Ohio workers' comp agency lowers discount

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has lowered the discount available to employers who participate in a group-rating system.

The bureau’s Board of Directors voted today to decrease the maximum available discount for businesses in a group from 77 percent to 65 percent. The change takes effect July 1.

The move was part of ongoing rate changes as the agency seeks to bring more parity between businesses that are part of a group and those that are not.

The bureau anticipates approving one more change in the rates, possibly in the next six months.

Two independent actuarial studies have found that the group discount should be between 52 percent and 58 percent.

Roughly 95,000 Ohio businesses are part of a group while there are about 115,000 non-group employers.