Ohio considers 1% comp rate reduction for public employers

The board of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is considering a 1% rate reduction for the state’s public employers.

The projected annual premium decrease from the cut would be approximately $1.8 million.

The proposal follows a 6% decrease for Ohio’s private employers that took effect July 1, saving employers $60 million, the bureau said.

The 1% reduction would take effect Jan. 1, 2026, if the board approves it next month. The average workers comp rate levels for Ohio’s 258,000 private and public employers are their lowest in over 60 years, according to the bureau, which provides workers comp insurance for all employers in the state.

“The proposed rate cut represents an average statewide premium change, including administrative costs,” the bureau said. What an individual public employer pays “depends on several factors, including the expected future claims costs in their industry, their company’s recent claims history, and their participation in various BWC programs.”