Ohio BWC Board Approves 1% Workers' Comp Rate Cut for Private Employers, Effective July 1

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation's Board of Directors approved a 1% average rate reduction for private employers at its February 27, 2026 meeting, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation announced. The reduction takes effect July 1, 2026 and is projected to cut aggregate premium paid by Ohio private employers by approximately $10 million statewide.

Ohio is one of a small number of states that operates a mandatory, state-run workers' compensation fund. All private employers in Ohio are required to carry coverage through the BWC rather than through licensed private carriers; the BWC's Board of Directors sets base rates for the approximately 245,000 private and public employers in the system. Because Ohio does not use a rating bureau loss-cost filing structure, the rate action was not filed with or approved by a separate state insurance department — the board itself is the rate-setting authority.

The cut marks the eighth consecutive rate reduction under the DeWine Administration and the 17th decrease in the past 18 years, according to the BWC. Rates at the system now stand at their lowest point in more than 65 years. The BWC attributed the sustained decline to falling workplace injury claim frequency and a strong fiscal position at the fund.

The July 1 private employer action follows a parallel 1% reduction for public employers that took effect January 1, 2026 and is projected to save that group approximately $2 million. Combined, the two 2026 rate actions represent a cumulative $12 million reduction in BWC premium across the employer base. Since Governor Mike DeWine took office in 2019, aggregate rates have fallen approximately 50%; the cumulative reduction since 2011 is approximately 70%.

Governor DeWine commented: "I applaud Ohio's businesses for continuing to put safety first and protecting our workforce. This additional reduction is a direct result of their hard work."