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FY24 Updates:


HFC Safety Council in-person meetings and rebate resume September 2023!

Thousands of Ohio employers benefit from the education, resource sharing, and premium savings which result from actively participating in their local safety council monthly meetings. And you can join them.*

BWC Safety Councils can help you:
o Learn techniques for increasing safety, health, and wellness in your workplace.
o Network and share best practices with other employers in your community.
o Identify resources to assist you in your accident prevention efforts.
o Access risk management information and strategies to reduce your worker’s compensation costs.

Criteria
Based on rules set forth in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 4123-17-56.2, most employers who fulfill safety council rebate eligibility requirements can earn a 3% rebate on their workers’ compensation premium. The maximum annual rebate an employer can earn is $5,000.

Eligibility requirements
1. Join or confirm your existing, active membership in a local safety council by July 31, 2023.
2. Attend 10 in-person safety council meetings between July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024.
  • At least eight, or all 10, through attendance at local safety council sponsored monthly meetings, seminars, or special events.
  • Earn external training credit for up to two meetings through attendance at select BWC safety training courses (in-person or virtual training classes) or in-person safety training from other external sources (e.g., industry associations, third party administrators, etc.).

Guidelines for meeting attendance credit
  1. An employer must be in attendance for most of the meeting. The safety council sponsor is the final authority on whether an employer shall be given meeting credit based on their arrival and departure times.
  2. The attendance of any employer representative qualifies for meeting attendance credit.
  3. A person can represent only one policy number with their attendance at a safety council meeting or external training event.
  4. No matter the duration of the meeting, training or special event, attendance equals one meeting credit.
  5. Multiple representatives from a company at one meeting, training or special event equals one meeting credit.
  6. Safety council monthly meetings do not qualify for meeting credit for any employer not enrolled in that safety council.
  7. Any safety council sponsored, or co-sponsored event will result in meeting credit for that safety council’s members.
  8. If a safety council chooses to broadcast an in-person safety council meeting virtually, the number of individuals viewing the meeting is not included in the attendance count.

Guidelines for external training credit
It is the employer’s responsibility to submit an official certificate of attendance for external training credit to the safety council in which they are enrolled by June 30, 2024.

External training may include:
  • Ohio Safety Congress – maximum of one meeting credit per in-person event, no matter the number of sessions or days attended nor how many employer representatives in attendance.
  • BWC Division of Safety & Hygiene in-person and virtual training courses – maximum of one meeting credit per course.
  • Industry-specific safety training – maximum of one meeting credit per in-person training with at least one hour of safety curriculum.
  • Seminars, conferences, or special events hosted by another safety council (not monthly safety council meetings).

Exclusions
  • Safety training conducted at the employer’s workplace does not qualify.
  • Virtual/online training does not qualify except for BWC virtual training classes.

Rebate limitations
  • Self-insuring employers and state agencies are excluded from the rebate offer.
  • For a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to qualify for the safety council rebate, the PEO and each of its individual client employers must fulfill all safety council rebate eligibility requirements in the local safety council in which they enroll. If all PEO clients fulfill all eligibility requirements, the PEO will receive the 3% participation rebate. If all individual clients of the PEO do not meet the safety council rebate eligibility requirements, no rebate will be extended.

To receive the rebate, employers must be current with respect to all payments due BWC. Employers may not have cumulative lapses in workers’ compensation coverage in excess of 40 days within the prior 12 months. Additionally, employers must have timely reported actual payroll for the preceding policy year and pay any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium.


If you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of the managing Chamber directors or email info@hfcsafetycouncil.com