard to the date the employer was
			 granted the privilege to pay compensation directly, for all DWRF payments made
			 on or after August 22, 1986. (2) Self-insuring
			 employers shall be billed on a semi-annual basis for the DWRF payments made
			 pursuant to this rule. (3) Upon default and a
			 finding of noncompliance by the administrator of workers' compensation,
			 reimbursement shall be made from the self-insuring employers' guaranty
			 fund. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated March 22, 2024 at 11:13 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-30 | Payroll limitations for corporate officers, sole proprietors, an individual incorporated as a corporation with no employees, members of partnerships, and family farm corporations.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to establish the total payroll reportable by
		employers pursuant to sections 4121.12 and 4123.29 of the Revised Code. The
		administrator hereby sets the total payroll limitations for executive officers
		of corporations, sole proprietors, members of partnerships, an individual
		incorporated as a corporation with no employees, and officers of family farm
		corporations as provided in this rule. (A) For executive officers of
		  corporations, the payroll reportable shall be the actual payroll received by
		  the executive officers of the corporation, but not less than an average weekly
		  wage equal to fifty per cent of the statewide average weekly wage as defined in
		  division (C) of section 4123.62 of the Revised Code, but shall not exceed an
		  average weekly wage equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the statewide
		  average weekly wage as defined in division (C) of section 4123.62 of the
		  Revised Code. The minimum reportable payroll for executive officers of
		  corporations shall apply only to active executive officers of corporations. As
		  used in this rule, "active executive officer" means an officer
		  engaged in the decision making and day to day operations of the
		  corporation. (B) For sole proprietors, members of
		  partnerships, an individual incorporated as a corporation with no employees,
		  and officers of family farm corporations who elect to include themselves as
		  employees under the workers' compensation act and comply with rule
		  4123-17-07 of the Administrative Code, the payroll reportable shall be the
		  actual payroll received by the sole proprietor, member of partnership, an
		  individual incorporated as a corporation, and officer of a family farm
		  corporation, but not less than an average weekly wage equal to fifty per cent
		  of the statewide average weekly wage as defined in division (C) of section
		  4123.62 of the Revised Code, nor more than an average weekly wage equal to one
		  hundred fifty per cent of the statewide average weekly wage as defined in
		  division (C) of section 4123.62 of the Revised Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:35 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-32 | Self-insuring employer assessment based upon paid compensation.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to determine and levy against self-insuring
		employers amounts to be paid to support the safety and hygiene fund, the
		administrative cost fund, the portion of the surplus fund that is mandatory and
		the portion of the surplus fund used for claims reimbursement for self-insuring
		employers under division (H) of section 4123.512 of the Revised Code, pursuant
		to sections 4121.12, 4121.37, 4121.66, 4123.34, 4123.342, and 4123.35 of the
		Revised Code in conjunction with rule 4123-19-01 of the Administrative Code.
		The administrator hereby sets the self-insuring employer assessments to be
		effective July 1, 2025, for the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, payable
		in two equal remittances by February 28, 2026, and August 31, 2026, as
		follows: (A) The assessments shall be on the basis
		  of the paid compensation attributable to the individual self-insuring employer
		  as a fraction of the total amount of paid compensation for the previous
		  calendar year attributable to all amenable self-insuring
		  employers. (B) Paid compensation means all amounts
		  paid by a self-insuring employer for living maintenance benefits, all amounts
		  for compensation paid pursuant to sections 4121.63, 4121.67, 4123.56, 4123.57,
		  4123.58, 4123.59, 4123.60 and 4123.64 of the Revised Code, all amounts paid as
		  wages in lieu of such compensation, all amounts paid in lieu of such
		  compensation under a non-occupational accident and sickness program fully
		  funded by the self-insuring employer, and all amounts paid by a self-insuring
		  employer for a violation of a specific safety standard pursuant to section 35
		  of article II, Ohio Constitution and section 4121.47 of the Revised Code. Any
		  reimbursement received from the surplus fund pursuant to section 4123.512 of
		  the Revised Code by a self-insuring employer for any such payments or
		  compensation paid shall be applied to reduce the amount of paid compensation
		  reported in the year in which the reimbursement is made. Any amount recovered
		  by the self-insuring employer under section 4123.931 of the Revised Code and
		  any amount that is determined not to have been payable to a claimant in any
		  final administrative or judicial proceeding shall be deducted, in the year
		  collected, from the amount of paid compensation reported. (C) The assessments shall be computed for
		  all self-insuring employers operating in Ohio by multiplying the following
		  rates by the individual self-insuring employer's paid compensation for
		  calendar year 2024: (1) Safety and hygiene
			 fund: 0.0030. (2) Administrative cost
			 fund, BWC: 0.0795. (3) Administrative cost
			 fund, IC: 0.1333. (4) Surplus fund
			 (mandatory): 0.0775. (D) The assessment to fund the portion of
		  the surplus fund that is used for claims reimbursement for all self-insuring
		  employers operating in Ohio who have not made an election to opt out of the
		  right to reimbursement under the provisions of division (H) of section 4123.512
		  of the Revised Code shall be computed by multiplying the following rate by the
		  individual self-insuring employer's paid compensation for calendar year
		  2024: Surplus fund (disallowed claims reimbursement):
		  0.0060. (E) An employer who no longer is a
		  self-insuring employer in Ohio or who no longer is operating in this state
		  shall continue to pay assessments for administrative costs and for the portion
		  of the surplus fund that is mandatory. The assessments shall be computed by
		  such employer by multiplying the following rates by the individual
		  employer's paid compensation for calendar year 2024: (1) Administrative cost
			 fund, BWC: 0.0795. (2) Administrative cost
			 fund, IC: 0.1333. (3) Surplus fund
			 (mandatory): 0.0775. (F) If the paid compensation for a
		  self-insuring employer for calendar year 2024 is less than ten thousand two
		  hundred twenty-eight dollars and forty-four cents, the minimum assessments
		  shall be paid as follows: (1) Safety and hygiene
			 fund: $30.69. (2) Administrative cost
			 fund, BWC: $813.16. (3) Administrative cost
			 fund, IC: $1,363.45. (4) Surplus fund
			 (mandatory): $792.70. An employer who no longer is a self-insuring
		  employer in Ohio or no longer is operating in this state and who has less than
		  ten thousand two hundred twenty-eight dollars and forty-four cents in paid
		  compensation for calendar year 2024 shall have a reduced minimum assessment.
		  The minimum assessment shall be ninety per cent of the above minimum
		  assessments in this paragraph in the year after becoming inactive, eighty per
		  cent in the following year, seventy per cent in the following year, and so
		  forth, being reduced ten per cent each year, until the assessment is phased out
		  over ten years. The bureau may, in its discretion, permit an employer to pay
		  its total assessment obligation under this paragraph in a single payment,
		  discounted for present value at a rate determined by the bureau. An employer
		  electing to pay its assessment obligations in a single payment must continue to
		  administer self-insured claims and pay compensation and benefits pursuant to
		  paragraph (C) of rule 4123-19-05 of the Administrative Code. (G) If an individual self-insuring
		  employer has become self-insured in the last five years (on or after July 1,
		  2020), paid compensation shall be as defined in paragraph (B) of this rule and
		  shall additionally include compensation paid in calendar year 2024 by the state
		  insurance fund for claim costs directly attributable to the employer prior to
		  becoming self-insured. (H) The initial assessment to a
		  self-insuring employer in its first calendar year of operation as a
		  self-insuring employer shall be prorated to cover the time period that
		  self-insurance was in effect, but shall not be less than the minimum assessment
		  for a self-insuring employer as provided in paragraph (F) of this
		  rule. (I) Pursuant to rule 4123-19-15 of the
		  Administrative Code, the following assessment, to be billed and payable in two
		  equal remittances by February 28, 2026, and August 31, 2026, shall be computed
		  for all self-insuring employers by multiplying the following rate by the
		  individual self-insuring employer's paid compensation for calendar year
		  2024: Self-insuring employer guaranty fund:
		  0.0600. (J) All self-insuring employers must pay
		  assessments under this rule using the online payment offering on the
		  bureau's website. The bureau may waive the online payment requirement with
		  written justification and supporting documentation, satisfactory to the bureau,
		  from the self-insuring employer and filed with the bureau by the payment due
		  date on the assessment remittance. The written justification and supporting
		  documentation must demonstrate the self-insuring employer's inability to
		  remit payment through the online payment offering on the bureau's
		  website. (K) If an employer fails to pay the
		  assessment when due, the administrator may add a late fee penalty of not more
		  than five hundred dollars to the assessment plus an additional penalty amount
		  as follows: (1) For an assessment
			 from sixty-one to ninety days past due, the prime interest rate, multiplied by
			 the assessment due; (2) For assessment from
			 ninety-one to one hundred twenty days past due, the prime interest rate plus
			 two per cent, multiplied by the assessment due; (3) For an assessment
			 from one hundred twenty-one to one hundred fifty days past due, the prime
			 interest rate plus four per cent, multiplied by the assessment
			 due; (4) For an assessment
			 from one hundred fifty-one to one hundred eighty days past due, the prime
			 interest rate plus six per cent, multiplied by the assessment due; (5) For an assessment
			 from one hundred eighty-one to two hundred ten days past due, the prime
			 interest rate plus eight per cent, multiplied by the assessment
			 due; (6) For each additional
			 thirty-day period or portion thereof that an assessment remains past due after
			 it has remained past due for more than two hundred ten days, the prime interest
			 rate plus eight per cent, multiplied by the assessment due. For purposes of this paragraph, "prime
			 interest rate" means the average bank prime rate, and the administrator
			 shall determine the prime interest rate in the same manner as a county auditor
			 determines the average bank prime rate under section 929.02 of the Revised
			 Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:23 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-33 | Public employer taxing district industry group and limited loss ratio tables.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to calculate contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to section 4121.121 of the Revised Code.
		The administrator hereby sets the industry group assignments and limited loss
		ratio tables parts A and B to be effective January 1, 2025 applicable to the
		payroll reporting period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 for public
		employer taxing districts as indicated in appendices A and B to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
				View AppendixView Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated October 9, 2025 at 8:53 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-33.1 | Public employer taxing districts experience rating table.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2021 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to calculate contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to section 4121.121 of the Revised Code.
		The administrator hereby sets the public employer taxing district experience
		rating table part A, "credibility and maximum value of a loss," to be
		effective January 1, 2021, for public employer taxing districts as indicated in
		appendix A to this rule. 
			
			
			
				View Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated October 9, 2025 at 8:53 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-34 | Public employer taxing districts contribution to the state insurance fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to section 4121.121 of the Revised Code.
		The administrator hereby sets base rates and expected loss rates to be
		effective January 1, 2025 applicable to the payroll reporting period January 1,
		2025 through December 31, 2025 for public employer taxing districts as
		indicated in the appendix to this rule. 
			
			
			
				View AppendixView Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated October 9, 2025 at 8:53 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-35 | Public employer state agency contribution to the state insurance fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.39, and 4123.40
		of the Revised Code. For the purpose of collecting amounts to cover the payment
		of costs to the managed care organizations (MCO) that manage the claims of
		state agencies, including state universities and university hospitals, the
		administrator has authority to include that expected cost in establishing the
		combined contribution rate of the state insurance fund. The administrator
		hereby sets the combined contribution rates per one hundred dollar unit of
		payroll to be effective July 1, 2025, applicable to the payroll reporting
		period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, for public employer state (PES)
		agencies, including state universities and university hospitals, as indicated
		in the appendix to this rule. 
			
			
			
				View Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:16 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-35.1 | Public employer state agency lump sum settlement program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Public employer state (PES) agency that is not
		  currently participating in a settlement payment program may participate in the
		  lump sum settlement (LSS) direct reimbursement rating and payment program. A
		  PES agency participating in this program will have the LSS payments excluded
		  from the bureau's rate calculation process. (1) Requirements. (a) A PES agency shall make a three-year minimum commitment
				to the LSS direct reimbursement payment and rating program. (b) The earliest beginning date of the LSS program is July
				1, 2004.  (c) A PES agency shall notify the bureau of its desire to
				participate in the LSS direct reimbursement and payment program before the
				first day of the second month following any quarter ending date to be effective
				the following quarter. For example, if the PES agency chose to participate in
				the LSS program beginning April 1, 2016, the request must be submitted before
				February 1, 2016. The notification shall be made on the form provided by the
				bureau and signed by the PES agency's designee. (d) A PES agency currently participating in a settlement
				program is not eligible to participate in the LSS direct reimbursement payment
				and rating program. (2) LSS rate calculation. (a) All LSS payments will be treated the same whether the
				result of a court-ordered settlement, an agency-negotiated settlement or any
				other type of settlement. (b) Once a PES agency begins participating in the LSS
				direct reimbursement and rating program, all LSS payments will be excluded from
				the losses used to calculate the contribution rate for future policy
				years. (c) When an agency terminates a LSS direct reimbursement
				and rating program, the contribution rate will include all LSS payments that
				were made by the bureau and not reimbursed by the PES agency. (3) LSS reimburseemnt
			 payments. (a) A LSS will be billed in the next month following the
				date the LSS warrant was cashed. (b) The bureau will bill a structured settlement to the PES
				agency as the warrant is cashed. (c) The PES agency shall pay the LSS monthly bill within
				thirty days of the billing date. (d) If the PES agency fails to pay a LSS monthly bill
				within thirty days, the bureau will remove the PES agency from the LSS direct
				reimbursement rating and payment program and the bureau will include the
				outstanding LSS payments in the rate calculation. (e) A PES agency may settle permanent total disability
				(PTD) and death benefit claims in which the present value was previously used
				in the rate calculations. PES agencies will not be billed for the
				settlement costs of PTD and death benefit claims in which the present value of
				both medical and indemnity costs was included in contribution rate
				calculations. These claims would likely be death benefit claims awarded before
				January 1, 2001 and PTD claims awarded before January 1, 1996. For PTD claims awarded between January 1,
				1996 and December 31, 2000 and where the present value of the future indemnity
				cost was previously included in the development of the agency's
				contribution rates, the bureau will include only the medical portion of the
				settlement amount in the quarterly billings. (f) A PES agency shall file any dispute in writing,
				specifying the agency's objections to the billing, with the bureau's
				direct billing department. The filing of a dispute does not relieve or suspend
				the agency's obligation to pay the obligation. Questions concerning the
				rate calculations should be directed to the bureau's actuarial
				division. (4) Change in status. (a) When a PES agency combines with another PES agency, the
				succeeding agency's participation in this program will not be
				affected. (b) A PES agency that is participating in a program and
				transfers a portion of its operations to another agency shall continue to
				participate in the program. Participation in this program by the agency to
				which the operations were transferred will not be affected. (c) Where a PES agency participating in a LSS direct
				reimbursement rating and payment program becomes self-insured, the bureau will
				calculate a buyout and any obligations owed by the PES agency under the program
				will be included in the buyout. (B) Terminating a LSS program. (1) A PES agency may
			 request, in writing, to terminate a LSS program after the three year minimum
			 commitment period has been completed. The agency's participation in the
			 program will automatically be renewed for another three years unless the
			 written request is submitted. (2) A PES agency shall
			 submit a request to terminate a program before the first day of the second
			 month of the quarter the three year commitment ends. For example, if the PES
			 agency started participating in the LSS program or its participation was
			 renewed for the policy year beginning July 1, 2013, the request must be
			 submitted before May 1, 2016. (3) Once a PES agency
			 terminates a LSS program, the agency is no longer eligible to participate in
			 this program. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated March 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-36 | Administrative cost contribution.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The administrator of workers'
		  compensation, with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers'
		  compensation board of directors, has authority to calculate contributions for
		  administrative costs attributable to the activities of the industrial
		  commission, the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors, and
		  the bureau of workers' compensation pursuant to sections 4121.121,
		  4123.341, and 4123.342 of the Revised Code. The administrator hereby sets
		  administrative cost contributions for public employer state agencies as
		  indicated in paragraph (D) of this rule for the bureau of workers'
		  compensation and the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors.
		  Based upon the information provided to the administrator by the industrial
		  commission pursuant to section 4123.342 of the Revised Code, the administrator,
		  with the approval of the chairperson of the industrial commission, hereby sets
		  administrative cost contributions for public employer state agencies as
		  indicated in paragraph (E) of this rule for the industrial
		  commission. (B) The administrative cost contributions
		  due for each employer, except for self-insuring employers, are set in
		  accordance with section 4123.341 of the Revised Code. (C) Whenever administrative cost
		  contributions established under this rule and rule 4123-17-32 of the
		  Administrative Code prove inadequate or excessive, the same may be adjusted at
		  any time during the biennial period. (D) Administrative cost contributions for
		  the bureau of workers' compensation and bureau of workers'
		  compensation board of directors for public employer state agencies are 17.85
		  per cent of premium effective July 1, 2025. (E) Administrative cost contributions for
		  the industrial commission for public employer state agencies are 7.81 per cent
		  of premium effective July 1, 2025. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-37 | Employer contribution to the safety and hygiene fund.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions to the state insurance
		fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121 and 4121.37 of the Revised
		Code. The administrator hereby establishes the amount of premium to be set
		aside to fund the division of safety and hygiene to be one per cent of paid
		premium for public employer taxing districts effective January 1, 2026, one per
		cent of paid premium for public employer state agencies effective July 1, 2025,
		and one per cent of paid premium for private employers effective July 1,
		2025. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:18 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-40 | Self-insured buy-out factors.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to establish factors for the purpose of
		implementing the procedure for self-insurance buy-outs. The administrator
		hereby adopts factors to establish the liability of a private employer or a
		public taxing district employer requesting to transfer from state insurance
		fund coverage to self-insurance with the buy-out calculated upon the pure
		premium paid by the employer on payroll for a seven calendar year period, as
		provided in paragraph (M) of rule 4123-19-03 of the Administrative Code. The
		factors indicated in attached appendix A shall apply to all
		applications. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:36 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-41 | Retrospective rating definitions applicable to any employer.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Rules 4123-17-41 to 4123-17-54 of the Administrative Code apply to individual employer retrospective rating. As used in rules 4123-17-41 to 4123-17-54 of the Administrative Code: (A) "Minimum premium" means the fixed cost chargeable to an employer, independent of the claims costs of the employer during the year of experience. (B) "Maximum premium" means the employer's experience-rated premium multiplied by the maximum premium percentage selected by the employer. (C) "Per claim limit" means the maximum chargeable costs for each claim incurred during the retrospective-rated period, as selected by the employer. (D) "Retrospective policy year" or "policy year" means the fiscal year beginning July first for private employers and the calendar year beginning January first for public employer taxing districts. (E) "Evaluation period" means the ten-year period beginning with the first day of the policy year. Annual evaluations will occur throughout the evaluation period. At the end of the evaluation period, final settlement will be made. (F) "Final settlement" means the final determination of premium for a policy year including any remaining reserves for claims occurring in the policy year. This determination will occur at the end of the evaluation period and will terminate the plan for that policy year. (G) "Annual evaluation" means a statement of claim costs and premium. This information will be posted to the employer's online bureau account. (H) "Incurred losses" are compensation payments, medical payments, and reserves, excluding any losses defined in paragraphs (G)(4) and (G)(5) of rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code. Reserves will be assigned at the end of the evaluation period. (I) "Retrospective premium" means the compilation of minimum premium, all medical costs, indemnity, and any remaining reserves at the end of the ten-year evaluation period. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated March 22, 2024 at 11:19 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-42 | Eligibility for retrospective rating.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An employer that is either a private
		  or a public employer taxing district as defined in division (B)(1) of section
		  4123.01 of the Revised Code may be eligible for either the tier I or tier II
		  retrospective rating plan depending upon satisfying the eligibility
		  requirements for either the tier I or tier II retrospective rating plan as
		  described in this rule. (B) For both the tier I and tier II
		  retrospective rating plans, the employer must satisfy the following
		  requirements as of the application deadline: (1)  The employer must be
			 current with respect to all payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph
			 (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (2) The employer cannot have cumulative
			 lapses in workers' compensation coverage in excess of fifteen days within
			 the last five rating years. (3) The employer must
			 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 date set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative
			 Code. An employer will be deemed to have met this requirement if the bureau
			 receives the payroll report and the employer pays premium associated with such
			 report before the expiration of any grace period established by the
			 administrator pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-16 of the
			 Administrative Code. (4) The employer must be in an active
			 policy status. The administrator may waive this requirement for a new business
			 entity moving into Ohio. For purposes of this rule, "active policy
			 status" does not include a policy that is a no coverage policy or a policy
			 that is lapsed. (5) The employer's estimated
			 experience-rated premium for the retrospective rating year must be greater than
			 or equal to the minimum experience-rated premium threshold listed on the
			 employer's retrospective rating minimum premium percentages table,
			 contained in the appendices to rule 4123-17-53 of the Administrative Code. If
			 estimated premium is less than the minimum experience-rated premium threshold
			 listed on the employer's retrospective rating minimum premium percentages
			 table, the bureau will reject the application. In the event the estimated
			 experience-rated premium is equal to or greater than the minimum premium
			 threshold but the actual premium is less than the minimum experience-rated
			 premium threshold, the retrospective rating plan remains in effect for that
			 risk and the minimum premium is based on the minimum experience-rated premium
			 threshold multiplied by the appropriate minimum premium percentage for the
			 hazard group and the claim limit/maximum premium percentage
			 selected. (C) In addition to the requirements of
		  paragraph (B) of this rule, for the tier I retrospective rating plan, a private
		  employer must submit audited financial statements prepared in accordance with
		  generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to satisfy the following
		  requirements: (1) The employer must
			 satisfy financial standards demonstrating strength and stability. In reviewing
			 the financial requirements of the employer, the bureau shall consider, but is
			 not limited to, the following criteria, as applicable: (a) The employer's trend of operating profit for a minimum
				of three years; (b) The employer's trend of net income for a minimum of five
				years; (c) The employer's consistent return on equity, of at least
				ten per cent; (d) Significant asset size of the employer in the state of
				Ohio; (e) A total liabilities/equity ratio of no greater than four to
				one; (f) The employer's debt structure, including but not limited
				to current versus long term debt and recent drastic changes in
				debt; (g) The employer's retained earnings trend; (h) Whether the employer has significant fluctuations in specific
				balance sheet numbers from one year to the next; and (i) The employer's bond rating. (2) The employer shall
			 demonstrate the ability to maintain its financial viability and to cover all
			 costs of the retrospective rating plan through closure, in the event of a
			 catastrophic or severe workers' compensation loss. (3) The employer cannot have entered into
			 a part-pay agreement for payment of assessments due the state insurance fund
			 for the past three rating years preceding the beginning date of the
			 retrospective policy year. Alternatively, the employer may provide a
			 letter of credit that is equal to the maximum premium for the applicable policy
			 year. (D)  In addition to the requirements of
		  paragraph (B) of this rule, for the tier I retrospective rating plan, the
		  bureau will obtain a public employer taxing district's audited or reviewed
		  financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
		  principles (GAAP) that are available on the state of Ohio auditor's
		  website. The bureau reserves the right to obtain additional financial
		  information from the public employer taxing district. The bureau will review
		  the public employer taxing district's financial statements to satisfy the
		  following requirements: (1) The public employer
			 taxing district must satisfy financial standards demonstrating strength and
			 stability. In reviewing the financial requirements of the public employer
			 taxing district, the bureau shall consider, but is not limited to, the
			 following criteria, as applicable: (a) Significant asset size of the public employer taxing district
				in the state of Ohio; (b) The public employer taxing district's debt structure,
				including but not limited to current versus long term debt and recent drastic
				changes in debt; (c) Whether the public employer taxing district has significant
				fluctuations in amounts reported on the balance sheet and statement of
				operations from one year to the next; and (d) The public employer taxing district's underlying or
				uninsured bond rating. (2) The public employer
			 taxing district shall demonstrate the ability to maintain its financial
			 viability and to cover all costs of the retrospective rating plan through
			 closure, in the event of a catastrophic or severe workers' compensation
			 loss. (3) The public employer taxing district
			 cannot have entered into a part-pay agreement for payment of assessments due
			 the state insurance fund for the past three rating years preceding the
			 beginning date of the retrospective policy year. (4) The public employer taxing district
			 in making its initial application for retrospective rating, cannot be under
			 fiscal watch or fiscal emergency pursuant to section 118.022, 118.04 or 3316.03
			 of the Revised Code as of the application deadline for retrospective
			 rating. (E) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (B) of this
		  rule, for the tier II retrospective rating plan: (1) A private employer
			 must submit audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally
			 accepted accounting principles (GAAP). (2) The bureau will
			 obtain a public employer taxing district's audited or reviewed financial
			 statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or other comprehensive basis of
			 accounting as permitted in Ohio auditor of state bulletin 2005-002 from the
			 state of Ohio auditor's website. The bureau reserves the right to obtain
			 additional financial information from the public employer taxing
			 district. (3) For a private
			 employer that does not demonstrate the ability to satisfy the financial
			 criteria of paragraph (C) of this rule, or a public employer taxing district
			 that does not demonstrate the ability to satisfy the financial criteria of
			 paragraph (D) of this rule, the financial statements provided by the employer
			 must demonstrate the ability to sustain losses that are at the maximum claim
			 limit for the retrospective rating plan and still maintain its financial
			 viability. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 27, 2023 at 8:44 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-43 | Application for retrospective rating plan.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) All operations of an employer electing retrospective rating
		  are subject to retrospective rating. (B)  The application must be filed on a bureau application form
		  for the retrospective rating plan. The application must be completed in its
		  entirety, including but not limited to the selection of a per-claim limit and
		  maximum premium per cent. The absence of pertinent information will result in
		  the application being rejected. (C) The application and all other required information must be
		  filed by the application deadline. An application for a retrospective rating
		  plan is applicable to only one policy year. Continuation of a plan for
		  subsequent years is subject to filing of an application on a yearly basis and
		  the meeting of eligibility requirements each year. (D) All changes to the original application must be filed on
		  another application form for the retrospective rating plan prior to the filing
		  deadline. Any changes made must be completed in writing and signed by an
		  officer of the company and filed prior to the filing deadline. Any changes
		  received by the bureau after the filing deadline will not be accepted. The
		  latest application form or rescission received by the bureau prior to the
		  filing deadline will be used in determining the premium
		  obligation. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-44 | Minimum retrospective premium.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The minimum annual premium due shall
		  not be less than the minimum experience-rated premium threshold times the
		  minimum premium percentage for the employer's hazard group, claim limit,
		  and maximum premium percentage for the applicable policy year. The premium will
		  be subject to the premium sized adjustment described in rule 4123-17-03.3 of
		  the Administrative Code. (B) If estimated experience-rated premium
		  is greater than or equal to the minimum experience-rated premium threshold
		  listed on the employer's retrospective rating minimum premium percentages
		  table, contained in the appendices to rule 4123-17-53 of the Administrative
		  Code, but actual experience-rated premium is less than the minimum
		  experience-rated premium threshold listed, the minimum premium due is the
		  minimum experience-rated premium threshold times the minimum premium percentage
		  for the employer's hazard group, claim limit, and maximum premium
		  percentage. (C) The minimum annual premium is due and
		  payable even if the employer has no claims costs during the evaluation period
		  for the applicable policy year. (D) The minimum premium will be
		  recalculated at the time the employer submits actual payroll pursuant to rule
		  4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-45 | Initial computation.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The hazard group for an employer
		  shall be determined as follows: (1) The employer's experience-rated premium is totaled
			 for each hazard group for the most recently completed policy year. The
			 employer's hazard group is the group with the highest percentage of
			 premium for the recently completed policy year; (2) For an employer new to Ohio without a reported payroll,
			 the hazard group is based on the employer's application for
			 workers' compensation coverage; (3) Hazard groups are defined as follows: (a) For private
				employers, appendix C to rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative Code;
				and (b) For public employer
				taxing districts, appendix E to rule 4123-17-72 of the Administrative
				Code. (B) The bureau shall notify the employer
		  of the estimated minimum premium percentage based on the limits selected by the
		  employer and the payroll of the employer. The premium rates on the payroll
		  reports received by the employer for the policy year will be calculated using
		  the minimum premium per cent and the premium sized adjustment described in rule
		  4123-17-03.3 of the Administrative Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-46 | Premium adjustments.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				November 1, 2021 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) Upon completion of a policy year and
		  annually throughout the evaluation period, the employer's aggregate
		  retrospective-rated premium for the policy year will be determined based on the
		  incurred losses and on the audited payrolls of the employer. The bureau shall
		  annually send the employer an annual evaluation within approximately four
		  months following the end of the policy year. (B) Incurred losses will be based on
		  compensation payments and medical payments, as defined in rule 4123-17-41 of
		  the Administrative Code. The cost of permanent total disability claims and
		  death claims will be charged to the employer as the payments are made, and the
		  reserve will be billed in the final settlement. (C) If the retrospective premium due is
		  less than the retrospective premium paid as of the prior evaluation date, the
		  difference, subject to the minimum premium, less assessments due any fund
		  administered by the bureau will be refunded to the employer. (D) If the retrospective premium due is
		  greater than the retrospective premium paid as of the prior evaluation date,
		  the difference must be paid to the bureau within forty-five days after the due
		  date of the invoice billing the additional retrospective premium, or the
		  employer will be subject to penalties as provided in rule 4123-17-48 of the
		  Administrative Code. (E) Values used in an annual evaluation
		  will not be revised for any reason other than clerical error. The bureau must
		  be notified of any such errors, in writing, within sixty days after the due
		  date on the invoice billing the retrospective premium. (F) Premiums are subject to minimum and
		  maximum premium limitations as selected by the employer. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated November 2, 2021 at 10:12 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-47 | Final settlement.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) At the end of the tenth-year
		  determination of retrospective premium, the plan for that retrospective policy
		  year shall terminate. (B) As part of the final determination of
		  retrospective premium, the bureau will evaluate the employer's claims and
		  establish reserves. Reserves will be developed for claims, other than allowed
		  permanent total disability claims and allowed death claims, using the balance
		  sheet reserve table in effect as of the ending date of the evaluation
		  period. (C) The bureau will notify the employer
		  of the reserve balances which will be reflected on the annual
		  evaluation. (D) The final settlement calculated,
		  subject to the minimum and maximum premium of the plan selected, shall be paid
		  to the bureau within forty-five days after the due date the the additional
		  retrospective premium. (E) The final determination of a
		  retrospective premium will not be revised for any reason other than clerical
		  error. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-48 | Penalties.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Any retrospective-rated employer failing to file a
		report of payroll expenditures or failing to pay premium when due, as
		prescribed in rules 4123-17-14, 4123-17-14.2, 4123-17-46, and 4123-17-47 of the
		Administrative Code, will be penalized in accordance with paragraph (C) of rule
		4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code . All premium due as a result of the
		selection of retrospective rating, including the minimum premium and premium as
		a result of annual evaluations, shall be included as premium as used in this
		rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-49 | Disability relief.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				Disability relief, as permitted under section
		4123.343 of the Revised Code and rule 4123-3-35 of the Administrative Code,
		will be applied to reducible claims costs as limited by the per-claim limit
		selected by the employer. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated April 2, 2024 at 9:08 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-51 | Termination and transfers.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) A risk may not retroactively include
		  claims experience in a plan, exclude claims experience from a plan nor
		  voluntarily terminate a plan during the evaluation period. (B) Successor: retrospective-rated
		  predecessor: experience-rated, base-rated, non-complying or
		  self-insured Where one legal entity that has established
		  coverage and is a retrospective-rated employer wholly succeeds one or more
		  legal entities having established coverage and the predecessor entities are
		  either experience-rated, base-rated, non-complying or self-insured at the date
		  of succession, the costs incurred and payroll reported by the predecessor from
		  the date of succession to the end of the policy year, shall be included in the
		  successor's retrospective rating plan. The successor remains liable for
		  any and all charges associated with the predecessor. If the predecessor had at
		  any time participated in a retrospective policy plan, the successor remains
		  liable for any and all charges associated with the retrospective policy plans.
		  The adjustment for combinations in the experience rating system will follow the
		  same rules that are in effect as of the date of succession. (C) Successor: self-insured predecessor:
		  retrospective-rated Where one legal entity that has established
		  coverage and is a self-insured employer wholly succeeds one or more entities
		  that are retrospective-rated, the retrospective-rated predecessor's
		  plan(s) shall terminate as of the ending date of the evaluation period. Payroll
		  reported and claims incurred on or after the date of succession will be the
		  responsibility of the successor. The successor shall remain responsible for all
		  liabilities of the predecessor, including but not limited to costs associated
		  with any retrospective policy years still in the evaluation period. The minimum
		  premium for the current policy year will be based on the predecessor's
		  annualized payroll. (D) Successor: experience-rated or
		  base-rated predecessor: retrospective-rated Where one legal entity that has established
		  coverage and is an experience-rated or based-rated employer wholly succeeds one
		  or more entities that are retrospective-rated, the retrospective-rated
		  predecessor's plan(s) shall terminate as of the ending date of the
		  evaluation period. Payroll reported and claims incurred on or after the date of
		  succession will be the responsibility of the successor under its experience
		  rated plan. The successor shall remain responsible for all liabilities of the
		  predecessor, including but not limited to costs associated with any
		  retrospective policy years still in the evaluation period. The minimum premium
		  for the current policy year will be based on the predecessor's annualized
		  payroll. (E) Successor: retrospective-rated
		  predecessor: retrospective-rated If the successor and the predecessor are
		  retrospective-rated employers for the current policy year, the successor shall
		  be retrospective-rated based on the combined experience of the predecessor and
		  the successor. The successor remains liable for any and all retrospective-rated
		  premiums or other charges associated with the predecessor. The adjustment for
		  combinations in the experience rating system will follow the same rules that
		  are in effect as of the date of succession. (F) Successor: entity not having coverage
		  predecessor: retrospective-rated When an entity not having coverage wholly
		  succeeds a retrospective-rated entity, the experience of the predecessor shall
		  be transferred to the successor-employer effective as of the actual date of
		  succession. The successor remains liable for any and all open
		  retrospective-rated premium or other charges associated with the predecessor.
		  The successor entity will become retrospective-rated as of the date of
		  succession until the end of the policy year, with the same plan parameters
		  chosen by the predecessor risk. The adjustment for combinations in the
		  experience rating system will follow the same rules that are in effect as of
		  the date of succession. (G) Successor: cancels coverage
		  predecessor: no predecessor If a current or previously retrospective-rated
		  employer cancels coverage and does not transfer or combine operations with
		  another entity, all open retrospective policy years will be terminated as of
		  the date of cancellation. If the employer was retrospective-rated during the
		  two most recent rating years, the final premium for each of those years will be
		  the maximum premium for the plan selected by the employer. The maximum premium
		  for the current year will be based on the employer's annualized payroll.
		  If the employer was retrospective-rated in other years of the evaluation
		  period, the final premium for each of those years will be calculated as stated
		  in rule 4123-17-47 of the Administrative Code. (H) Successor: files a petition for
		  bankruptcy predecessor: no predecessor If a current or previously retrospective-rated
		  employer with open policy year(s) files a petition for bankruptcy under chapter
		  7 or chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Law, that employer shall notify the
		  bureau's law section by certified mail within five working days from the
		  date of the bankruptcy filing. The bureau will petition the bankruptcy court to
		  take appropriate action to protect the health of the state insurance fund and
		  other related funds. (I) Successor and/or predecessor: open
		  retrospective-rated policy years in the evaluation period. If the successor and predecessor employers are
		  not currently retrospective-rated but either or both have open
		  retrospective-rated policy years in the evaluation period, the successor shall
		  be liable for any and all retrospective-rated premiums or other charges
		  associated with the predecessor. The adjustment for combinations in the
		  experience rating system will follow the same rules that are currently being
		  used. (J) Partial transfer If an entity partially succeeds another entity
		  and the predecessor entity has any retrospective policy years in the evaluation
		  period, the predecessor entity remains liable for all premium associated with
		  claims incurred prior to the date of the partial transfer. If the financial
		  capability of the predecessor entity is not sufficient to cover the costs of
		  the retrospective rating plan, the successor shall be liable for all unpaid
		  costs of the predecessor's retrospective rating plan through closure. If
		  the successor is retrospective-rated in the current policy year and the
		  effective date of the partial transfer is other than the beginning of the
		  rating year, the successor will continue to be rated in the same manner as
		  prior to the transfer. The successor will be liable for any payroll and/or
		  claims incurred from that part of the predecessor entity which was transferred,
		  beginning on the date of the transfer. If the successor has retrospective
		  policy years in the evaluation period, the successor remains liable for all
		  charges associated with retrospective rating plan(s), whether or not the
		  successor is retrospective rated as of the effective date of the partial
		  transfer. The adjustment for partial transfers in the experience rating system
		  will follow the same rules that are in effect as of the date of
		  succession. (K) Transfer or sale of assets
		  only In the case of the transfer or sale of assets
		  without transfer of liability or stock, the transferor who is now
		  retrospective-rated or has been retrospective-rated with policy year(s) still
		  in the evaluation period shall notify the bureau's actuarial section by
		  certified mail within five working days of the date of transfer. The bureau
		  shall schedule and hold a hearing within sixty days of such notification, or in
		  the event of no notification, within sixty days of receiving information which
		  indicates such a transfer may have occurred. At this hearing the bureau shall
		  determine and set responsibility for funding the as yet unpaid costs associated
		  with the retrospective policy year(s) still in the evaluation period. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-52 | Parameters of the retrospective rating plan.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) An employer participating in
		  retrospective rating will pay the following: (1) Minimum premium. The
			 minimum premium depends on the assigned hazard group, the per claim limit
			 selected by the employer, the maximum premium limit selected by the employer,
			 and the employer's base-rated premium or experience-rated premium. The
			 employer's base-rated premium or experience-rated premium is assumed to be
			 at least the minimum experience-rated/base-rated premium threshold listed on
			 the employer's retrospective rating minimum premium percentages table
			 contained in the appendices to rule 4123-17-53 of the Administrative Code. The
			 minimum premium includes employer contributions to cover safety and hygiene
			 costs, surplus costs, and the cost of losses exceeding the per claim and the
			 maximum premium limitations and those health partnership program costs
			 associated with the losses exceeding the per claim and the maximum premium
			 limitations. The minimum premium is subject to the premium sized adjustment
			 described in rule 4123-17-03.3 of the Administrative Code. (2) Premium based on paid
			 losses. The employer will pay for any compensation payments, including death
			 and permanent total disability, and medical payments made in covered claims.
			 Billings to the employer will be sent annually for ten years to collect for
			 these medical and compensation payments. (3) Premium based on
			 claim reserves. The employer will pay the value of reserves on claims evaluated
			 as of the end of the tenth year. (4) Premium for health
			 partnership program costs on retained losses. In each evaluation period
			 associated with a policy year, the employer will pay an additional premium
			 based on a percentage, known as the loss conversion factor applied to the paid
			 losses and claims reserves to cover the associated health partnership program
			 costs of those paid losses or claims reserves. Each policy year will have a
			 specific loss conversion factor, determined before the start of the policy
			 year, which will apply for the ten year retrospective period. (B) Surplus charges in claims will not be
		  charged to the employer. (C) Individual claims costs will be
		  limited to the per claim limit selected by the employer. The usual experience
		  rating limitations will not apply. (D) The employer's maximum premium
		  will be limited to a percentage of its base-rated or experience-rated premium
		  as selected by the employer. That is, premiums based on losses, reserves and
		  health partnership program costs charged to the employer cannot exceed the
		  maximum premium minus the minimum premium. The maximum premium is subject to
		  the premium sized adjustment described in rule 4123-17-03.3 of the
		  Administrative Code (E) The premium for health partnership
		  program costs on retained losses is an aggregate calculation made on the total
		  billings to an employer for either paid losses or reserves. As such, premiums
		  associated with health partnership program costs are not allocated to
		  individual claims, and therefore are not considered when evaluating whether an
		  individual claim has reached the per claim limit. (F) When an employer leaves a retrospective rating program and
		  returns to the state fund program, the employer shall be subject to all of the
		  provisions of rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code, classification
		  rates. (G) An employer removed from
		  retrospective rating for failure to comply with paragraph (B) of rule
		  4123-17-42 of the Administrative Code will be required to pay: (1) Claims costs
			 according to this rule for all injuries incurred from the beginning of the
			 policy year in which the employer participated in retrospective rating through
			 the date of removal from the program. (2) Full experience-rated
			 premium from the date of removal from retrospective rating through the
			 remainder of the policy year. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 18, 2022 at 11:48 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-53 | Private employer retrospective rating plan minimum premium percentages.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4121.13, 4121.30, 4123.29, and 4123.34 of the Revised Code.
         The administrator hereby sets the private employer
		retrospective rating plan minimum premium percentages to be effective July 1,
		2024, as indicated in the appendixes A, (Tier I, tables A, B, C, D, E, F, and
		G) and B (Tier II, tables A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) to this rule. The administrator hereby sets the private employer
		loss conversion factors to be applied to losses associated with policy years
		beginning on or after July 1, 2015, as indicated in appendix C to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:37 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-54 | Public employer retrospective rating plan minimum premium percentages.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation,
		with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board
		of directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state
		insurance fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, and 4123.34
		of the Revised Code.  The administrator hereby sets the public employer
		taxing districts retrospective rating plan minimum premium percentages to be
		effective January 1, 2025, as indicated in appendixes A (Tier I) and B (Tier
		II) to this rule. The administrator hereby sets the public employer
		loss conversion factors to be applied to losses associated with policy years
		beginning on or after January 1, 2016, as indicated in appendix C to this
		rule. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated January 2, 2025 at 10:02 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-55 | Transitional work development grant and transitional work bonus program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "AEO" and
			 "PEO" have the same meaning as defined in rule 4123-17-15 of the
			 Administrative Code. (2) "Application deadline"
			 means the applicable application deadline set forth in appendix A or in
			 appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code. (3) "Client employer" has the
			 same meaning as defined in rule 4123-17-15 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4) "Program
			 period" means the policy year for which the employer elects to participate
			 in the transitional work program. (5) "Transitional work" has the
			 same meaning as defined in rule 4123-6-01 of the Administrative
			 Code. (6) "Transitional work
			 developer" means the provider who develops the employer's
			 transitional work program. A transitional work developer shall: (a) Meet the minimum credentials designated in rule 4123-6-02.2
				of the Administrative Code for one of the following provider
				types: (i) A vocational
				  rehabilitation case manager, (ii) An occupational
				  therapist, or (iii) A physical
				  therapist; and (b) Complete bureau of workers' compensation sponsored
				transitional work development training prior to delivering transitional work
				programs and at two-year intervals. (B) Eligibility
		  requirements. (1) To receive benefits
			 under this rule, the employer must meet the following criteria as of the
			 application date for the grant or the application deadline for the transitional
			 work bonus: (a) The employer must be current with respect to all payments due
				the bureau, as defined in rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative
				Code. (b)  The employer must not have cumulative lapses in
				workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the
				preceding twelve months. (c) The employer must be in an active policy status. For purposes
				of this rule, "active policy status" does not include a policy that
				is a no coverage policy or a policy that is lapsed. (d)  The employer must 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 application
				deadline. (2)  The following
			 employers shall not be eligible for either a transitional work program
			 development grant or a transitional work bonus under this rule: (a) Employers paying the minimum administrative charge for the
				applicable payroll reporting period as set forth in rule 4123-17-26 of the
				Administrative Code; (b) State agencies; and (c) Self-insuring employers providing compensation and benefits
				pursuant to section 4123.35 of the Revised Code. (3)  The following
			 employers shall not be eligible to receive a transitional work program
			 development grant under paragraph (C) of this rule: (a) Employers who have elective coverage only; and (b) Sole proprietors with zero payroll. (4) An employer that is found to be
			 ineligible for participation in the program may reapply for a subsequent
			 program period. (C) Transitional work program development
		  grant. (1) An employer
			 interested in obtaining a transitional work program development grant shall
			 apply to the bureau on a form provided by the bureau. In signing the
			 application form, the chief executive officer or designated management
			 representative of the employer is certifying to the bureau that the employer
			 will comply with all program requirements. (2) The bureau shall
			 evaluate each application to determine the employer's eligibility to
			 receive a transitional work program development grant and shall have the final
			 authority to approve a grant for an eligible employer and to determine the
			 amount of the grant. If, upon review of an application, the bureau determines
			 that it can assist the employer in developing a transitional work program, the
			 bureau may deny the grant and provide assistance to the employer
			 directly. (3) Transitional work
			 program development grant awards expire five years from the date of the mailing
			 of the notice of approval of the grant. Upon expiration of the grant, the
			 employer loses any remaining grant funds that were awarded but unspent.
			 However, the employer may apply for a new transitional work program development
			 grant. (4) An employer is eligible for no more
			 than one transitional work program development grant per policy number every
			 five years, calculated from the date of the mailing of the notice of approval
			 of the previous transitional work program development grant. The bureau shall
			 provide assistance to employers as needed to update transitional work programs
			 developed with previous grants. (5) Grant amounts will be determined by
			 the bureau based on employer size and the complexity of services needed for
			 transitional work services. Factors which may determine appropriate grant
			 amounts may include the employer's: (a) Payroll; (b) Job classifications; (c) Job analyses needed; and (d) Collective bargaining agreements. (6) The bureau shall not reimburse an
			 employer for costs associated with a transitional work developer's
			 preparing and submitting a proposal to an employer and shall not reimburse for
			 costs determined by the bureau to be ineligible or unnecessary. The bureau may
			 monitor the content and implementation of transitional work
			 services. (7) The employer shall have and maintain
			 continuous active state fund coverage for a period of one year from the date
			 the bureau disburses the grant funds to the employer. The bureau may recover
			 the entire grant if the bureau determines the employer has failed to maintain
			 coverage as required by this rule. (D) Transitional work bonus
		  program. An employer who has developed and implemented a
		  transitional work program may be eligible to receive a transitional work bonus
		  as provided in this rule. (1) The employer must
			 report actual payroll due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual
			 premium for the program period no later than the date set forth in rule
			 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. An employer will be deemed to have met
			 this requirement if the bureau receives the payroll report, and the employer
			 pays premium associated with such report, before the expiration of any grace
			 period established by the administrator of workers' compensation pursuant
			 to rule 4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code. (a) Failure to comply with paragraph (D)(1) of this rule shall
				immediately remove the employer from the transitional work bonus program for
				the current program period, and the employer shall not be eligible for a
				transitional work bonus for the current program period. (b) Should an employer fail to comply with paragraph (D)(1) of
				this rule, the employer may reapply to the transitional work bonus program
				subject to the eligibility requirements of paragraph (B) of this rule for the
				next program period. (2) An employer interested in
			 participating in the transitional work bonus program shall apply to the bureau
			 on a form provided by the bureau. In signing the application form, the chief
			 executive officer or designated management representative of the employer is
			 certifying to the bureau that the employer will comply with all program
			 requirements. (3) The bureau shall evaluate each
			 application to determine the employer's eligibility to participate in the
			 transitional work bonus program at the time of the application. The bureau
			 shall have the final authority to approve an eligible employer for
			 participation in the transitional work bonus program. (4) The transitional work program bonus
			 calculation shall occur at six months following the end of the applicable
			 program period. The bureau will evaluate all claims of the employer with injury
			 dates that fall within the applicable program period to determine: (a) How many of those claims had the potential for transitional
				work services, and (b) How many of the claims identified in paragraph (D)(4)(a) of
				this rule utilized transitional work services. (5) The bureau will calculate the
			 employer's percentage of claims with potential for transitional work
			 services in which transitional work services were utilized. (6) The employer will receive a
			 transitional work bonus equal to the percentage calculated pursuant to
			 paragraph (D)(5) of this rule multiplied by a percentage of the employer's
			 pure premium for the applicable program period as set forth in the appendix to
			 rule 4123-17-75 of the Administrative Code. The transitional work bonus will be
			 posted to the employer's account with the bureau. (7) An AEO or a PEO shall be eligible to
			 receive a transitional work bonus under this rule for claims in which the AEO
			 or the PEO was the employer of record on the date of injury and transitional
			 work services were available under a transitional work program of either the
			 AEO, the PEO or its client employer. (8) An employer may appeal the
			 bureau's transitional work bonus program application rejection or the
			 bureau's transitional work bonus determination to the bureau's
			 adjudicating committee pursuant to section 4123.291 of the Revised Code and
			 rule 4123-14-06 of the Administrative Code. (9) Unless an employer notifies the
			 bureau otherwise as outlined below, continued participation in this program for
			 each subsequent program period shall be automatic provided that the employer
			 continues to meet the eligibility requirements set forth in paragraph (B) of
			 this rule. An employer that elects to opt out of continued
			 participation in this program shall provide written notice to the bureau by the
			 application deadline set forth in this rule. (10) The transitional work bonus program will gradually be
			 phased out with reductions in the percentage of the empoyer's pure premium
			 for the applicable program period used in the transitional work bonus
			 calculation pursuant to paragraph (D)(6) of this rule and the maximum
			 transitional work bonus per employer, as set forth in the appendix to rule
			 4123-17-75 of the Administrative Code. The last policy year for the
			 transitional work bonus program will be the policy year beginning July 1, 2025,
			 for private employers, and beginning January 1, 2026, for public
			 employers. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:37 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-56 | Safety grant programs.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				December 9, 2023 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) Pursuant to section 4121.37 of the
		  Revised Code, the administrator of workers' compensation may establish a
		  program of safety grants for safety interventions or research for eligible
		  employers. The safety grant program may provide grant funds to an eligible
		  employer for safety interventions including education, training, research, or
		  purchase of equipment to prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, or
		  fatalities. (1) The purpose of the
			 safety intervention grant program is for the division of safety and hygiene of
			 the bureau of wokers' compensation to fund employer interventions that
			 reduce the risk of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the workplace,
			 investigate the effectiveness of safety interventions in preventing
			 occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities and establish safety and
			 health best practices. For this purpose, the bureau may make safety grants to
			 employers as provided in this rule. (2) If the division of
			 safety and hygiene concludes there are interventions outside the scope of the
			 program, the division of safety and hygiene may establish an unapproved items
			 list to notify employers of specific safety education, training, research, or
			 purchase of equipment that the bureau shall not fund. (B)  The bureau may limit participation
		  in the safety grant program based upon: (1) The availability of
			 bureau resources for the program; (2) The merits of the
			 employer's proposal; (3) The type of
			 employer's policy; (4)  The manual numbers reported under
			 the employer's policy; (5)  The employer's policy history;
			 or (6) The safety grant
			 program objectives and unapproved items list under paragraph (A) of this
			 rule. (C) The bureau shall determine whether
		  the employer's policy is eligible for the safety grant program under this
		  rule. The employer must satisfy the following criteria: (1) The safety grant
			 program is available only to a private state fund employer, a public employer
			 taxing district, a marine industry fund employer, or a coal-workers'
			 pneumoconiosis fund employer; (2) The employer shall
			 have active state fund-coverage to participate in the safety grant
			 program; (3) The employer shall
			 have active coverage for one year prior before applying for a safety grant and
			 shall maintain active coverage for the one year after implementation of the
			 safety intervention under the safety grant approved by the bureau; (4) The employer shall be
			 current with respect to all payroll reporting and required payments due to any
			 fund administered by the bureau; (5) The employer shall
			 not have more than forty days of cumulative lapses in workers'
			 compensation coverage within the prior twelve months. (D) The bureau will assess whether the employer's proposed
		  safety intervention is eligible to participate in the safety grant program
		  under this rule. (1) The employer's
			 proposed safety intervention shall explain how one of the following objectives
			 is attained through receipt of safety grant funds: (a) Reduction of risk of workplace injuries, illnesses, or
				fatalities; or (b) Advancement of research into the prevention of workplace
				injuries, illnesses, or fatalities. (2) The owner, chief executive officer,
			 chief financial officer or persons having fiduciary responsibilities with the
			 employer may be required to meet with a bureau consultant to review the safety
			 grant program application. (3) The bureau shall review and evaluate
			 the safety grant application. The bureau may also assess and evaluate the
			 employer's safety and loss prevention and control programs. If the bureau
			 accepts the employer into the safety grant program, the employer shall submit
			 reports and case studies to the bureau as required by the bureau for a period
			 of one year following the purchase and implementation of the safety
			 intervention. (4) The bureau and employer shall enter
			 into a written agreement detailing the rights, obligations, and expectations of
			 the parties for performance of the safety grant program. (5) The employer may not apply for a
			 safety grant for reimbursement of previously purchased safety
			 interventions. (6) The employer shall agree to not
			 eliminate jobs or reduce employment due to the intervention funded by the
			 safety grant program. If the bureau determines an employer has violated this
			 provision, the employer shall be immediately disqualified from participation in
			 the safety grant program, and the employer shall return all disbursed safety
			 grant funds to the bureau for the intervention that eliminated jobs or reduced
			 employment. (7) The bureau shall establish policies
			 and processes for adding or removing safety interventions on the unapproved
			 items list. The bureau shall not accept an employer's proposed
			 intervention if the employer's proposed intervention contains any item on
			 the unapproved items list. (E) The bureau may meet with the owner, chief executive officer,
		  chief financial officer, or persons having fiduciary responsibilities with the
		  employer to evaluate the employer's progress in the safety grant program.
		  The employer shall provide the bureau access to records or personnel to conduct
		  research into the effectiveness of the safety grant program. (F) An employer who complies with the requirements of the safety
		  grant program under this rule shall be eligible to receive a grant from the
		  bureau as provided in the written agreement. (1) The bureau may
			 establish by written agreement with the employer the maximum amount of the
			 safety grant funds. (2)  The bureau may
			 establish by written agreement with the employer a requirement for matching
			 funds from the employer in a ratio to be determined by the bureau. (3) The bureau shall
			 monitor the employer's use of the safety grant program funds. The bureau
			 may recover the entire grant if the bureau determines that the employer has not
			 used the grant for the purposes of the safety grant program or has otherwise
			 violated the written agreement of the safety grant program. (G) Reconsideration of determination of ineligibility to
		  participate in, or disqualification from, the safety grant
		  program. (1) An employer may
			 request reconsideration of a decision finding the employer did not meet the
			 requirements provided in paragraph (C) of this rule or disqualifying the
			 employer from continued participation in the safety grant program. The request
			 must be in writing and filed with the superintendent of the division of safety
			 and hygiene within thirty days of the notification of the
			 decision. (2) The employer may
			 submit a request for reconsideration of the superintendent's decision to
			 the adjudicating committee in accordance with the provisions contained in rule
			 4123-14-06 of the Administrative Code. (H) Upon the approval, purchase, and implementation of the safety
		  intervention, the employer shall provide to the bureau sufficient documentation
		  on the use of the funds, including proof of payment, proof of the
		  employer's and bureau's contribution, and proof that the funds were
		  fully applied to the approved safety intervention. (1)  The employer shall
			 purchase, implement, and provide purchase documentation for all approved safety
			 interventions within the time period determined by the superintendent from the
			 date that the bureau disburses safety grant funds to the employer. (2) The purchase and implementation of
			 the safety intervention can take place only after the approval of the safety
			 grant funds. (3) The bureau may extend the period
			 defined in paragraph (H)(1) of this rule by up to ninety days in special
			 circumstances where the employer, for reasons beyond their control, experiences
			 delay in purchasing or implementing the approved safety intervention. The
			 employer must request additional time in writing that explains the special
			 circumstances, with any supporting documentation, and specifying the additional
			 time needed. The bureau may grant additional extensions of up to ninety days,
			 pursuant to the same requirements and guidelines for the initial extension, but
			 the cumulative period of all extensions shall not exceed one year. (I) The bureau shall evaluate the effectiveness of the safety
		  grant program on a periodic basis. The bureau may publish reports of the safety
		  grant program's effectiveness and research findings to assist employers in
		  preventing workplace injuries and illnesses. (J) Marine industry fund and
		  coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund safety grants. (1) A marine industry
			 fund employer or a coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund employer applying for
			 a safety grant is subject to paragraphs (A) to (I) of this rule. (2) The bureau's
			 division of safety and hygiene shall determine whether the marine industry fund
			 employer or the coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund employer is eligible for
			 the safety grant program under this rule. The safety grant program in this rule
			 is available only to a marine industry fund or a coal-workers'
			 pneumoconiosis fund employer that satisfies the following additional
			 criteria: (a) A marine industry fund employer shall have and shall maintain
				active state fund coverage under rule 4123-17-19 of the Administrative
				Code. (b) A coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund employer shall have
				and shall maintain active state fund coverage under rule 4123-17-20 of the
				Administrative Code. (c)  A coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund employer may only
				use the safety grant to purchase equipment to prevent coal workers'
				pneumoconiosis. (3) Additional employer responsibilities
			 include: (a) A marine industry fund employer or a coal-workers'
				pneumoconiosis fund employer shall contact the local bureau customer service
				office to schedule a visit by a bureau safety consultant. (b) A coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund employer shall also
				schedule a visit by a mine safety inspector from the Ohio department of natural
				resources. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated December 11, 2023 at 9:52 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-56.1 | Workplace wellness grant program rule.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				March 26, 2018 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) For purposes of this
		  rule: (1) "Health risk
			 factors" means physical and mental characteristics that can be modified,
			 nearly always with much less cost compared to waiting for sickness and then
			 attempting to treat the disease. (2) "Employer"
			 or "employer" means a private state fund employer, a public employer
			 taxing district, a marine industry fund employer, or a coal-workers'
			 pneumoconiosis fund employer. (3) "Workplace
			 wellness program" means a health and wellness program in the workplace
			 which consists of a biometric screening and health risk appraisal, and
			 activities based on the results of the screening, program measurements and
			 policies. (B) Workplace wellness grant
		  program. (1) Pursuant to section
			 4121.37 of the Revised Code, the administrator may establish a program of
			 workplace wellness grants for the prevention of occupational injuries and
			 illnesses for which an employer is eligible under this rule. The workplace
			 wellness grant may include grants to an employer to provide funds to address
			 health risk factors to reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries and
			 illnesses. (2) The bureau shall
			 determine whether the employer is eligible for the workplace wellness grant
			 program under this rule. The bureau may limit participation in the workplace
			 wellness grant program based upon the availability of bureau resources for the
			 program and upon the merits of the employer's proposal. The bureau shall
			 award grant funds for employers on a first come, first serve basis. The
			 workplace wellness grant program is available to a state-fund employer that
			 satisfies the following criteria: (a) The employer shall be current with respect to all
				payroll reporting and payments due to any fund administered by the
				bureau. (b) The employer shall not have more than forty days of
				cumulative lapses in workers' compensation coverage within the prior
				twelve months. (c) The employer shall maintain active state fund coverage
				to participate in the workplace wellness grant program. (d) For grants to an employer for the research and
				implementation of workplace wellness programs, the employer shall submit to the
				bureau an application for participation in the workplace wellness grant
				program. The employer shall demonstrate a need for workplace wellness grant
				program. (e) The employer is not eligible for a workplace wellness
				program grant if the employer has an existing workplace wellness
				program. (3) The bureau shall
			 assess the employer's workplace wellness proposal and shall review the
			 workplace wellness grant program application, including the baseline assessment
			 of the worksite provided in the application. (a) If the bureau accepts the employer into the workplace
				wellness grant program, the employer shall submit an annual report to the
				bureau for up to four years following the implementation of the wellness
				program. The employer shall develop an implementation strategy plan for its
				workplace wellness grant program. (b) The bureau and employer shall enter into a written
				agreement detailing the rights, obligations, and expectations of the parties
				for performance of the workplace wellness grant program. (c) The employer shall implement the wellness program
				within three months from the date that the bureau disburses the grant funds to
				the employer. The implementation of the workplace wellness program cannot take
				place before the disbursement of the grant funds. (4) The employer shall
			 agree to not eliminate jobs or reduce employment due to the implementation of
			 the workplace wellness program. (5) The bureau may meet
			 with the owner, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or persons
			 having fiduciary responsibilities with the employer to evaluate the
			 employer's progress in the workplace wellness grant program. (6) An employer who complies with the
			 requirements of the workplace wellness grant program under this rule shall be
			 eligible to receive a grant from the bureau as provided in the written
			 agreement. (a) The bureau may establish a limit for the amount of
				monies it disburses for the workplace wellness grant and this amount shall be
				established by written agreement with the employer. (b) The bureau may require that the employer must execute
				its workplace wellness program through an approved vendor. (c) The bureau shall monitor the employer's use of
				the workplace wellness grant program funds. (7) Reconsideration of determination of
			 eligibility. (a) An employer may request reconsideration from a decision
				finding the employer did not meet the requirements provided in paragraph (B)(2)
				or (B)(3) of this rule. The request must be in writing and filed with the
				superintendent of the division of safety and hygiene within thirty days of the
				notification of the decision. (b) The employer may submit a request for reconsideration
				of the superintendent's decision to the adjudicating
				committee. (c) The adjudicating committee shall consider the request
				and make a recommendation on the employer's eligibility to the
				administrator. (d) The decision of the administrator shall be
				final. (8) Upon the approval of the proposed
			 wellness program, the employer shall provide to the bureau documentation on the
			 use of the funds, including submission of original paid itemized invoices,
			 proof of payment, proof of the employer's contribution, and cancelled
			 checks that demonstrate the employer spent all workplace wellness grant funds
			 toward the approved expenditures. (9) The bureau shall evaluate the
			 research data from the workplace wellness grant program on a periodic basis.
			 The bureau may publish reports of the research to assist employers in
			 preventing workplace injuries and illnesses. (C) Continuing eligibility for the
		  workplace wellness grant program once acceptance has been granted. (1) An employer
			 participating in the workplace wellness grant program shall be eligible to
			 continue participating in the program only if the employer maintains active
			 workers' compensation coverage according to the following
			 standards: (a) The employer must be current with respect to all
				payroll reporting and payment due to any fund administered by the
				bureau. (b) The employer must not have cumulative lapses in
				workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the prior
				twelve months. (2) After the first year
			 of enrollment, an employer participating in the workplace wellness grant
			 program shall be eligible to renew its application and continue participation
			 at the discretion of the bureau. (3) Applications
			 submitted for the workplace wellness grant program may be processed and renewed
			 by the bureau on a rolling basis. (D) Disqualification from the workplace
		  wellness grant program. (1) An employer shall be
			 immediately disqualified from the participation in the workplace wellness grant
			 program if the employer is found by the bureau to have knowingly misrepresented
			 information on the initial application for employee participation and
			 compliance with program requirements. As used in this paragraph,
			 "knowingly" means that the employer had actual knowledge of the
			 misrepresentation and was aware that the misrepresentation would cause a
			 certain result. (2) An employer shall be
			 immediately disqualified from participation in the workplace wellness grant
			 program if the bureau determines the employer has violated any state or federal
			 statutes pertaining to confidential personal information and personal health
			 information, including but not limited to the statutes and rules contained in
			 rule 4123-10-04 of the Administrative Code. (3) An employer shall be
			 immediately disqualified from participation in the workplace wellness grant
			 program if the bureau determines the employer has coerced employees to
			 participate in the workplace wellness grant program. As used in this paragraph,
			 "coerced" is defined as intimidating an employee to compel the
			 individual to do some act against his or her will by the use of psychological
			 pressure, physical force, or threats. The definition of coercion as stated in
			 section 2905.12 of the Revised Code shall also apply to this
			 paragraph. (4) An employer shall be immediately disqualified from
			 participation in the workplace wellness grant program if the bureau determines
			 the employer eliminated jobs or reduced employment due to the implementation of
			 its workplace wellness program. (5) The bureau may disqualify an employer from the
			 workplace wellness grant program if the bureau determines that the employer has
			 not used the grant for the purposes of the workplace wellness grant program or
			 has otherwise violated the written agreement. (6) An employer shall be disqualified from continued
			 participation in the workplace wellness grant program if the employer violated
			 paragraph (C)(1) of this rule. (7) An employer that is disqualified from participation in
			 the workplace wellness grant program under the preceding paragraphs shall make
			 restitution of all monies awarded by the bureau for participating in the
			 program. (8) Reconsideration of disqualification from workplace
			 wellness program. (a) An employer may
				request reconsideration from a decision finding the employer is disqualified
				from the workplace wellness program. The request must be in writing and filed
				with the superintendent of the division of safety and hygiene within thirty
				days of the notification of the decision. (b) The employer may
				submit a request for reconsideration of the superintendent's decision to
				the adjudicating committee. (c) The adjudicating
				committee shall consider the request and make a recommendation on the
				employer's eligibility to the administrator. (d) The decision of the
				administrator shall be final. (e) {Enter paragraph text
				here} 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated November 29, 2023 at 2:25 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-56.2 | Safety council rebate incentive program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. For the purposes of this rule, (1) "Local safety
			 council" means an entity contracted with the bureau of workers'
			 compensation to provide a safety campaign in accordance with standards set
			 forth by the superintendent of the division of safety and hygiene. (2) "Program
			 year" means July first to June thirtieth, inclusive. (3) "Superintendent" means the superintendent of the
			 division of safety and hygiene or the superintendent's
			 designee. (B) For each program year, the
		  administrator may establish a safety council rebate. (1) The superintendent shall determine
			 safety council rebate eligibility requirements for each program year and
			 publish such program requirements no later than sixty days prior to the start
			 of the program year. (2) The safety council rebate shall be
			 equal to the amount identified in the appendix to rule 4123-17-75 of the
			 Administrative Code times the employer's pure premium costs during the
			 program year. (C) Eligibility
		  requirements. (1) To receive a rebate
			 as set forth in paragraph (B) of this rule the employer must meet the following
			 criteria as of the application deadline: (a) The employer must be current with respect to all payments due
				the bureau, as defined in paragraph (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14 of the
				Administrative Code. (b)  The employer must not have cumulative lapses in
				workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the prior
				twelve months. (c) The employer must 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 date set forth in
				rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. An employer will be deemed to have
				met this requirement if the bureau receives the payroll report and the employer
				pays premium associated with such report before the expiration of any grace
				period established by the administrator pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule
				4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code. (2) An employer shall not
			 be eligible to receive a safety council rebate eligibility rebate as set forth
			 in paragraph (B) of this rule if: (a) The employer is a self-insuring employer providing
				compensation and benefits pursuant to section 4123.35 of the Revised
				Code. (b) The employer is a state agency. (c) The employer is participating in a program designated as
				incompatible with the rebate under rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
				Code. (d) The employer is a
				client employer of an alternate employer organization (AEO). (e) The employer is a
				client employer of a professional employer organization (PEO), to the extent
				the employer's payroll is reported to the bureau under the PEO's
				workers' compensation policy. (3) An AEO or a PEO shall
			 not be eligible to receive a safety council rebate under this rule unless all
			 of the following requirements are met: (a) The AEO or the PEO, and each of the client employers of the
				AEO or the PEO, meet all eligibility and program requirements. (b) The AEO or the PEO electronically submits affirmation that
				the AEO or the PEO, and each of the client employers of the AEO or the PEO, has
				enrolled in a local safety council as of July thirty-first of the applicable
				program year. (c) The AEO or the PEO submits a list of each of the client
				employers with whom it has an agreement as of May first of the applicable
				policy year. (i) The list shall be
				  electronically submitted on a form prescribed by the bureau, and shall include
				  each client employer's name, address, federal tax identification number,
				  bureau of workers' compensation risk number; and the amount of payroll,
				  listed by manual class code, reported by the AEO or the PEO on behalf of each
				  client employer. (ii) If the bureau
				  determines the AEO or the PEO has manipulated the client list for purposes of
				  obtaining a safety council rebate under this rule, the AEO or the PEO shall not
				  be eligible to receive such rebate. (iii) The bureau shall
				  hold the list required under this paragraph as confidential pursuant to rule
				  4123-17-15.2 of the Administrative Code. (4) The forms and deadlines for meeting
			 the requirements of paragraphs (C)(3)(b) and (C)(3)(c) of this rule shall be
			 prescribed by the superintendent. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated November 29, 2023 at 2:25 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-57 | Premium for construction industry.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) As used in this rule: (1) As defined in
			 division (F)(3) of section 4123.34 of the Revised Code, "construction
			 industry" includes any activity performed in connection with the erection,
			 alteration, repair, replacement, renovation, installation, or demolition of any
			 building, structure, highway, or bridge. The classification codes satisfying
			 this definition are listed in paragraph (E) of this rule. (2) "Construction
			 industry employer" is an employer that reports payroll of a construction
			 industry employee for work performed in a construction industry classification
			 code as defined in paragraph (E) of this rule. (3) "Construction
			 industry employee" is any employee as defined in division (A) of section
			 4123.01 of the Revised Code who performs work and whose payroll is properly
			 reported in a construction industry classification code as defined in paragraph
			 (E) of this rule. (B) Pursuant to division (F) of section
		  4123.34 of the Revised Code, the administrator of workers' compensation
		  shall determine the premium rates for construction industry employees for
		  payroll paid beginning January 1, 1995, in accordance with the limitations
		  provided in this rule. (C) A construction industry employer
		  shall report the actual remuneration paid to its construction industry
		  employees, except that for payroll paid beginning January 1, 1995, the
		  reportable payroll shall not exceed on a weekly basis an amount as provided in
		  division (F) of section 4123.34 of the Revised Code. This limitation applies
		  only to the construction industry employees of the construction industry
		  employer, and does not apply to employees of a construction industry employer
		  whose payroll is not reported in a construction industry classification code as
		  defined in paragraph (E) of this rule. (D) The construction industry employer
		  shall maintain records to verify the weekly wages paid to construction industry
		  employees. The payroll limitation for construction industry employees shall
		  apply to weekly payroll, regardless of the hourly or daily remuneration. If
		  upon audit the construction industry employer is unable to document payroll
		  records of an employee on a weekly basis, the bureau of workers'
		  compensation shall establish the payroll by the actual remuneration for the
		  payroll reporting period, subject to the maximum limitation as provided in
		  division (F) of section 4123.34 of the Revised Code times the number of weeks
		  in the payroll reporting period. (E) The payroll limitation of this rule
		  shall apply only to the following construction industry classification codes of
		  a construction industry employer: all of the classification codes in industry
		  group four as provided in the credibility table used for experience rating,
		  table one, part B, of rule 4123-17-05 of the Administrative Code. The bureau
		  shall periodically review the classification codes satisfying the definition of
		  construction industry, and any reclassifications, changes, deletions, or
		  additions to the bureau's classification codes or industry groups may
		  result in additions or deletions of classification codes from this
		  rule. (F) The payroll limitation of this rule
		  shall apply to premium of the construction industry employer for construction
		  industry employees reported under the classification codes listed in paragraph
		  (E) of this rule. The payroll limitation also applies to the disabled
		  workers' relief fund assessment, and for such purposes the construction
		  industry employer shall report the remuneration of the construction industry
		  employees as provided in paragraph (C) of this rule. (G) For a construction industry employee
		  who is also an officer of a corporation, a sole proprietor, partnership, or
		  member of a family farm corporation, and whose payroll is subject to a payroll
		  limitation by rules 4123-17-07 and 4123-17-30 of the Administrative Code, any
		  additional payroll limitations of this rule also may apply. (H) If upon audit or reclassification of
		  payroll the bureau determines that the payroll of an employee has been
		  improperly classified in a construction industry classification code and the
		  new or proper classification code is not a construction industry classification
		  as defined in paragraph (E) of this rule, the bureau shall establish the
		  premium due based upon the full actual remuneration of the
		  employee. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:37 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-58 | Substance use prevention and recovery program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A)  Definitions. For purposes of this rule: (1) "AEO" and
			 "PEO" have the same meaning as defined in rule 4123-17-15 of the
			 Administrative Code. (2)  "Application deadline"
			 means the applicable deadline set forth in appendix A or in appendix B to rule
			 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code. (3)  "Client employer" has the
			 same meaning as defined in rule 4123-17-15 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4)  "Comparable program" means
			 a program referred to in section 153.03 of the Revised Code. (5)  "Drug-free workplace
			 policy" means an employer's written policy and procedures to prevent
			 and reduce the risk of workplace accidents and injuries attributed to the use
			 and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, including prescription, over-the-counter,
			 and illegal drugs. (6) "Evaluatoin date" means June first for
			 private employers, and December first for public employer taxing districts,
			 prior to the commencement of the program period. (7) "Program period" means the
			 policy year for which the employer elects to participate in the substance use
			 and prevention and recovery program. (8) "Safety-sensitive position or
			 function" means any job position or work-related function or job task
			 designated as such by the employer, which through the nature of the activity
			 could be dangerous to the physical well-being of or jeopardize the security of
			 the employee, co-workers, customers or the general public through a lapse in
			 attention or judgment. (9) "Substance use prevention and recovery (SUPR)
			 program" means the bureau of workers' compensation's bonus and
			 grant program for employers who implement a program under this
			 rule. (10) "Supervisor" means an
			 employee who supervises others in the performance of their jobs, has the
			 authority and responsibility to initiate reasonable suspicion testing and
			 recommend or perform hiring or firing procedures. (B) Eligibility
		  requirements. (1) To receive benefits
			 under this rule, the employer must, as of the evaluation date: (a) Be current with respect to all payments due the bureau, as
				defined in paragraph (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative
				Code; (b)  Not have cumulative lapses in workers' compensation
				coverage in excess of forty days within the preceding twelve
				months; (c) Be in an active policy status, which for purposes of this
				rule, does not include a policy that is a no coverage policy or a policy that
				is lapsed; and (d) 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 evaluation date. (2) The bureau may permit an employer who applies after the
			 application deadline, but before the end of the program period, to participate
			 in the SUPR program. An employer that applied to participate in the SUPR
			 program after the application deadline is not eligible for the bonus for that
			 program period set forth in the appendix to rule 4123-17-75 of the
			 Administrative Code. (3) The following employers shall not be
			 eligible for benefits under this rule: (a) State agencies; and (b) Self-insuring employers providing compensation and benefits
				pursuant to section 4123.35 of the Revised Code. (4) An AEO or a PEO shall not be eligible
			 to receive benefits under this rule unless the AEO or the PEO and each of the
			 client employers of the AEO or the PEO meet all eligibility and program
			 requirements. (5) An employer determined to be
			 ineligible for participation in the SUPR program based on the bureau's
			 review of the employer's submitted application may appeal such
			 determination to the adjudicating committee pursuant to section 4123.291 of the
			 Revised Code. (6) An employer that is found to be
			 ineligible for participation in the SUPR program may reapply once the reason
			 for the rejection has been resolved. (C) Basic SUPR program
		  level. To implement a basic SUPR program, an employer
		  shall make annual application to the bureau and implement the program elements
		  set forth in paragraphs (C)(1) to (C)(6) of this rule. The requirements and
		  timeframes for completion of each element shall be determined by the
		  bureau. (1) Safety - Employers
			 participating in the SUPR program shall  (a) Ensure each supervisor completes accident-analysis
				training; and (b) Use online accident-analysis reporting on the
				bureau's website for lost time claims. (2) Policy - Employers
			 are required to put in place a drug-free workplace policy. (3) Employee education -
			 The employer's SUPR program shall include annual education for all
			 employees. (4) Supervisor
			 skill-building training - The employer's SUPR program shall include annual
			 training for all supervisors in support of enforcing the employer's
			 drug-free workplace policy. (5) Drug and alcohol
			 testing - The employer's SUPR program shall include alcohol and other drug
			 testing which conforms to the federal testing model promulgated by the United
			 States department of health and human services. The employer shall implement
			 and pay for testing required by SUPR program participation but is not required
			 to pay for re-testing requested by an employee and follow-up testing. Testing
			 shall occur as specified by the bureau including, but not limited to the
			 following: (a) Pre-employment and new-hire drug testing; (b) Post-accident alcohol and other drug testing; (c) Reasonable suspicion alcohol and other drug testing;
				and (d) Return-to-duty and follow-up alcohol and other drug
				testing. (6) Employee assistance -
			 The employer's SUPR program shall include an employee assistance
			 plan. (D) Advanced SUPR program
		  level. To implement an advanced SUPR program, an
		  employer shall make annual application to the bureau and implement the program
		  elements set forth in paragraphs (D)(1) and (D)(2) of this rule. The
		  requirements and timeframes for completion of each element shall be determined
		  by the bureau. (1) The employer shall
			 meet all of the requirements of a basic SUPR program as provided in paragraph
			 (C) of this rule. (2) The employer shall do
			 all of the following: (a) Ensure that its drug-free workplace policy clearly reflects
				how random drug testing will be implemented and how additional employee
				assistance will be provided; (b) Ensure conducting fifteen per cent or higher random drug
				testing of the employer's workforce each program period; (c) Designate at lease one substance use professional in advance
				to be available for, and pay the costs of, a substance assessment of an
				employee who tests positive, comes forward voluntarily to indicate he or she
				has a substance problem, or is referred by a supervisor; and (d) Commit to not terminate the employment of an employee
				who tests positive for the first time, who comes forward voluntarily to
				indicate he or she has a substance problem, or who is referred by a supervisor
				for an assessment. (E) Comparable program. (1) Self-insuring
			 employers and state-fund employers not participating in the SUPR program shall
			 submit an application for approval of a comparable program. (2) Prior to providing
			 labor services or on-site supervision of such labor services under a public
			 improvement project as defined in division (A)(9) of section 153.03 of the
			 Revised Code, employers participating in the comparable program
			 shall: (a) Develop, implement, and provide to all employees the written
				substance use policy required by division (B)(2)(a) of section 153.03 of the
				Revised Code; (b) Conduct drug testing
				on employees, including supervisors, as outlined in paragraph (C)(5) of this
				rule; (c) Complete all employee education required by division
				(B)(2)(d) of section 153.03 of the Revised Code; and (d) Complete all supervisor training required by division
				(B)(2)(e) of section 153.03 of the Revised Code. (F) Progress reporting and renewal
		  requirements. (1) In order to qualify
			 for renewal in the basic SUPR program, advanced SUPR program, or comparable
			 program, an employer shall have implemented all requirements of its basic SUPR
			 program, advanced SUPR program, or comparable program by the implementation
			 date specified by the bureau. (2) The employer shall
			 submit an annual report detailing program implementation and reporting annual
			 statistics on a form provided by the bureau. The requirements and timeframes
			 for completion of the annual report shall be determined by the
			 bureau. (a) If the employer is applying for renewal in the SUPR program,
				the annual report shall be deemed the employer's annual application, and
				the employer shall identify which SUPR program level is requested for the
				following program period; (b) The employer shall provide any follow-up documentation
				required by the bureau and shall maintain on-site statistics as required by the
				bureau; (c) The report required by this paragraph and any other
				information submitted by the employer in meeting SUPR program requirements
				shall be considered part of the annual statement submitted to the bureau as
				required by section 4123.26 of the Revised Code. The bureau shall hold such
				information as confidential pursuant to section 4123.27 of the Revised
				Code. (3) In conjunction with
			 the annual report required under paragraph (F)(2) of this rule, an AEO or a PEO
			 participating in the SUPR program must submit a client employer
			 list. (a) The list shall include all client employers with whom the AEO
				or the PEO had an agreement as of thirty days prior to the filing deadline for
				the annual report; (b) The list shall include each client employer's name,
				address, federal tax identification number, bureau of workers'
				compensation policy number; and the amount of payroll, listed by classification
				code, reported by the AEO or the PEO on behalf of each client
				employer; (c) If the bureau determines the AEO or the PEO has manipulated
				the client list for purposes of obtaining benefits under this rule, the AEO or
				the PEO shall not be eligible to receive such benefits; (d) The bureau shall hold the list required under this section as
				confidential pursuant to sections 4125.05 and 4133.07 of the Revised
				Code. (G) The bureau may remove an employer
		  from participation in the SUPR program for failure to fully implement a SUPR
		  program in compliance with the approved program level requirements. The bureau
		  shall send written notice of removal to the employer. An employer removed from
		  the SUPR program under this section may reapply for the SUPR program for the
		  next program period. The bureau may deny the application based on circumstances
		  of previous participation. (H) An employer completing SUPR program
		  requirements may be eligible for a bonus equal to the amount identified in the
		  appendix to rule 4123-17-75 of the Administrative Code times the
		  employer's premium costs during the program period. To be eligible for the
		  bonus, an employer must report actual payroll due upon reconciliation of
		  estimated premium and actual premium for the program participation year no
		  later than the date set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. An
		  employer will be deemed to have met this requirement if the bureau receives the
		  payroll report and the employer pays premium associated with the payroll report
		  before the expiration established by the administrator pursuant to rule
		  4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code. Additional program requirements for
		  bonus eligibility shall be determined by the bureau. (I) Participation in this program under
		  this rule is voluntary. Nothing contained in this rule shall affect, modify, or
		  amend any collective bargaining agreement or alter the rights or obligations of
		  an AEO, a worksite employee, an employer, an employee, a client employer, a
		  PEO, or a shared employee under applicable federal or state law. Provisions of
		  a collective bargaining agreement that prevent implementation of program
		  criteria will preclude employer participation in the SUPR program. (J) Pursuant to section 4121.37 of the
		  Revised Code, the administrator may establish a grant program for development
		  and legal review of a drug-free workplace policy, employee education,
		  supervisor skill-building training, drug and alcohol testing, and substance use
		  assessment for eligible employers who participate in the grant
		  program. (1) To be eligible for the SUPR grant program, an employer
			 must: (a) Meet the eligibility
				requirements set forth in paragraph (B) of this rule: and (b) Have a physical
				office located in Ohio. (2) An employer's continued eligibility in the grant
			 program for each subsequent program period shall be automatic provided that the
			 employer continues to meet the eligibility requirements set forth in paragraph
			 (J)(l) of this rule. (3) The employer must make application for the grant
			 program to the bureau on forms provided by the bureau. (4) The employer must enter into a written agreement with
			 the bureau detailing the rights, obligations, and expectations of the parties
			 for performance during participation in the SUPR grant program. (5) The bureau shall evaluate each application to determine
			 the employer's eligibility to receive a grant and shall have the final
			 authority to approve a grant for an eligible employer and the amount of the
			 grant. (6) The bureau will only reimburse for drug testing
			 if: (a) The employer's
				drug-free workplace policy meets requirements as specified by the bureau:
				and (b) The employer submits
				reimbursement requests for the types of alcohol and drug testing set forth
				under this rule or section 153.03 of the Revised Code. (7) The employer must pay for eligible expenses and apply
			 to the bureau for reimbursement. (a) Reimbursement is
				available on a first come, first served basis while funding and bureau
				resources are available. The grant program or funding may be suspended at any
				time. (b) The employer must
				provide the bureau documentation of itemized expenses and proof of payment. The
				bureau has sole discretion in determining whether documentation provided by the
				employer is sufficient for reimbursement, and the bureau may require additional
				documentation from the employer as deemed necessary to process the
				employer's request for reimbursement. (c) The bureau shall
				reject any expense filed for reimbursement that is not submitted to the bureau
				within one year of the date of service. (8) The bureau reserves the right to audit the
			 employer's use of program funds and to recover any overpaid,
			 misappropriated, or improperly expended funds. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 30, 2025 at 7:53 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-59 | Fifteen thousand dollar medical-only program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Any employer who is paying premiums
		  to the state insurance fund and whose coverage is in force may elect to
		  participate in the fifteen thousand dollar medical-only program as provided in
		  section 4123.29 of the Revised Code. No formal application is required;
		  however, an employer must elect to participate. Once an employer has elected to
		  participate in the program, the employer will be responsible for all bills in
		  all medical-only claims with a date of injury the same or later than the
		  election date, and the employer agrees to pay bills within thirty days of
		  receipt of the bill, unless the employer notifies the bureau of workers'
		  compensation within fourteen days of receipt of the notification of a claim
		  being filed that it does not wish to pay the bills in that claim, or the
		  employer notifies the bureau that the fifteen thousand dollar maximum has been
		  paid, or the employer notifies the bureau of the last day of service on which
		  it will be responsible for the bills in a particular medical-only
		  claim. (B) Employers may pay bills only on any
		  alleged medical-only injury. The provisions of this program and rule shall not
		  apply to claims in which an employer with knowledge of a claimed compensable
		  injury or occupational disease, has paid wages in lieu of compensation or total
		  disability. Payment of a bill by an employer does not waive the bureau's
		  right to adjudicate the claim, nor does it waive the employer's right to
		  contest the claim should a claim be filed. (C) This program in no way supersedes the
		  right of any injured worker to file a workers' compensation claim with the
		  bureau. (D) An employer or its agent may elect to
		  pay to the injured worker, or the provider on behalf of the injured worker, the
		  first fifteen thousand dollars of a medical-only claim. Employers may elect
		  which medical-only claims they do not wish to cover under this
		  program. (1) An employer electing
			 to pay bills in its employees' medical-only claims is responsible for all
			 bills in a claim until the fifteen thousand dollar maximum is reached and the
			 employer provides notice to the bureau that the employer has paid the first
			 fifteen thousand dollars of the bills in the claim by providing the bureau the
			 date of service of the bill which reached the fifteen thousand dollar maximum,
			 or the employer provides notice to the bureau that it no longer wishes to be
			 responsible for the bills in a particular claim by providing the bureau the
			 last date of service that it will pay. The bureau will process all related
			 bills received after the withdrawal notification date. (2) If the fifteen
			 thousand dollar maximum has not been reached and the payment of a bill will
			 exceed the fifteen thousand dollar maximum, the employer should pay that
			 portion of the bill that will bring the payment to the fifteen thousand dollar
			 maximum and inform the provider to bill the bureau for the remainder of the
			 bill. The employer should then notify the bureau that the first fifteen
			 thousand dollars has been paid, and provide proof of such payment and copies of
			 all bills paid, in the proper billing format, to the bureau. The bureau will
			 then be responsible for processing all future bills. (3) The employer cannot
			 elect to pay only certain bills for a claim and submit other bills in that
			 claim to the bureau for payment. (4) Once an employer has
			 elected to pay bills in medical-only claims under this program, the employer
			 must pay all bills under this program within thirty days of receipt of the
			 bill. The employer shall provide copies of the bills paid in the claim, in the
			 proper billing format, to the bureau and the injured worker or the injured
			 worker's representative upon request. Upon written request from the
			 bureau, the employer shall provide documentation to the bureau of all
			 medical-only bills that they are paying directly. Such requests from the bureau
			 may not be made more frequently than on a semiannual basis. Failure to provide
			 such documentation to the bureau within thirty days of receipt of the request
			 may result in the employer's forfeiture of participation in the program
			 for such injury. (E) An employer electing this program
		  must keep a record of the injury to include: name, address, and social security
		  number of the injured worker; date and time of injury; type of injury; part of
		  body injured; and a brief description of the accident. The employer also shall
		  keep a copy of all bills with proof and date of payment under this program.
		  This information will be made available to the bureau and the injured worker or
		  their representative upon request. The information must be kept on file for
		  five years from the last date a bill has been paid by the employer or the
		  information has been received by the bureau. (1) An employer in the
			 program must notify the bureau within fourteen days of a claim being filed of
			 the employer's intention not to cover the first fifteen thousand dollars
			 of the medical costs of the claim.  (2) The bureau will
			 process all related bills in a filed medical-only claim in the normal manner
			 unless the employer has previously notified the bureau that it has elected to
			 participate in the fifteen thousand dollar program. (3) In those cases in
			 which the bureau has been properly notified by the employer of the
			 employer's intention to directly pay the bills, the bureau shall not pay
			 any bills submitted to the bureau directly from the provider but will notify
			 the provider that the bill should be submitted to the employer until the
			 provider is notified by the employer that the bureau is responsible for the
			 bills in the claim. No interest shall be paid by the bureau on account of bills
			 not paid within thirty days if such bills are the responsibility of the
			 employer. (4) All bills submitted
			 to the bureau or the employer for payment must be in the proper billing format
			 and must be received by the bureau or the employer within one year of the date
			 of service on the bill. (F) An employer electing this program has
		  the responsibility to notify the injured worker and medical provider, in
		  writing, of the acknowledgment of the alleged medical-only injury, that it has
		  elected under section 4123.29 of the Revised Code to pay the first fifteen
		  thousand dollars, that all bills should be submitted to the employer, and that
		  the injured worker and the bureau should not be billed. (1) Once an employer in
			 this program pays a bill on a work-related injury the bureau will not reimburse
			 that employer. (2) In the event that a
			 duplicate payment is made, the employer may request reimbursement of such bills
			 from the provider, and the provider shall reimburse the employer where the
			 bureau has paid the bill. (3) In the event that a
			 medical-only claim changes to a lost time claim, the bureau will not reimburse
			 the employer for bills that have been paid by the employer under this
			 program. (G) The employer shall pay all bills as
		  billed or agree upon an appropriate reimbursement level with the provider for
		  claims with a date of injury prior to June 30, 2009. Providers must accept the
		  bureau fee schedule as payment in full for claims with a date of injury on or
		  after June 30, 2009. A certified health care provider shall extend to an
		  employer who participates in this program the same rates for services rendered
		  to an employee of that employer as the provider bills the administrator of
		  workers' compensation for the same type of medical claim processed by the
		  bureau and shall not charge, assess, or otherwise attempt to collect from an
		  employee any amount for covered services or supplies that is in excess of that
		  rate. Providers may only balance bill the bureau on the occasion of a bill that
		  would require an employer to exceed the fifteen thousand dollar maximum. The
		  bureau will not mediate fee disputes between the employer and the provider. If
		  an employer elects to enter the program and the employer fails to pay a bill
		  for a medical-only claim included in the program, the employer shall be liable
		  for that bill and the employee for whom the employer failed to pay the bill
		  shall not be liable for that bill. (H) Payments made by the employer in this
		  program will not be charged to that employer's experience modification;
		  however, if a claim has been filed with the bureau and bills paid by the
		  bureau, these payments will be included in the employer's experience
		  modification. The bureau will not adjust the employer's experience
		  modification to remove such payments unless the employer has complied with this
		  rule and the bureau has made such payments in contravention of this rule.
		  Failure by an employer to make timely payments on all bills will not affect the
		  coverage of that employer and will not obligate the bureau to pay interest to
		  the medical provider; however, the bureau may exclude employers who do not make
		  timely payment on all bills in this program from participation in this program.
		  An employer may appeal a decision of the bureau excluding the employer from
		  this program to the adjudicating committee under rule 4123-14-06 of the
		  Administrative Code. (I) An employer who elects to participate
		  in this program may cancel its participation in the program at any time by
		  notifying the bureau. The bureau will process all related bills in all
		  medical-only claims against that employer's account after the date of the
		  notification. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:38 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-60 | Annuity factors.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2021 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator of workers' compensation, with
		the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board of
		directors, has authority to approve contributions made to the state insurance
		fund by employers pursuant to sections 4121.121, 4123.29, and 4123.34 of the
		Revised Code. The administrator hereby establishes annuity factors for use in
		establishing claims reserves and premium rates as indicated in appendixes A, B,
		C, D, and E to this rule. The basis and interest factor of each annuity factor
		table is indicated on the appendix. 
			
			
			
				View AppendixView AppendixView AppendixView AppendixView Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated October 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-61 | Criteria for group experience rating.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The administrator of workers'
		  compensation shall offer a plan that groups employers for rating purposes.
		  Individual employers shall retain their separate risk identity but shall be
		  pooled and grouped for experience rating purposes only. (B) In establishing a group for group
		  experience rating purposes, the sponsoring group organization or individual
		  employers in the group must satisfy all of the following requirements and must
		  meet all the sponsorship rules as provided in rule 4123-17-61.1 of the
		  Administrative Code: (1) All of the individual
			 employers within the group must be governing members of the sponsoring
			 organization or the affiliate organization. (2) An individual
			 employer must have a policy in good standing with the bureau of workers'
			 compensation. "Policy in good standing" means the individual employer
			 is current on all payments due to the bureau and is in compliance with bureau
			 laws, rules, and regulations at the time of enrollment or
			 reenrollment. (3) The employers' business in the
			 organization must be substantially similar such that the employers which are
			 grouped are substantially homogeneous. A group shall be considered
			 substantially homogeneous if the main operating classification codes of the
			 employers as determined by the premium obligations for the rating year
			 beginning two years prior to the coverage period are assigned to the same or
			 similar industry groups, as determined by appendix A to rule 4123-17-05 of the
			 Administrative Code. Industry groups seven and nine as well as eight and nine,
			 and industry groups two and four as well as four and six, are considered
			 similar. (a) The bureau may allow an individual employer to move to a more
				homogeneous group, after September thirtieth for private employer groups and
				March thirty-first for public employer taxing district groups but before the
				first day of the policy year, if the individual employer: (i) Is without a full year of recorded premium; (ii) Is reclassified as a result of an audit; or (iii) Fully or partially combines with another
				  employer. (b) An individual employer member of a continuing group who
				initially satisfied the homogeneous requirement shall not be disqualified from
				participation in the continuing group for failure to continue to satisfy such
				requirement. (4) The group of employers must consist
			 of at least one hundred individual members or a group where the aggregate
			 workers' compensation premiums of the members are, as determined by the
			 administrator, expected to exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars during the
			 policy year for which the application for group rating is made. (5) As of the deadline for application
			 for group experience rating set forth in appendix A and in appendix B to rule
			 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code, each individual employer seeking to
			 enroll in a group for workers' compensation coverage must meet the
			 following requirements: (a) The individual employer must be current with respect to all
				payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14
				of the Administrative Code; (b) The individual employer must be current on the payment
				schedule of any part-pay agreement into which it has entered for payment of
				premiums or assessment obligations;  (c)  The individual employer cannot have cumulative lapses in
				workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the prior
				twelve months; and (d) The individual employer must 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. (6) New employers
			 electing to apply for group experience rating program. (a) The following definitions apply to this
				rule, (i) "New
				  employer" means an employer creating one or more jobs in the state of Ohio
				  for which any of the following is true: (a) The employer is a new
					 business entity made amenable to Ohio workers' compensation laws by such
					 job creation; or (b) The employer is an
					 out of state employer that has not had prior operations in Ohio and has not had
					 prior workers' compensation insurance coverage in Ohio.  (ii) "Initial rating
				  year" means the rating year including the date on which the new
				  employer's Ohio workers' compensation coverage becomes effective.
				   (b) If a new employer elects to apply for the group
				experience rating program under this rule, the administrator shall waive the
				application deadlines set forth in appendix A and appendix B to rule 4123-17-74
				of the Administrative Code and allow the new employer to apply for the group
				experience rating program.  (i) To apply for the
				  group experience rating program, the new employer must file an AC-26 form for
				  the group with the sponsoring organization. (ii) Upon receipt of an
				  AC-26 form from a new employer, a sponsoring organization shall: (a) Not permit a new
					 employer to participate in a group unless the new employer meets homogeneity
					 requirements set forth in paragraph (B)(3) of this rule:  (b) Notify the bureau of
					 the addition of a new employer to the group within thirty days of the date the
					 bureau assigns a policy number to the new employer; and  (c) Electronically submit
					 to the bureau a new employer's AC-26 form with a statement identifying the
					 group in which a new employer is being placed for the new employer's
					 initial rating year.  (iii) For new employers
				  electing to participate in the group experience rating program between the
				  twenty-ninth day before the applicable group experience rating deadline. as set
				  forth in appendix A and appendix B of rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
				  Code. and the last day of the initial rating year. inclusive. the sponsoring
				  organization shall, within thirty days of the date the bureau assigns a policy
				  number to the new employer, and in addition to the requirements of paragraph
				  (B)(6)(b)(ii) of this rule, submit to the bureau a statement identifying the
				  group in which the new employer is being placed for the rating year immediately
				  following the new employer's initial rating year.  (c) The new employer's participation in the group
				experience rating program in rating years subsequent to the initial rating year
				for which the new employer was admitted to a group pursuant to the
				administrator's waiver in paragraph (B)(6)(b) of this rule is subject to
				all requirements for participation in the group experience rating program set
				forth in rules 4123-17-61 through 4123-17-68 of the Administrative Code.
				 (7)  Cancellations, transfers, and
			 combinations. (a) An individual employer whose coverage status becomes
				cancelled or combined during the rating year may not continue to participate in
				group experience rating. The effective date of the removal from the group
				experience rating program shall be on the first day of the next policy year,
				unless the date of cancellation or combination is determined to be the first
				day of the policy year, in which case the individual employer shall be removed
				from group as of the actual date of cancellation or combination. An individual
				employer who becomes active and obtains coverage after the group experience
				rating application deadline may not participate in group experience rating for
				that year except as defined in rule 4123-17-66 of the Administrative
				Code. (b) An individual employer that obtains initial coverage after
				the group experience rating application deadline as set forth in appendix A and
				in appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code and for which a
				transfer of experience is indicated under rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative
				Code may not participate in group experience rating for that year except as
				defined in rule 4123-17-66 of the Administrative Code. (8) Payroll reporting and premium
			 reconciliation. An individual employer must 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 date set
			 forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. An individual employer
			 will be deemed to have met this requirement if the bureau receives the payroll
			 report and the employer pays premium associated with the payroll report before
			 the expiration of any grace period established by the administrator pursuant to
			 paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code. (a) An individual employer removed from group experience rating
				for failure to meet these criteria will be rerated for the full policy year at
				the individual employer's base-rate or experience-modified rate as
				determined by their expected losses for the policy year. (b) The group shall retain, for the policy year, the experience
				of any employer removed from group experience rating for failure to meet these
				criteria. (C) In providing employer group plans
		  under section 4123.29 of the Revised Code, the bureau shall consider an
		  employer group as a single employing entity for purposes of group experience
		  rating. No employer may be a member of more than one group for the purpose of
		  obtaining workers' compensation coverage. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:38 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-61.1 | Sponsorship certification requirements.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The following certification requirements shall apply to all sponsoring organizations that seek to make application for either the group rating plan, as provided for in rule 4123-17-61 of the Administrative Code, or the group retrospective rating plan as provided in rule 4123-17-73 of the Administrative Code, known collectively as group programs. (B) The sponsoring organization must have been in existence for at least two years prior to the last date upon which the group's application for coverage may be filed with the bureau of workers' compensation as provided in rule 4123-17-62 of the Administrative Code. (C) The organization must be formed for a purpose other than that of obtaining group workers' compensation coverage.  The bureau shall require the organization to demonstrate this through submission of required evidence and documentation.  As long as all of the other criteria of this rule are satisfied, a parent corporation may be a sponsoring organization and, if it qualifies under the criteria of this rule, a member of a group of its subsidiary corporations for purposes of group programs.  A sponsoring organization may sponsor more than one group. (D) The formation and operation of a group program in the organization must substantially improve accident prevention and claims handling for the employers in the group.  The bureau shall require the group to document its plan or program for these purposes, and, for groups reapplying annually for group coverage, the results of prior programs. Following the conclusion of each policy year, the bureau will report annually on the aggregate performance of all groups. (E) A sponsoring organization shall satisfy all of the requirements for a sponsoring organization as required under section 4123.29 of the Revised Code and in this rule.  A sponsoring organization shall submit to the bureau information to demonstrate that the organization meets the requirements for sponsorship.  The bureau shall review the information and shall register the sponsoring organization if it meets the requirements.  A sponsoring organization shall be registered and be certified by the bureau prior to marketing to or soliciting employers for membership in a group under the group programs. (1) .Once the bureau certifies a sponsoring organization, the sponsoring organization shall be permitted to sponsor a group retrospective rating program under rule 4123-17-73 of the Administrative Code, as well as groups in the current group experience rating program under this rule beginning the next rating year.  The bureau shall review the certification of a sponsoring organization at least once every three years or on a more frequent basis as determined by the bureau. (2) A sponsoring organization that seeks to be certified by the bureau shall provide to the bureau the following: (a) The sponsoring organization's workers' compensation policy number and proof of active workers' compensation coverage; (b) The name of the sponsoring organization's third party administrator, if applicable; (c) A copy of the sponsoring organization's marketing materials (web site, brochures, etc.), including a description of the services related to group rating as well as other services provided by the sponsor; (d) A list of all sponsoring organizations affiliated with the sponsoring organization. For the purpose of this rule, an "affiliated" organization is an organization in which members are brokered, borrowed, shared, or co-opted for inclusion in the certified sponsoring organization's group.  All affiliated organizations are required to be certified sponsors as provided in this rule. (e) A copy of the sponsoring organization's articles of incorporation; (f) A copy of the sponsoring organization's mission statement; (g) A completed application form, signed by the sponsor, which includes disclosure of nine-hundred-ninety filings with the Internal Revenue Service and counts of all members (both group and non-group); (h) A copy of the sponsor's safety plan. (i) With reasonable notice, the bureau may request that a sponsor provide for the bureau's inspection at the sponsor's designated location any of the following: additional financial information, dues structure, revenue sources, a table of organization, a comprehensive membership roster, by-laws, and/or a list of corporate officers. (F) The sponsoring organization shall provide to the bureau a signed statement certifying the accuracy of the information provided to the bureau.  A sponsoring organization's failure to provide accurate information or submission of false information may be grounds for the bureau to refuse to certify the sponsoring organization or to decertify the sponsoring organization.  The bureau reserves the authority to use all the listed information above and any other information available to make the certification approval. (G) Should the bureau deny the certification of the sponsoring organization, the applicant may appeal to the bureau adjudicating committee.  After exhausting all administrative appeals and correction of sponsorship requirement deficiencies, the applicant may reapply one year after the latest certification denial. (H) The bureau will collect this information and retain it or ask that a sponsoring organization maintain the information for bureau inspection upon request. (I) The sponsoring organization shall be in compliance with all bureau rules.  A sponsoring organization's non-compliance may result in decertification. (J) The sponsoring organization, or their authorized representative, shall have the capability to send and receive secure electronic (FTP - file transfer protocol) files. (K) Group marketing. (1) A sponsoring association, affiliate, or representative, including, but not limited to, a third-party administrator, broker, or marketer may not  offer a discount to  either a private or public employer  either  seeking to participate in a group-experience rating plan or that exceeds the combined result of the lowest experience modifier and its associated break-even factor for the future policy year until those factors are approved by the bureau's board of directors. Those parties also may not provide marketing material that is either false or unattainable relating to the process of forming groups under the group-retrospective rating plan for a future policy year. Prohibited marketing material under this rule is any communication that: (a) Instructs prospective participants to provide false information on forms used for purposes of group formation, including the AC-3, the AC-26, and the U-153. (b) Claims the sponsoring association, affiliate, or representative is endorsed by the bureau or the state of Ohio. (c) Offers or estimates specific discounts or refunds that are unattainable to prospective participants in either group-experience rating or group-retrospective rating. (i) For group-experience rating, "unattainable" is defined as exceeding the maximum discount  when combining the lowest experience modifier and its associated break-even factors as approved by the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors. (ii) For group-retrospective rating, "unattainable" is defined as quoting a specific refund amount that exceeds the maximum possible refund when considering the basic premium factor for the maximum premium ratio selected as approved by the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors. (2) The bureau may apply the following sanctions upon its determination of a violation of this rule: (a) For a violation of paragraph (K)(1)(c) of this rule the bureau may place that group sponsor at capacity for the an upcoming policy year. (i) For sponsors that filed group rosters with the bureau for the policy year, "capacity" is defined as prohibiting a sponsoring association from exceeding the total number of employers in their current or most recent groups, adding new employers for groups they may form in  the policy year of the sanction, and affiliating with any other group sponsors for the policy year of the sanction. (ii) For sponsors that have not filed group rosters with the bureau for the  current policy year, "capacity" means they will not be able to form groups and cannot affiliate with other group sponsors for the upcoming policy year. (b) For a violation of paragraph (K)(1)(a) or (K)(1)(b) of this rule, along with any action that results in knowingly falsifying information on forms submitted to the bureau, the bureau shall immediately revoke the sponsor's certification for the upcoming policy year. (3) The bureau will provide the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors a report by no later than the April board meeting each year regarding sanctions rendered under this paragraph and corrective actions taken by the bureau with respect to this rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated June 7, 2024 at 1:35 PM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-62 | Application for group experience rating.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Sponsoring organization
		  requirements. (1) A sponsoring
			 organization shall make annual application for group experience rating by
			 submitting an employer roster for group rating plan (AC-25) for each group it
			 sponsors. Each AC-25 shall: (a) Be signed each year by an officer of the sponsoring
				organization to which the members of the group belong; (b) Identify each individual employer to be included in the group
				policy year for which the group application is made; and (c) Identify whether, in the previous policy year, each employer
				was: (i) Enrolled in the same
				  group, (ii) Not enrolled in the
				  same group, but enrolled in a different group sponsored by the sponsoring
				  organization, or (iii) Not enrolled in the
				  same group, and not enrolled in a different group sponsored by the sponsoring
				  organization. (2) In the manner
			 specified by the bureau of workers' compensation, the sponsoring
			 organization shall annually identify all employers that were enrolled in the
			 group in the previous policy year but are not enrolled in the group for the
			 policy year for which the current application is made and specify whether the
			 employer is enrolled in another group of the same sponsoring
			 organization. (3) The bureau may
			 request from individual employers or the sponsoring organization any additional
			 information necessary for the bureau to rule upon the application for group
			 experience rating. Failure or refusal of the sponsoring organization to provide
			 the requested information in the manner requested by the bureau shall be
			 sufficient grounds for the bureau to reject the application and refuse the
			 group's participation in group experience rating. (4) A sponsoring
			 organization's application for group experience rating is effective for a
			 single policy year. Continuation of a group for subsequent years requires
			 timely filing of an application on a yearly basis and meeting eligibility
			 requirements set forth in rule 4123-17-61 of the Administrative
			 Code. (B) Employer requirements. An employer electing to participate in group
		  experience rating must file an application for group rating (AC-26) with the
		  sponsoring organization of the group in which the employer seeks to
		  participate. If the sponsoring organization elects to include the employer in
		  its group, the sponsoring organization must file the AC-26 form electronically
		  with the bureau by the group experience rating application deadline set forth
		  in the appendices to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code. (1) An employer's
			 AC-26 shall remain in effect for all subsequent policy years when the employer
			 remains in the same group or another group sponsored by the same sponsoring
			 organization. (2) The employer must
			 file an AC-26 if the employer applies for group experience rating with a
			 different sponsoring organization or was not group-experience rated in the
			 previous rating year. (3) When an employer files a new AC-26 or
			 multiple AC-26 forms during the application period, the latest-filed AC-26
			 shall establish the employer's intentions for group experience rating. The
			 employer's AC-26 shall remain effective until any of the following
			 occurs: (a) The employer timely files a subsequent AC-26 indicating the
				desire to participate in a group with a different sponsor for the upcoming
				policy year; (b) The sponsoring organization for the group does not include
				the employer on the group roster (AC-25); (c) The group does not reapply for group experience rating or is
				rejected for failure to meet group eligibility requirements; or (d) The employer fails to meet individual eligibility
				requirements set forth in paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-61 of the
				Administrative Code. (C) For private employers, the sponsoring
		  organization shall file applications on or before the date identified in
		  appendix A to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code. For public employers,
		  the sponsoring organization shall file applications on or before the date
		  identified in appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
		  Code. (1) Except as provided in
			 paragraph (B)(6) of rule 4123-17-61 of the Administrative Code, the sponsoring
			 organization may not add an employer to a group after the application deadline.
			 The sponsoring organization will be permitted to correct a clerical error that
			 results in an employer being omitted from a group roster if: (a) The sponsoring organization has made an error in reporting
				the name or policy number of the employer on the sponsoring organization's
				AC-25; or (b) The sponsoring organization included the employer on the
				sponsoring organization's AC-25 but failed to file the employer's
				AC-26 with the bureau prior to the application deadline. The sponsoring
				organization must provide sufficient documentation, as determined by the
				bureau, that the employer timely filed its AC-26 with the sponsoring
				organization. (2) A sponsoring
			 organization that has applied for group experience rating may not voluntarily
			 terminate the application during the bureau's evaluation
			 period. (3) Any changes to the
			 sponsoring organization's original application must be filed in a manner
			 prescribed by the bureau prior to the application deadline. Any rescissions
			 made must be completed in writing and signed by an officer of the sponsoring
			 organization to which the members of the group belong. Any changes received by
			 the bureau after the application deadline will not be honored. The latest
			 application form or rescission received by the bureau prior to the application
			 deadline will be used to determine the premium obligation for the
			 group. (D) A sponsoring organization shall notify an employer that is
		  participating in a group of that sponsoring organization if the employer will
		  not be included in a group by that sponsoring organization for the next rating
		  year. (1) For private employer
			 groups, the sponsoring organization shall notify the employer in writing prior
			 to the last business day of October of the year of the group application
			 deadline set forth in appendix A to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
			 Code. (2) For public employer
			 taxing district groups, the sponsoring organization shall notify the employer
			 in writing prior to the last business day of April of the year of the group
			 application deadline set forth in appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the
			 Administrative Code. (3) If an employer
			 notifies the bureau that a sponsoring organization has not complied with this
			 paragraph, and the sponsoring organization fails to prove that the notice was
			 provided in a timely manner, the bureau will, without the approval of the
			 sponsoring organization, allow the employer to remain in the group for the
			 rating year for which the notice was required. If that group no longer exists
			 the bureau will, without the approval of the sponsoring organization, place the
			 employer in a homogeneous group with the same sponsoring organization or take
			 other appropriate action. (E) When the bureau determines that individual employers in a
		  proposed group do not meet the eligibility requirements set forth in rule
		  4123-17-61 of the Administrative Code, the bureau will notify the individual
		  employers and the sponsoring organization of its determination. The sponsoring
		  organization may continue in its application for group coverage without the
		  disqualified employers, but the group must meet minimum requirements of rule
		  4123-17-61 of the Administrative Code. (F) A sponsoring organization may request that an employer be
		  removed from its group for a gross misrepresentation made on the
		  employer's application to the group. (1) "Gross
			 misrepresentation" is an act by the employer that would cause financial
			 harm to the other members of the group, and is limited to any of the
			 following: (a) The sponsoring organization discovers that the employer
				applicant for group experience rating has recently merged with one or more
				entities without disclosing such merger on the employer's application for
				membership in the group, and such merger adversely affects the experience
				modification (EM), as defined in rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code, of
				the group. (b) The sponsoring organization discovers that the employer
				applicant for group experience rating has failed to disclose the true nature of
				the employer's business pursuit on its application for membership in the
				group, and this failure adversely affects the EM of the group. (2) Requests for removal
			 of an employer pursuant to this paragraph must be submitted within thirty days
			 of the bureau's notification to the sponsoring organization that a rate
			 adjustment has occurred. The sponsoring organization must notify the employer
			 of its request to remove the employer from the group for gross
			 misrepresentation. (3) The sponsoring
			 organization must provide sufficient documentation, as determined by the
			 bureau, to support its request to remove an employer from a group. (4) The employer shall be
			 removed from the group only with the bureau's approval. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
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							Rule 4123-17-63 | Eligibility for group experience rating-size criteria.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) To be eligible for group experience
		  rating, the group taken as a whole must include at least one hundred employers,
		  each employer being identified as a separate employer for state fund
		  identification purposes, or the group taken as a whole must be of sufficient
		  size that the premiums of the members, as determined by the administrator of
		  workers' compensation, are expected to exceed one hundred fifty thousand
		  dollars during the coverage period, except as provided by paragraph (C) of this
		  rule. The administrator may determine the aggregate premium of the members
		  based upon the historical premium experience of the members, projected payroll,
		  and anticipated premium rates. The evaluation period for determining aggregate
		  premium shall be the rating year beginning two years prior to the coverage
		  period. (B) For a group of less than one hundred
		  members, the premium requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if the
		  aggregate premium to the state insurance fund for the members of the group for
		  the rating year beginning two years prior to the coverage period exceeded one
		  hundred fifty thousand dollars, except as provided by paragraph (C) of this
		  rule. Failure to reach one hundred fifty thousand dollars in premium during the
		  coverage period shall not negate the group coverage. (C) The bureau of workers'
		  compensation shall calculate the premium based upon the actual experience
		  modified premium of the member employers during the evaluation period,
		  including any modification due to group rating. The administrator may waive the
		  requirement that premiums exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars during the
		  coverage period for a continuing group of substantially similar membership if
		  the sole reason that the premium fails to exceed one hundred and fifty thousand
		  dollars is due to the premium modification discounts earned by the group as a
		  direct result of safety operations of the group rating program, and not due to
		  other factors, such as a departure of members from the group or a reduction in
		  payroll for members of the group. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
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							Rule 4123-17-64 | Group experience rate calculations.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) A group meeting all the requirements
		  for group rating shall be considered as a single employing entity for purposes
		  of group experience rating. The eligibility of data for use in the group shall
		  be the same as the eligibility of data for use in the individual
		  employer's rate calculation. Credibility limits and all factors based upon
		  credibility will apply at the group level. For catastrophe claims, the
		  definition of a catastrophe under paragraph (A) of rule 4123-17-12 of the
		  Administrative Code must be satisfied by an individual employer in the group to
		  be eligible for catastrophe claim cost relief, although more than one
		  individual employer in the group may qualify for catastrophe relief from the
		  same catastrophe occurrence. Disability relief charges to surplus shall be
		  applied at the group level. (B) All operations or classification
		  codes of an employer electing group rating are subject to group experience
		  rating. (C) Except with respect to mergers or
		  transfers of the operations of a business, an employer's experience may be
		  combined once during a policy year to create an experience modification for
		  multiple employers grouped together for experience rating
		  purposes. (D) Employers participating in a group
		  rating plan may implement the drug-free safety program. (E) An employer that is in a cancelled
		  coverage status, for at least one full rating year as of the date that the
		  experience modification of a group of which it had been a member is
		  recalculated, will not be liable for any obligation, nor will such employer
		  receive the benefit of any credit, associated with the
		  recalculation. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated April 2, 2024 at 9:08 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-64.2 | Public employer taxing district group rating break even factor.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				January 1, 2021 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				The administrator will apply an adjustment factor
		to all public empoyer taxing district group rated employer experience modifiers
		(EM) as indicated in appendix A to this rule. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated February 3, 2025 at 6:28 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-65 | Experience retention for group experience rate calculation purposes.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				If an individual employer is a member of a group
		for group experience rating and leaves the group, the experience of that
		individual employer shall be used in experience-rating calculations for the
		group to impact only the rating years that the employer was a member of the
		group. The individual employer leaving the group retains its own experience
		rating incurred while a member of the group for the balance of the standard
		experience period. The group shall not be liable for claims experience incurred
		by an individual employer for claims occurring after the employer has left the
		group. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:40 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-66 | Termination and transfers for group experience rating.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				This rule on termination and transfer of group
		experience rating shall apply at the group level after the bureau of
		workers' compensation applies the applicable individual rules on transfer
		of experience. (A) A group formed for the purpose of
		  group experience rating may not retroactively include experience in a plan,
		  exclude experience from a plan, or voluntarily terminate a plan during the
		  policy year. A change in the name of the group will not constitute a new group.
		  A change of the organization sponsoring a group or moving a group to a new
		  sponsoring organization shall constitute a new group and the members of the new
		  group must meet the homogeneity requirement of paragraph (B)(3) of rule
		  4123-17-61 of the Administrative Code. A group will be considered a continuing
		  group if more than fifty per cent of the members of the group in the previous
		  rating year are members of the group in the current rating year. (B) Successor: Files petition for
		  bankruptcy Predecessor: No predecessor An individual employer which is a member of a
		  group for the purpose of experience rating and which becomes a
		  debtor-in-possession during the policy year shall remain a member of the group
		  for the entire policy year. (C) Successor: Entity not having
		  coverage Predecessor: Group rated with employees and
		  reported payroll Where one legal entity not having coverage in the
		  most recent experience period wholly or partially succeeds another legal entity
		  in the operation of a business, and the predecessor entity was a member of a
		  group for experience rating, the successor shall be considered a member of the
		  group, and the successor entity's rate shall be based on the group's
		  experience, as long as the successor employer is homogeneous to the group. For
		  a partial transfer, the effective date of the group experience transfer shall
		  be on the first day of the next payroll reporting period (January first or July
		  first). (D) Successor: Group rated Predecessor: Experience rated (either
		  individually or in a different group), or non-group base rated Where a legal entity having established coverage
		  is a member of a group for experience rating and wholly succeeds another legal
		  entity, the successor entity shall remain a member of the group for experience
		  rating, and the experience of the predecessor shall be included with the
		  experience of the group for the purpose of experience rating. (E) Successor: Non-group
		  rated Predecessor: Group rated Where a legal entity having established coverage
		  is a member of a group for the purpose of experience rating and is wholly
		  succeeded by another legal entity which is not a member of the group, the
		  successor entity shall not become a member of the group. (F) Successor: Group rated Predecessor: Group rated Where a legal entity which is a member of group
		  for the purpose of experience rating wholly succeeds another legal entity which
		  is also a member of the same group for the purpose of experience rating, the
		  successor entity shall remain a member of the group for the purpose of
		  experience rating. (G) Successor: Group rated Predecessor: Self-insured When an individual employer which has returned to
		  the state insurance fund from self-insured status and has used the self-insured
		  experience in calculating the experience rate becomes a member of a group for
		  the purpose of experience rating, the self-insured experience shall be included
		  in the experience of the group for experience rating purposes. Upon returning
		  to the state insurance fund the employer shall provide the bureau with a
		  payroll, a list of all claims incurred while the employer was self-insured, all
		  payments made with respect to those claims, and any additional information
		  required by the bureau to calculate the employer's experience. (H) Successor Group rated Predecessor: Non-group rated Where a legal entity succeeds in the operation of
		  a portion of a business of another legal entity and the successor entity is a
		  member of a group for experience rating, the successor entity shall remain a
		  member of the group for experience rating, and the experience of the
		  predecessor shall be included with the experience of the group for the purpose
		  of experience rating. The effective date of the group experience transfer shall
		  be on the first day of the next payroll reporting period (January first or July
		  first). (I) Successor: Non-group
		  rated Predecessor: Group rated Where a legal entity having established coverage
		  succeeds in the operation of a portion of a business of another legal entity,
		  and the successor entity is not a member of a group and the predecessor is a
		  member of a group for experience rating, the successor entity will not become a
		  member of the group for experience rating, and the predecessor will remain a
		  member of the group. (J) Successor: entity not having
		  coverage Predecessor: Group rated with no employees and no
		  reported payroll Where one legal entity not having coverage in the
		  most recent experience period wholly or partially succeeds another legal entity
		  in the operation of a business, and the predecessor entity was a member of a
		  group for experience rating, the successor entity shall not become a member of
		  the group unless and until the entity applies for membership in the group in
		  the next experience period. (K) When any combination or transfer of
		  experience is indicated, the effective date of such combination or transfer
		  shall be the beginning date of the next following payroll reporting period. In
		  cases where an entity not having coverage wholly succeeds another entity, the
		  effective date shall be the actual date of succession. (L) An individual employer which is a
		  member of a group for the purpose of experience rating may not participate in a
		  retrospective rating plan during the policy year in which the employer is a
		  member of the group. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:40 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-67 | Representation for group experience rating.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) A group that has been established and
		  has been accepted by the bureau of workers' compensation for the purpose
		  of group experience rate calculation shall have no more than one permanent
		  authorized representative for representation of the group and the individual
		  employers of the group before the bureau and the industrial commission in any
		  and all employer-related matters pertaining to participation in the state
		  insurance fund. (B) The selection of an authorized group
		  representative must be made by submission of a completed form AC-24, and any
		  change or termination of the authorized group representative can be made only
		  by a subsequent submission of form AC-24. Only an officer of the group may sign
		  an AC-24. (C) Notwithstanding the provisions of
		  paragraph (A) of this rule, an individual employer in a group may retain the
		  services of an attorney or other authorized representative for claims-related
		  matters, such as representation at claims hearings before the bureau and the
		  industrial commission, through submission of the appropriate authorization for
		  representation in such individual claim files. The bureau will recognize only
		  one authorized representative for notice and appeal purposes. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:40 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-68 | Group experience and group retrospective safety program requirements.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The purpose of this rule is to establish minimum safety requirements for group experience and group retrospective rating as provided by section 4123.29 of the Revised Code. (B) The bureau safety and hygiene division, upon the request of the sponsoring organization, shall provide assistance with implementing all of the provisions of this rule. (C) The primary or affiliated sponsoring organization of a group experience or group retrospective plan shall document its program to improve accident prevention and claims handling for the members in the group with the group application, and, for an existing group reapplying for group coverage annually, shall document the effectiveness of prior programs and any proposed improvements to these programs. This analysis shall include identification of the most common injuries among group members and strategies aimed at increasing awareness and prevention of these injuries. (1)  A bureau division of safety and hygiene loss prevention representative shall review the sponsor's safety requirements annual report within sixty days of receipt. The safety and hygiene representative shall contact the primary or affiliated group sponsor or its authorized representative to assist in further developing appropriate safety strategies if there are deficiencies in the report. All primary and affiliated sponsoring organizations shall be required to sponsor a minimum of eight hours of safety training during the rating year for members of their group. Training shall be hosted by the sponsor or the sponsor's third party administrator. Training should be designed in increments of at least two hours. Training should be industry specific where possible. Webinars and online training hosted by the sponsor will qualify to fulfill this requirement. The sponsor must document the number of employers in attendance at safety training with a goal of at least fifty per cent membership attendance. If the same agenda is offered repeatedly in different regional sites, hour to hour credit will be granted. A bureau representative may attend training to ensure the requirement is being met. (2) If an employer that participates in group rating or group retrospective rating plan sustains a claim within the  "green period," the employer shall complete either of the following: (a) The bureau's online accident analysis form and the bureau's associated online safety class, or (b) Two hours of safety training approved by the bureau. Such training can be offered by the sponsoring organization, the sponsoring organization's third party administrator, or the bureau. The sponsor will notify members of this requirement and maintain recordkeeping to track completion of this requirement. The sponsor will submit to the bureau a list of members completing the training required by this rule. The bureau shall reserve the right to request additional information from the sponsor to ensure compliance. (3) The bureau safety and hygiene division shall make a recommendation to the bureau employer programs unit on whether the group's safety requirements annual report is acceptable for the following policy year. A copy of the recommendations and findings of the safety and hygiene division shall be communicated to the sponsoring organization or its authorized representative at the same time. The employer programs unit shall consider this recommendation in making its decision whether to approve the group rating application and at the time of sponsor recertification. (4) The bureau safety and hygiene division shall evaluate the sponsor's safety requirements annual report at the sponsoring organization level and not at the individual member level. The bureau safety and hygiene safety representative may conduct member visits to confirm the sponsoring organization requirements are met. (5) If the bureau's employer programs unit does not approve a group for group rating based upon the sponsor's safety activities, the sponsoring organization may request a hearing before the adjudicating committee pursuant to rule 4123-14-06 of the Administrative Code. (6) Primary and affiliated sponsoring organizations shall publish in the first quarter of the rating year, for the knowledge of the members in their group, a safety accountability letter outlining the group rating safety requirements and responsibilities of all associated parties. (D) The sponsoring organization shall provide information regarding safety resources to members in their group. Communication and education strategies of the sponsoring organization may include use of the following strategies: web sites, webinars, claims review and analysis, newsletters, seminars, professional consultants, videos, personal contact, brochures, booklets, manuals, identifying key personnel and training in safety management for the sponsoring organization staff and/or its members. The bureau safety and hygiene division representative will be added to all member distribution lists to monitor safety education activity. (E) Linkage of the group-sponsoring organization with the division of safety and hygiene may include the following strategies: (1) The bureau shall link each sponsoring organization with a service representative from safety and hygiene. (2) Safety and hygiene shall assist the group with its development of safety strategies. (3) Safety and hygiene and the sponsoring organization may sponsor joint seminars. (4)  The safety and hygiene representative shall provide a list of resources and expertise within each region upon request. (5) The sponsoring organization shall promote bureau safety and hygiene services to its members. (6) Safety and hygiene may provide training sessions and written safety and health materials. (7)  Bureau safety and hygiene division consultation services may be utilized by member companies for customized safety management assistance. (8) Safety and hygiene and the sponsoring organization may develop joint programs in response to member needs. (F) The division of safety and hygiene shall schedule annual regional training seminars for sponsoring organizations. Each sponsoring organization must send at least one representative to the seminar. Additionally, the division of safety and hygiene shall develop a list of publications and support materials that assist the sponsoring organization in reinforcing the safety guidelines of this rule. 
			
			
			
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-71 | Claim impact reduction program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A)  Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Claim impact
			 reduction program" or "CIRP" means the bureau of workers'
			 compensation's voluntary rate program which offers a private employer or a
			 public employer taxing district employer the opportunity to mitigate the impact
			 of a significant claim that will enter the employer's experience for the
			 first time. (2) "Program
			 eligibility period" means the four policy years in which an employer has a
			 significant claim in its experience period. (3) "Significant claim" means a
			 claim whose total value or maximum claim value, whichever is lower, will be
			 greater than the employer's total limited losses ("TLL") as
			 defined in rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code. Effective July 1, 2020,
			 for private employers whose expected losses fall below the minimum expected
			 loss provided in appendix A to rule 4123-17-05.1 of the Administrative Code, a
			 TLL of three hundred dollars shall be used; for public employer taxing
			 districts whose expected losses fall below the minimum expected loss provided
			 in appendix A to rule 4123-17-33.1 of the Administrative Code, a TLL of five
			 hundred fifty dollars shall be used. (4) "Minor
			 claim" means a medical-only or lost-time claim whose total value or
			 maximum claim value, whichever is lower, will be less than the employer's
			 TLL as defined in rule 4123-17-03 of the Administrative Code, subject to the
			 TLL provisions of a significant claim that became effective July 1,
			 2020. (B) Application and withdrawal
		  processes. (1) An employer's
			 participation in the CIRP is voluntary. The employer shall apply to participate
			 in the CIRP for their initial year of program eligibility by the application
			 deadline set forth in appendix A and appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the
			 Administrative Code. For subsequent years of eligibility, if an employer meets
			 the requirements of paragraph (C) of this rule as of the application deadline
			 set forth in appendix A and appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
			 Code, and the employer has not withdrawn from the CIRP pursuant to paragraph
			 (B)(2) of this rule, the bureau will renew the employer in the CIRP without
			 requiring the employer to file a renewal application. The bureau shall have the
			 final authority to approve an eligible employer for initial and continued
			 participation in the CIRP. (2) An employer may withdraw from the
			 CIRP under this rule at any time. The employer must notify the bureau in
			 writing that the employer no longer desires to participate in the CIRP. An
			 employer that withdraws from the CIRP after receiving a discount will return to
			 its own individual experience rating for that policy year. (3) If the employer withdraws from the
			 CIRP and has any remaining years in the program eligibility period, the
			 employer may reapply for the CIRP under the provisions of paragraph (A) of this
			 rule and designate the same claim as the significant claim. (C) Eligibility
		  requirements. At the time of an employer's initial
		  application for the CIRP, the employer must be enrolled in the group experience
		  rating program. At the time of initial application and each renewal application
		  deadline as set forth in appendix A and appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the
		  Administrative Code, the employer must: (1) Be current with respect to all
			 payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14
			 of the Administrative Code; (2) Be current on the
			 payment schedule of any part-pay agreement into which it has entered for
			 payment of premiums or assessment obligations; (3) Not have cumulative lapses in
			 workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the prior
			 twelve months; (4) Be enrolled in the
			 group experience rating program; and  (5) Have reported actual payroll for the
			 preceding policy year and have paid any premium due upon reconciliation of
			 estimated premium and actual premium for that policy year.  (D) General program
		  requirements. (1) In signing the
			 application form, the chief executive officer or designated management
			 representative of the employer is certifying to the bureau that the employer
			 will comply with all program requirements. (2) An employer may have
			 a maximum of three minor claims at any time in addition to the one significant
			 claim. (a) As a minor claim exits the employer's experience period,
				the employer may include a new minor claim. (b) The total combined costs of these minor claims must be below
				the employer's TLL. (3) An employer may participate in the
			 CIRP on no more than one significant claim within the program eligibility
			 period from the date of the employer's initial participation in the
			 program. (4) Once a claim has been designated as
			 the significant claim in initial enrollment for a program eligibility period,
			 an employer is not permitted to change the claim designated as the significant
			 claim. (5) Settled and subrogated claims will be
			 included in the employer's total claim count. (6)  In the first year of the program
			 eligibility period, the employer shall participate in an industry-specific
			 half-day safety program prescribed by the division of safety and hygiene. In
			 subsequent years of the program eligibility period in which the employer elects
			 to participate in the CIRP, the employer shall complete an online training
			 class prescribed by the division of safety and hygiene. (7) Once admitted into
			 the CIRP, the employer must 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 date set forth in rule
			 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. An employer will be deemed to have met
			 this requirement if the bureau receives the payroll report and the employer
			 pays any premium owed associated with that payroll report before the expiration
			 of any grace period established by the administrator of workers'
			 compensation pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-16 of the Administrative
			 Code. (E) Program benefits. The bureau will credit an employer that meets all
		  the criteria with a discount from the employer's base rate as
		  follows: (1) In the first year of the program eligibility period,
			 twenty per cent; (2) In the second year of the program eligibility period,
			 fifteen per cent; (3) In the third year of the program eligibility period,
			 ten per cent; and (4) In the fourth year of the program eligibility period,
			 five per cent. (F) Removal from program. (1) If the employer fails
			 to meet the requirements of paragraph (C) or paragraph (D) of this rule, the
			 bureau will remove an employer from participation in the CIRP at the beginning
			 of the next policy year and, upon removal, will return the employer to its
			 individual EM. (2) An employer removed
			 from the OCP for failure to comply with paragraph (D)(7) of this rule will be
			 rerated for the full policy year at the employer's base rate or
			 experience-modified rate as determined by the employer's expected losses
			 for the policy year. (G) An employer may appeal the
		  bureau's application rejection or the bureau's participation removal
		  in the CIRP to the bureau's adjudicating committee pursuant to section
		  4123.291 of the Revised Code and rule 4123-14-06 of the Administrative
		  Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 2, 2024 at 11:40 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-72 | Deductible rule.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Coverage
			 period" means the twelve month period beginning July first through June
			 thirtieth for private employers, and January first through December
			 thirty-first for public employers. The deductible selected by the employer will
			 apply only to claims with a date of injury within the coverage period defined
			 in the deductible agreement. (2) "Deductible" means the maximum amount an employer
			 participating in the deductible program must reimburse the bureau for each
			 claim that occurs during the policy year. (a) "Small deductible" means a deductible less than or
				equal to ten thousand dollars. (b) "Large deductible" means a deductible greater than
				ten thousand dollars. (3) "Experience
			 rated premium" means the premium obligations of an employer for the policy
			 year excluding the disabled workers' relief fund ("DWRF")
			 assessment. Experience rated premium may include any experience rated premium
			 related to policy combinations. The premium is subject to the premium sized
			 adjustment described in rule 4123-17-03.3 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4) "Modified
			 rate" means the rate that employers who are experience rated pay as a
			 percentage of their payroll. This rate is calculated by taking the base rate
			 and multiplying it by the employer's experience modification
			 ("EM") factor. (5) "Base rate"
			 means the rate that employers who are not experience rated pay as a percentage
			 of their payroll. (6) "Policy in good
			 standing" means the employer is current on all payments due to the bureau
			 and is in compliance with bureau laws, rules, and regulations at the time of
			 enrollment or reenrollment. (7) "Premium"
			 means money paid and due from an employer for workers' compensation
			 insurance. Premium does not include money paid as fees, fines, penalties or
			 deposits. (8) "Qualified
			 employer" means an employer that has a state insurance fund policy that is
			 in good standing at the time of enrollment or reenrollment. Although the
			 employer may be a qualified employer, the bureau may not accept the employer
			 into the deductible program for other reasons set forth in this
			 rule. (B) Eligibility
		  requirements. (1) An employer shall be
			 eligible to participate in the deductible program only if the employer meets
			 all of the following requirements: (a) As of each continuing eligibility evaluation date, the
				employer holds active workers' compensation coverage as of the original
				application deadline or anniversary date of participation as
				follows: (i) The employer must be
				  current with respect to all payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph
				  (A)(1)(b) of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (ii) The employer must be
				  current on the payment schedule of any part-pay agreement into which it has
				  entered for payment of premiums or assessment obligations. (iii) If the employer
				  selects a small deductible, the employer may not have cumulative lapses in
				  workers' compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the
				  preceding twelve months. (iv) If the employer
				  selects large deductible, the employer may not have cumulative lapses in
				  workers' compensation coverage in excess of fifteen days within the
				  preceding five years. (v) The employer must
				  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 application deadline date set forth in rule 4123-17-74
				  of the Administrative Code.  (b) The employer shall demonstrate the ability to make payments
				under the deductible program based upon a credit score established by the
				bureau on an annual basis which will be applicable to all applicants for the
				program year. The bureau shall obtain the credit reports from an established
				vendor of such information. An employer that is a subsidiary of another
				corporate entity may use the parent corporate entity's credit score in
				meeting this requirement if the parent corporate entity meets financial
				criteria for the deductible program and executes a contract of guaranty with
				respect to the subsidiary's participation in the program. (c) The bureau may require an employer to adopt additional risk
				mitigation measures as a prerequisite for participation in the program. These
				measures may include, but are not limited to, either individually or in
				combination, the following: (i) Adoption of an
				  alternative payment plan; (ii) Providing
				  securitization in the form of a letter of credit or surety bond;
				  or (iii) For employers
				  electing a large deductible, selection of an aggregate stop-loss
				  limit. (2) The following
			 employers shall not be eligible to participate in the deductible
			 program: (a) State agencies; and (b) Self-insuring employers providing compensation and benefits
				pursuant to section 4123.35 of the Revised Code. (C) In selecting an employer deductible
		  program under this rule, the employer must select, on an application provided
		  by the bureau, a per claim deductible amount, which shall be applicable for all
		  claims with dates of injury within a one-year coverage period. The employer
		  shall choose one deductible level from the following: (1)  Five hundred
			 dollars; (2)  One thousand
			 dollars; (3)  Two thousand five
			 hundred dollars; (4)  Five thousand
			 dollars; (5)  Ten thousand
			 dollars; (6) Twenty-five thousand
			 dollars; (7) Fifty thousand
			 dollars; (8) One hundred thousand
			 dollars; or (9) Two hundred thousand
			 dollars. (D) In choosing a small deductible, the
		  employer may not choose a deductible amount that exceeds twenty-five per cent
		  of their experience rated premium obligation during the most recent full policy
		  year. For a new employer policy, the deductible amount shall not exceed
		  twenty-five per cent of the employer's expected premium. In choosing a
		  large deductible, the employer may not choose a deductible amount that exceeds
		  forty per cent of their experience rated premium obligation for the most recent
		  full policy year. For self-insuring employers re-entering the state insurance
		  fund, the bureau will use the paid workers' compensation benefits from the
		  last full policy year in place of experience rated premium. The bureau may
		  estimate a full year's premium should only a partial year be available or
		  if no premium is available in the most recent full policy year.  (E) An employer selecting a large
		  deductible will undergo additional credit analysis and must submit financial
		  information to the bureau during the enrollment period preceding each policy
		  year they elect to participate in the program. (1) An employer choosing
			 a deductible level of twenty-five thousand dollars or fifty thousand dollars
			 must submit reviewed or audited financials for at least the three most recent
			 fiscal years. The financials must be prepared in accordance with generally
			 accepted accounting principles (GAAP). (2) An employer choosing
			 a deductible level of one hundred thousand dollars or two hundred thousand
			 dollars must submit audited financials for at least the three most recent
			 fiscal years. The financials must be prepared in accordance with
			 GAAP. (F) An employer may request an annual
		  aggregate stop-loss limit option in combination with large deductible levels.
		  If the employer requests the aggregate stop-loss limit option, the bureau shall
		  limit the employer's deductible billings for injuries which occur during
		  the associated policy year to three times the deductible level chosen. The
		  bureau may reject the employer's request to participate in the aggregate
		  stop-loss limit option if the bureau determines that, because of the
		  employer's premium or estimated premium size, the employer would receive a
		  credit under this rule that would exceed the employer's maximum aggregate
		  stop-loss liability. (G) The employer shall file the
		  application provided by the bureau and any other documentation required for
		  enrollment in the deductible program by the applicable application deadline set
		  forth in appendix A or appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
		  Code. The bureau shall not permit an employer to enroll
		  in a deductible program outside of the application deadline, except that the
		  bureau will consider an employer establishing a policy in Ohio for the first
		  time for participation where the employer submits its deductible program
		  application to the bureau within thirty days of obtaining coverage. (H) Renewal in the deductible program at
		  the same level for each subsequent year shall be automatic, subject to review
		  by the bureau of the employer's continued eligibility under paragraph (B)
		  of this rule, unless the employer notifies the bureau in writing that the
		  employer does not wish to participate in the program or that the employer wants
		  to change the deductible amount for the next coverage period. The employer
		  shall provide such notice to the bureau within the time and in the manner
		  provided in paragraph (G) of this rule. (I) Except as provided in paragraph (M)
		  of this rule, an employer shall not be permitted to withdraw from the
		  deductible program during the policy year, and no changes shall be made with
		  respect to any deductible amount selected by the employer within the policy
		  year. (J) The bureau shall pay the claims costs
		  under a deductible program and the employer shall reimburse to the bureau the
		  costs under the deductible program as follows: (1) The bureau shall pay
			 all claims costs in accordance with the laws and rules governing payment of
			 workers' compensation benefits. For small deductible levels, the amount to
			 be included in the employer's experience for a policy year shall be any
			 claims costs for injuries incurred in that policy year less any deductible
			 billed to the employer under this rule. For large deductible levels, the bureau
			 shall include the entire claims cost for injuries incurred in a policy year in
			 the employer's experience for that policy year. Any qualifying claims in
			 accordance with paragraphs (G)(4) and (G)(5) of rule 4123-17-03 of the
			 Administrative Code shall be excluded from the employer's
			 experience. (2) The bureau shall bill
			 the employer on a monthly basis for any claims costs paid by the bureau for
			 amounts subject to the deductible as elected by the employer for the policy
			 year. In addition to amounts paid by the bureau for which the bureau is seeking
			 reimbursement from the employer, such monthly billings shall also reflect the
			 payments to date for any claims to which a deductible is
			 applicable. (3) The employer shall
			 pay all deductible amounts billed by the bureau by the invoice due date. The
			 employer will be subject to any interest or penalty provisions to which other
			 monies owed the bureau are subject, including certification to the attorney
			 general's office for collection. (4) The employer shall
			 continue to be liable beyond any deductible program period for billings covered
			 under a deductible program for injuries that arose during any period for which
			 a deductible is applicable, regardless of when payment was made by the
			 bureau. (K) The bureau will apply the premium
		  reduction calculation under the deductible program directly to the base rate
		  established for the policy year for base-rated employers, or after the modified
		  premium rate is established for experience-rated employers, but prior to any
		  other premium adjustments, as well as the DWRF assessment. The bureau will
		  calculate the premium reduction in accordance with the appendices of this rule,
		  which takes into account both the deductible amount chosen by the employer and
		  the applicable hazard group based upon the most current version of the national
		  council on compensation insurance's hazard groupings as established by the
		  hazard group with the largest percentage of premium, as determined at the end
		  of the enrollment period for that year. (1) In determining the
			 primary classification code and appropriate hazard group, the bureau shall
			 utilize payroll and the associated experience premium for the rating year
			 beginning two years prior to the period in which the employer is seeking to
			 enroll in the deductible program. (2) For new employers,
			 the bureau shall base the appropriate primary classification code and hazard
			 group upon estimated payroll. (L) Where there is a combination or
		  experience transfer of an employer within a deductible program policy period,
		  following the application of any other rules applicable to a combination or
		  experience transfer, the employer may be eligible to remain in a deductible
		  program as follows: (1) Successor: entity not
			 having coverage. Predecessor: enrolled in deductible program
			 currently or in prior policy years. Where there is a combination or experience
			 transfer, where the predecessor was a participant in the deductible program and
			 the successor is assigned a new policy with the bureau, the successor shall
			 make application for the deductible program within thirty days of obtaining a
			 bureau policy, as set forth in paragraph (L)(3) of this rule. Notwithstanding
			 this election, the successor shall be responsible for any and all existing or
			 future liabilities stemming from the predecessor's participation in the
			 deductible program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of the
			 transfer as provided under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the
			 Administrative Code. (2) Successor: enrolled
			 in the deductible program. Predecessor: not enrolled in the deductible
			 program. Where there is a combination or experience
			 transfer involving two or more entities, each having Ohio coverage at the time
			 of the combination or experience transfer, and the successor policy is enrolled
			 in the deductible program for the program year, the successor shall
			 automatically remain in the deductible program for the program year and is
			 subject to renewal in accordance with paragraph (H) of this rule. (3) Successor: not
			 enrolled in deductible program. Predecessor: enrolled in deductible
			 program. Where there is a combination or experience
			 transfer involving two or more entities, each having Ohio coverage at the time
			 of the combination or experience transfer, and the successor policy is not
			 enrolled in the deductible program, the predecessor shall not be automatically
			 entitled to continue in the deductible program. The successor may make a formal
			 application should it desire to participate in the deductible program for the
			 next policy year. Whether or not the successor chooses or is otherwise eligible
			 to participate in a deductible program, under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02
			 of the Administrative Code, the successor remains liable for any existing and
			 future liabilities resulting from a predecessor's participation in the
			 deductible program. (M) The bureau may remove an employer
		  participating in the deductible program from the program with thirty days
		  written notice to the employer for any of the following reasons: (1) The employer
			 participates in any plan or program that is not compatible with the deductible
			 program under rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code (2) The bureau certifies
			 a balance due from the employer to the attorney general; (3) The employer makes
			 direct payments to any medical provider for services rendered, to any medical
			 provider for supplies or to any injured worker for compensation associated with
			 a workers' compensation claim; (4) The employer engages
			 in misrepresentation or fraud in conjunction with the deductible program
			 application process; or (5) The employer fails to
			 report actual payroll for the preceding policy year or fails to pay any premium
			 due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium for that policy
			 year, no later than the due date set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the
			 Administrative Code. An employer will be deemed to have complied with this
			 requirement if the bureau receives the payroll report, and the employer pays
			 any premium associated with the payroll report, prior to the expiration of any
			 grace period established by the administrator pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule
			 4123-17-16 of the Administrative Code.  (N) An employer removed from the
		  deductible program for failure to comply with paragraph (M) of this rule will
		  be required to pay: (1) Claims costs up to
			 the deductible selected under paragraph (C) of this rule for all injuries
			 incurred from the beginning of policy year in which the employer participated
			 in the deductible program through the date of removal from the program;
			 and (2) Full experience-rated
			 premium, without the deductible credit, from the date of removal from the
			 deductible program through the remainder of the policy year. 
			
			
			
				View AppendixView AppendixView AppendixView AppendixView AppendixView Appendix 
			
			
				
					
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							Rule 4123-17-73 | Group retrospective rating program.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) "Group
			 retrospective rating" is a voluntary workers' compensation insurance
			 program offered by the bureau. Group retrospective rating is designed to
			 provide financial incentive to employer groups participating in the program
			 that, through improvements in workplace safety and injured worker outcomes, are
			 able to keep their claim costs below a predefined level. (2) "Basic premium
			 factor" is a component of the retrospective rating premium formula used to
			 account for insurance charges and costs that are distributed across all
			 employers. The basic premium factor (BPF) is based upon charges for the cost of
			 having retrospective premium limited by the selected maximum premium ratio, the
			 cost of claims when they exceed the per claim maximum value and the cost of
			 excluding surplus costs from incurred losses. (3) "Developed
			 losses" or "total incurred losses (developed)" are a component
			 of the retrospective rating premium formula intended to account for the fact
			 that total incurred losses in claims are likely to increase over time. This
			 claim cost development results from a number of factors, including, but not
			 limited to, reactivation of claims, additional claim awards, and claims that
			 may be incurred but not reported for a substantial period, and result in costs
			 that would otherwise not be covered by premium collected. (4) "Evaluation
			 period" means the three-year period beginning immediately after the end of
			 the retro policy year. Annual evaluations will occur three times during the
			 evaluation period at twelve, twenty-four, and thirty-six months after the end
			 of the retro policy year. (5) "Incurred
			 losses" means compensation payments and medical payments paid to date as
			 well as open case reserves. The total incurred losses will not include surplus
			 costs or costs as defined in paragraph (G)(4) or (G)(5) of rule 4123-17-03 of
			 the Administrative Code and will be limited on a per claim basis. (6) "Loss
			 development factor" means actuarially determined factors that are
			 multiplied by incurred losses of non-PTD/death retro claims to produce
			 developed losses. Loss development factors (LDF) are unique to each retro
			 policy year. (7) "Maximum premium
			 ratio" means a factor pre-selected by the retro group that is multiplied
			 by the standard premium after application of the premium size factors to
			 determine the maximum retrospective premium for the group. (8) "Member of a
			 retro group" means the individual employers that participate in a group
			 retrospective rating plan of a sponsoring organization. (9) "Reserve"
			 means the bureau's estimate of the future cost of a claim at a specific
			 point in time. (10) "Retro policy
			 year" means the policy year in which an employer is enrolled in group
			 retrospective rating. Claim losses which occur during this year will be tracked
			 for all retro group members and refunds or assessments will be distributed
			 based on those losses in the subsequent evaluation period. The retro policy
			 year start and end date will match that of the rating policy year. For public
			 employer taxing districts, the retro policy year shall be January first through
			 December thirty-first of a year. For private employers, the retro policy year
			 shall be July first through June thirtieth of the following year. (11) "Standard
			 premium" means the total premium paid by or on behalf of an employer for a
			 given policy year including any premium size factor adjustment, excluding the
			 assessment for the disabled workers' relief fund. In determining standard
			 premium, total premium paid will not be reduced by any rebates or dividends
			 issued pursuant to rule 4123-17-10 of the Administrative Code. (12) "Application
			 deadline" means the application deadline for group retrospective rating as
			 set forth in appendix A and in appendix B to rule 4123-17-74 of the
			 Administrative Code. (B) Sponsor eligibility
		  requirements. Each sponsoring organization seeking to sponsor a
		  retro group must be certified under the bureau's sponsor certification
		  process as specified in rule 4123-17-61.1 of the Administrative Code. (C) Retro group eligibility
		  requirements. Each retro group seeking to participate in the
		  bureau group retrospective rating program shall meet the following
		  standards: (1) A retro group must be
			 sponsored by a bureau certified sponsoring organization. (2) The employers'
			 business in the organization must be substantially similar such that the risks
			 which are grouped are substantially homogeneous. A group shall be considered
			 substantially homogeneous if the main operating classification codes of the
			 risks as determined by the premium obligations for the rating year beginning
			 two years prior to the retro policy year are assigned to the same or similar
			 industry groups. Industry groups are determined by appendix A to rule
			 4123-17-05 of the Administrative Code. Industry groups seven and nine as well
			 as eight and nine, and industry groups two and four as well as four and six are
			 considered similar. The bureau may allow an employer to move to a more
			 homogeneous group when, after December thirty-first for private employer groups
			 and June thirtieth for public employer taxing district groups, but before the
			 application deadline, the employer: (a) Is an employer without a full year of recorded
				premium; (b) Is reclassified as a result of an audit; or (c) Fully or partially combines with another
				employer. (3) A retro group of
			 employers must have aggregate standard premium in excess of one million
			 dollars, as determined by the administrator based upon the last full policy
			 year for which premium information is available. (a) For employers without a full year of recorded premium, the
				bureau may use the employer's expected premium. (b) The bureau shall calculate the premium based upon the
				experience modified premium of the individual employers excluding group rating
				discounts. (4) The retro group must
			 include at least two employers. (5) The formation and
			 operation of the retro group program by the organization must substantially
			 improve accident prevention and claims handling for the employers in the retro
			 group. The bureau shall require the retro group to document its safety plan or
			 program for these purposes, and, for retro groups reapplying annually for group
			 retrospective rating coverage, the results of prior programs. The safety plan
			 must follow the guidelines and criteria set forth under rule 4123-17-68 of the
			 Administrative Code. (D) Employer eligibility
		  requirements. Each employer seeking to participate in the
		  bureau group retrospective rating program must meet the following
		  standards: (1) The employer must be
			 a private employer or public employer taxing district that participates in the
			 state insurance fund. A self-insuring employer or a state agency public
			 employer shall not be eligible for participation in the group retrospective
			 rating program. (2) Each employer seeking
			 to enroll in a retro group for workers' compensation coverage must have
			 active workers' compensation coverage according to the following
			 standards: (a)  As of the application deadline, the employer must be current
				with respect to all payments due the bureau, as defined in paragraph (A)(1)(b)
				of rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code. (b) As of the application deadline for group retrospective
				rating, the employer must be current on the payment schedule of any part-pay
				agreement into which it has entered for payment of premiums or assessment
				obligations. (c) The employer cannot have cumulative lapses in workers'
				compensation coverage in excess of forty days within the twelve months
				preceding the application deadline date for group retrospective
				rating. (d) The employer must 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 application deadline
				date set forth in rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative Code.  (3) No employer may be a
			 member of more than one retro group or a retro and non-retro group for the
			 purpose of obtaining workers' compensation coverage. An employer who has
			 been included on a group experience rating roster for the upcoming policy year
			 may not elect to participate in group retrospective rating after the deadline
			 for group experience rating set forth in rule 4123-17-74 of the Administrative
			 Code. (4) An employer must be
			 homogeneous with the industry group of the retro group as defined in paragraph
			 (C)(2) of this rule. A member of a continuing retro group who
			 initially satisfied the homogeneous requirement shall not be disqualified from
			 participation in the continuing retro group for failure to continue to satisfy
			 such requirement. (E) A sponsoring organization shall make
		  application for group retrospective rating on a form provided by the bureau and
		  shall complete the application in its entirety with all documentation attached
		  as required by the bureau. If the sponsoring organization fails to include all
		  pertinent information, the bureau will reject the application. (1) The group
			 retrospective rating application (U-151) shall be signed each year by an
			 officer of the sponsoring organization. (2) The sponsoring
			 organization shall identify each individual employer in the retro group on an
			 employer roster for group retrospective rating plan (U-152). (F)  A retro group's application for
		  group retrospective rating is applicable to only one policy year. The retro
		  group must reapply each year for group retrospective rating coverage.
		  Continuation of a plan for subsequent years is subject to timely filing of an
		  application on a yearly basis and the meeting of eligibility requirements each
		  year. (G) Upon receipt of an application for
		  retro group, the bureau shall do the following: (1) Determine the
			 industry classification of the retro group based upon the makeup of retro group
			 employers submitted. (2) Screen prospective
			 retro group members to ensure that their business operations fit appropriately
			 in the retro group's industry classification. (3) In reviewing the
			 retro group's application, if the bureau determines that individual
			 employers in the retro group do not meet the eligibility requirements for group
			 retrospective rating, the bureau will notify the individual employers and the
			 retro group of this fact, and the retro group may continue in its application
			 for group retrospective rating coverage without the disqualified
			 employers. (H) The group retrospective rating
		  sponsor shall submit to the bureau an employer statement (U-153) each year for
		  each employer that wishes to participate in group retrospective rating with the
		  sponsor. Where an employer files a new employer statement form in the sixty
		  days prior to the application deadline, the bureau will presume that the latest
		  filed employer statement form of the employer indicates the employer's
		  intentions for group retrospective rating. An employer statement form shall
		  remain effective until the end of the policy year as defined on the employer
		  statement form. (I) The bureau may request of individual
		  employers or the retro group sponsor, additional information necessary for the
		  bureau to rule upon the application for group retrospective rating
		  participation. Failure or refusal of the retro group sponsor to provide the
		  requested information on the forms or computer formats provided by the bureau
		  shall be sufficient grounds for the bureau to reject the application and refuse
		  the retro group's participation in group retrospective rating
		  program. (J) Individual employers who are not
		  included on the final retro group roster or do not have an individual employer
		  application (U-153) for the same retro group or another retro group sponsored
		  by the same sponsoring organization on file by the application deadline, will
		  not be considered for the group retrospective rating plan for that policy year;
		  however, the bureau may waive this requirement for good cause shown due to
		  clerical or administrative error, so long as no employer is added to a retro
		  group after the application deadline. The group retrospective rating sponsor
		  shall submit all information to the bureau by the application
		  deadline. (K) Once a retro group has applied for
		  group retrospective rating, the organization may not voluntarily terminate the
		  application. All changes to the original application must be filed on a bureau
		  form provided for the application for the group retrospective rating plan and
		  must be filed prior to the filing deadline. Any rescissions made must be
		  completed in writing, signed by an officer of the sponsoring organization and
		  filed prior to the filing deadline. The retro group may make no changes to the
		  application after the last day for filing the application. Any changes received
		  by the bureau after the filing deadline will not be honored. The latest
		  application form or rescission received by the bureau prior to the filing
		  deadline will be used in determining the premium obligation. (L) After the group retrospective rating
		  application deadline but before the end of the policy year for the retro group,
		  the sponsoring organization may notify the bureau that it wishes to remove a
		  member of a retro group from participation in the retro group. The sponsoring
		  organization may request that the member of a retro group be removed from the
		  retro group after the application deadline only for the gross misrepresentation
		  of the member of a retro group on its application to the retro
		  group. (1) "Gross
			 misrepresentation" is an act by an employer applicant for group
			 retrospective rating or a member of a retro group that would cause financial
			 harm to the other members of the retro group and is limited to any of the
			 following: (a) The sponsoring organization discovers that the employer
				applicant for group retrospective rating or a member of a retro group has
				recently merged with one or more entities without disclosing such merger on the
				employer's application for membership in the retro group, and such merger
				adversely affects the employer's risk of future losses. (b) The sponsoring organization discovers that the employer
				applicant for group retrospective rating or a member of a retro group has
				failed to disclose the true nature of the employer's business pursuit on
				its application for membership in the retro group, and this failure adversely
				affects the loss potential of the retro group. (2)  The sponsoring
			 organization must provide sufficient documentation, as determined by the
			 bureau, to support its request to remove an employer from a retro
			 group. (3) The employer shall be
			 removed from the group only with the bureau's approval. (M) An employer will be removed from the
		  group retrospective rating program for the current policy year for failure to
		  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 date set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the Administrative
		  Code. An employer will be deemed to have met this requirement if the bureau
		  receives the payroll report and the employer pays premium associated with that
		  payroll report before the expiration of any grace period established by the
		  administrator pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-16 of the
		  Administrative Code. Should an employer not comply with the provisions of this
		  paragraph, the following will apply: (1) Claims costs
			 according to this rule for all injuries incurred from the beginning of the
			 policy year in which the employer participated in group retrospective rating
			 through the date of removal from the program shall be included in the group
			 retrospective rating calculation; and (2) Only premium from the
			 beginning of the policy year through the date of removal will be included in
			 the group retrospective rating calculation for the participation policy
			 year. (N) A retro group formed for the purpose
		  of group retrospective rating may not voluntarily terminate a plan during the
		  policy year. A change in the name of the retro group will not constitute a new
		  retro group. A change of the organization sponsoring a retro group or moving a
		  retro group to a new sponsoring organization shall constitute a new retro group
		  and the members of the new retro group must meet the homogeneity requirement of
		  paragraph (C)(2) of this rule. A retro group shall be considered a continuing
		  retro group if more than fifty per cent of the members of the retro group in
		  the previous rating year are members of the retro group in the current rating
		  year. (O) Selection of an authorized
		  representative for the retro group shall meet the following
		  requirements: (1) A retro group that
			 has been established and has been accepted by the bureau for the purpose of
			 group retrospective rating shall have no more than one permanent authorized
			 representative for representation of the retro group and the individual
			 employers of the retro group before the bureau and the industrial commission in
			 any and all policy-related matters pertaining to participation in the state
			 insurance fund. (2) The selection of an
			 authorized representative must be made by submission of a completed form U-151,
			 and any change or termination of the authorized representative can be made only
			 by a subsequent submission of form U-151. Only an officer of the sponsoring
			 organization may sign a U-151. (P) The bureau shall consider an employer
		  individually when assessing the premium payments for the retro policy year. The
		  retro group will be considered a single entity for purposes of calculating
		  group retrospective rating premium adjustments. (Q) The group retrospective rating
		  premium calculation will occur at twelve, twenty-four, and thirty-six months
		  following the end of the group retrospective rating policy year. (1) On the evaluation
			 date, the bureau will evaluate all claims with injury dates that fall within
			 the retro policy year. The incurred losses and reserves that have been
			 established for these claims are "captured" or "frozen."
			 The group's retrospective premium will be calculated based on the
			 developed incurred losses of the group. The group retrospective rating premium
			 will be compared to the group standard premium, which is the combined standard
			 premiums of retro group members for the retro policy year as defined in
			 paragraph (A)(11) of this rule and all subsequent group retrospective rating
			 refunds and assessments. The difference will be distributed or billed to
			 employers as a refund or assessment. (a) These assessments will be limited per a maximum premium ratio
				selected during the group retrospective rating application
				process. (b) Effective with policy years beginning on or after January 1,
				2022, premium refunds or premium rebates provided to group retrospective rating
				employers for a policy year may not exceed, in their cumulative total, one
				hundred per cent of the actual premium following reporting of actual payroll
				and reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium in accordance with
				paragraph (M) of this rule. (c) Any reserving method that suppresses some portion of an
				employer's costs for the purpose of calculating an experience modification
				will not apply in the calculation of incurred losses for group retrospective
				rating. (d) The bureau may hold a portion of refunds or defer assessments
				owed in the first and second evaluation periods to minimize the volatility of
				refunds and assessments. Any net refund or assessment will be fully distributed
				or billed by the bureau in the third evaluation period. (2) Incurred losses used
			 in the group retrospective rating premium calculation will be limited to five
			 hundred thousand dollars per claim. (3) Incurred losses will
			 not include surplus or violation of a specific safety requirement (VSSR)
			 costs. (R) The retrospective premium calculation
		  that will occur at various evaluation points after the retro policy year end is
		  calculated by the following formula, with standard premium and developed
		  incurred losses are for the total of the entire retro group: Group retrospective rating premium = (Basic premium factor x standard premium as
		  defined in paragraph (A)(11) of this rule) plus developed incurred losses (1) A group will elect a
			 maximum premium ratio for the group each year as part of the group
			 retrospective rating application process. This ratio will determine the maximum
			 amount of total premium a retro group may pay after refunds and
			 assessments. (2) Options for the
			 maximum premium ratio and the corresponding basic premium factor will be as set
			 forth in appendix A and in appendix B to this rule. (3) A basic premium
			 factor is applied in the retro premium calculation to account for insurance
			 costs, surplus costs, and a per claim cap. The basic premium factor is
			 determined using the following factors: group size by standard premium as
			 defined in paragraph (A)(11) of this rule as set forth in appendix D to this
			 rule and maximum premium ratio. (4) Developed incurred
			 losses are created by totaling incurred losses and reserves for the entire
			 retro group and applying an actuarially determined loss development factor as
			 defined in appendix C to this rule. (5) Refunds and
			 assessments will be distributed directly to group retrospective rating
			 employers. The amount refunded or assessed to an individual employer will be
			 based upon the percentage of the total group standard premium paid by the
			 employer at the time of evaluation. The refund or assessment will be multiplied
			 by this percentage and the resulting amount will be distributed or billed to
			 the employer. (6) Within four months of
			 the evaluation date, if entitled, the bureau will send premium
			 refunds. (7) If additional premium
			 is owed, the additional premium is included in the employer's next invoice
			 and must be paid by the due date stated on the invoice. The bureau will charge
			 penalties on any additional premium not paid when it is due. If the member of a
			 retro group is entitled to a refund for one retro policy year and owes any
			 additional monies to the bureau, the bureau will deduct the monies due the
			 bureau from the refund. The bureau will refund the difference to the member of
			 a retro group. In the event that this adjustment still leaves a premium balance
			 due, the bureau will send a bill for the balance. (S) Terminations, transfers, and change
		  of ownership are addressed with regard to group retrospective rating as
		  follows: (1) Predecessor: enrolled
			 in group retrospective rating program. Successor: new entity. Where there is a combination or experience
			 transfer during the current policy year or the sixty days preceding the
			 application deadline for the upcoming policy year, wherein the predecessor was
			 a participant in or applicant for the group retrospective rating program, and
			 the successor is assigned a new policy with the bureau, the successor may be
			 considered a member of the group retrospective rating program if agreed to by
			 both the succeeding employer and the group retrospective rating sponsor.
			 Written agreement signed by both the succeeding employer and the group
			 retrospective rating sponsor must be received by the bureau within thirty days
			 of the date of succession. If the succeeding employer and the group sponsor
			 agree to successor joining the retro group, the successor's group
			 retrospective rating evaluation shall be based on the group's reported
			 payroll and claims incurred. Notwithstanding this election, the successor shall
			 be responsible for any and all existing or future rights and obligations
			 stemming from the predecessor's participation in the group retrospective
			 rating program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of the transfer
			 as prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative
			 Code. (2) Predecessor: not
			 enrolled in group retrospective rating program. Successor: enrolled in group retrospective
			 program. Where one legal entity that has established
			 coverage and is enrolled in the group retrospective rating program, wholly
			 succeeds one or more legal entities having established coverage and the
			 predecessor entities are not enrolled in the group retrospective rating program
			 at the date of succession, the payroll reported and claims incurred by the
			 predecessor from the date of succession to the end of the policy year, shall be
			 included in successor's retrospective rating plan. If the predecessor had
			 at any time participated in a group retrospective rating program, the successor
			 shall be responsible for any and all existing or future rights and obligations
			 stemming from the predecessor's participation in the group restrospective
			 rating program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of the transfer
			 as prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative
			 Code. (3) Predecessor: enrolled
			 in group retrospective rating program. Successor: not enrolled in group retrospective
			 rating program. Where one legal entity that has established
			 coverage and is not currently enrolled in a group retro plan wholly succeeds
			 one or more entities that are enrolled in a group retro plan,
			 predecessor's plan(s) shall terminate as of the ending date of the
			 evaluation period. Payroll reported and claims incurred on or after the date of
			 succession will be the responsibility of the successor under its current rating
			 plan. The successor shall be responsible for any and all existing or future
			 rights and obligations stemming from the predecessor's participation in
			 the group retro program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of the
			 transfer as prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the
			 Administrative Code. (4) Predecessor: enrolled
			 in group retro program. Successor: enrolled in different group retro
			 program. Where one legal entity that has established
			 coverage and is enrolled in a group retrospective rating plan wholly succeeds
			 one or more entities that are enrolled in a group retrospective rating plan,
			 predecessor's plan(s) shall terminate as of the ending date of the
			 evaluation period. Payroll reported and claims incurred on or after the date of
			 succession will be the responsibility of the successor under its group
			 retrospective rating plan. The successor shall be responsible for any and all
			 existing or future rights and obligations stemming from the predecessor's
			 participation in the group retrospective rating program prior to the date that
			 the bureau was notified of the transfer as prescribed under paragraph (C) of
			 rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative Code. (5) Predecessor: enrolled
			 in group retrospective rating program. Successor: enrolled in same group retrospective
			 rating program. Where one legal entity that has established
			 coverage and is enrolled in a group retrospective rating plan wholly succeeds
			 one or more entities that are enrolled in the same group retrospective rating
			 plan, the successor shall be responsible for any and all existing or future
			 liabilities stemming from the predecessor's participation in the group
			 retrospective rating program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of
			 the transfer as prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the
			 Administrative Code. If the predecessor had at any time participated in a
			 different group retrospective rating program, the successor shall be
			 responsible for any and all existing or future rights and obligations stemming
			 from the predecessor's participation in the group retrospective rating
			 program prior to the date that the bureau was notified of the transfer as
			 prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02 of the Administrative
			 Code. (6) Successor: cancels
			 coverage and was enrolled in group retrospective rating program. Predecessor: no predecessor. If the successor cancels coverage and there is
			 no predecessor, the premium and losses of the canceling employer will remain
			 with the retro group for future retrospective premium calculations. The
			 resulting refund or assessment will be collected from the remaining members of
			 the retro group. Group retrospective rating sponsors and
			 authorized representatives have the right to represent the interest of the
			 canceled employer on behalf of the group with regard to claims which occurred
			 during the year or years the employer was active in a retro group sponsored by
			 the organization. (7) Successor and/or
			 predecessor: open group retrospective rating policy years in the evaluation
			 period. If the successor and predecessor are not
			 currently enrolled in the group retrospective rating program, but either or
			 both have open group retrospective rating policy years in the evaluation
			 period, the successor shall be responsible for any and all existing or future
			 rights and obligations stemming from the predecessor's participation in
			 the group retrospective rating program prior to the date that the bureau was
			 notified of the transfer as prescribed under paragraph (C) of rule 4123-17-02
			 of the Administrative Code. (8) Partial
			 transfer. If an entity partially succeeds another entity
			 and the predecessor entity has any group retrospective rating policy years in
			 the evaluation period, the predecessor entity will retain any rights to
			 assessments or refunds. If the successor is enrolled in the group retrospective
			 rating program, payroll reported and claims incurred on or after the date of
			 the partial transfer will be the responsibility of the successor under its
			 group retrospective rating plan. (9) Successor: files a
			 petition for bankruptcy. Predecessor: no predecessor. If a current or previously group retrospective
			 rating program employer with open retro policy years files a petition for
			 bankruptcy under chapter seven or chapter eleven of the federal bankruptcy law,
			 that employer shall notify the bureau legal division by certified mail within
			 five working days from the date of the bankruptcy filing. The bureau will
			 petition the bankruptcy court to take appropriate action to protect the state
			 insurance fund and other related funds. 
			
			
			
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							Rule 4123-17-74 | Deadline dates and compatibility information for employer programs.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				This rule defines employer program deadlines,
		miscellaneous dates, and compatibility between programs. Specifics may be found
		in the following appendices: Appendix A: Private employer program deadlines and
		miscellaneous dates. Appendix B: Public employer taxing district program
		deadlines and miscellaneous dates. Appendix C: Employer program compatibility. This rule supersedes other rules referencing
		program deadlines and compatibility. 
			
			
			
				View AppendixView AppendixView Appendix 
			
			
				
					
						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-75 | Bonus and rebate incentive programs.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
				(A) The following bonus and rebate
		  incentives are offered: (1) The transitional work bonus
			 established in rule 4123-17-55 of the Administrative Code; (2) The safety council rebate established
			 in rule 4123-17-56.2 of the Administrative Code; and (3) The substance use prevention and
			 recovery program bonus established in rule 4123-17-58 of the Administrative
			 Code. (B) The bonus and rebate incentive levels
		  are set forth in the appendix to this rule. The administrator may review the
		  bonus and rebate incentive levels on an annual basis and make recommendation to
		  the board of directors regarding the appropriate levels for each policy
		  year. (C) Application of bonus and rebate
		  incentives. (1) Bonus and rebate
			 incentives earned through participation cannot reduce an employer's
			 premium due below the amount of the minimum administrative charge for the
			 applicable policy year period as set forth in rule 4123-17-26 of the
			 Administrative Code. (2) bonus and rebate incentives earned
			 through participation shall not be issued to employers paying only the minimum
			 administrative charge in the applicable policy year as set forth in rule
			 4123-17-26 of the Administrative Code. (3) Rate adjustments made to an
			 employer's account subsequent to the issuance of bonus or rebate
			 incentives through an employer's participation may result in recalculation
			 of such incentives. (4) To qualify for any
			 incentive under this rule, an employer must: (a) Have coverage that is in an active policy status at the time
				of calculation; and (b) 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 date set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of the
				Administrative Code. An employer will be deemed to have met this requirement if
				the bureau receives the payroll report and the employer pays premium associated
				with such report before the expiration of any grace period established by the
				administrator pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule 4123-17-16 of the
				Administrative Code. (D) An employer may voluntarily withdraw
		  from a bonus or rebate incentive program by providing notice to the employer
		  services division of the bureau of workers' compensation. Any bonus or
		  rebate incentive earned during the policy year in which an employer withdraws
		  from a bonus or rebate incentive program must be repaid to the
		  bureau. 
			
			
			
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						Last updated July 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM 
					
				 
			
		
		
	 
					 
				 
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							Rule 4123-17-76 | Cancellation of workers' compensation coverage.
						
					
					  
					
						
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
		
			
				Effective: 
				September 4, 2025 
			 
			
			
			 
		 
		
			
			
				(A) The administrator of the bureau of
		  workers' compensation may cancel an employer's workers'
		  compensation coverage if any of the following apply: (1) The employer fails to
			 pay the required premium by the annual renewal date in accordance with rule
			 4123-17-14 of the Administrative Code, and the employer's estimated annual
			 premium is equal to the minimum administrative charge as set forth in rule
			 4123-17-26 of the Administrative Code; (2) The employer's
			 policy is in lapsed status, and the employer's policy has no allowed
			 claims filed against it within two years; or (3) The employer is a new
			 employer who failed to pay estimated premium and assessments when
			 due. (B) The effective date of cancellation
		  shall be: (1) For situations
			 described in paragraph (A)(1) of this rule, the last date of the most recently
			 completed policy year; (2) For situations
			 described in paragraph (A)(2) of this rule, the bureau may select a date within
			 the current policy year; or (3) For situations described in paragraph
			 (A)(3) of this rule, the original effective date of the policy. (C) The administrator, for good cause
		  shown, may retroactively cancel an employer's workers' compensation
		  coverage. For purposes of this rule, "good cause" shall have the same
		  meaning as in paragraph (B) of rule 4123-14-03 of the Administrative
		  Code. (D) An employer may cancel its
		  workers' compensation coverage if all of the following criteria are
		  met: (1) The employer must
			 notify the bureau in writing or by phone; (2) One of the two
			 following circumstances apply: (a) The employer ceases operations in Ohio, or (b) The employer no longer has employees as defined in division
				(A)(1)(b) of section 4123.01 of the Revised Code, and the employer agrees to
				cancel any supplemental or elective coverage as permitted under Chapter 4123.
				of the Revised Code. (3) The employer must
			 submit the number of employees employed within each of the employer's
			 assigned manual classifications and the aggregate amount of wages paid to such
			 employees to the bureau and reconcile any premium that is due for the policy
			 year, and any other missing policy years, as set forth in rule 4123-17-14 of
			 the Administrative Code. 
			
			
			
			
				
					
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