Thursday, June 29, 2017
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Representatives of Mahoning Valley employers stressed some of their concerns to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation board Wednesday.
The BWC’s Drug-Free Safety Program was a top concern at the board’s public forum at the local BWC offices downtown.
The program offers a premium rebate to eligible employers for implementing a loss-prevention strategy addressing workplace use and misuse of alcohol and other drugs, especially illegal drugs.
But employers at the forum explained to the board that it is expensive and can be difficult to actually receive the rebate.
“Really, these sessions are for us to listen,” said Nick Zuk, chairman for the BWC board. “We listen and take back the concerns and try to take action on them.”
The board travels throughout the state to four BWC offices every year to hear feedback from local employers.
The board also heard concerns about potential employees failing drug tests.
In 2011, the BWC board adopted drug formulary and actions to improve monitoring and prevent excessive usage of painkillers, which led to 44 percent fewer injured workers receiving opioid prescriptions and 69 percent fewer injured workers receiving muscle relaxers between 2011 and 2016.