introduction to the eeo strategic plan - Ohio Bureau of Workers ...

ATTACHMENT A: 1
Overview of the Agency
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) provides workforce coverage for
approximately 275,000 of the state’s public and private employers. The State Insurance Fund
covers medical expense and lost wages for approximately two-thirds of Ohio workers. The
remaining third receives workers’ compensation coverage directly through their employers,
which are part of a self-insurance program guided by strict qualifications set by BWC.
When a workplace accident occurs, BWC responds to the needs of the injured worker and
employer to ensure a safe and timely return to work for the injured employee. BWC pays
benefits on behalf of Ohio’s employers in exchange for biannual premium payments, which
should help protect them from the financial shock of any sudden, costly workplace accident.
Now the largest state-fund insurance system in the nation, BWC serves more than 250,000 Ohio
employers. In fiscal year 2011, we actively managed approximately 1.2 million open claims,
funded by assets totaling approximately $26 billion. Medical and indemnity compensation paid
to injured workers totaled nearly $2 billion, and we received 118,971 new claims. There were
1,130 claims related to occupational diseases and, tragically 169 workers lost their lives while
on the job.
By pairing positive investment returns with better medical cost-containment, aggressive
collection efforts and more claims management, BWC will further strengthen its financial
footing in the future and, in turn, provide greater piece of mind to Ohio’s injured workers and
employers.
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