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07/15/2025

Sedgwick Update

Source: Sedgwick, July 9, 2025 

True-Up Process 

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) provides workers’ compensation coverage based on estimated payroll. Therefore, at the end of the policy year, BWC asks employers to report their actual payroll for the prior policy year and pay any shortage (or receive a refund for any overage) in premium. This process is called a true-up. If the true-up is not completed timely, the following may occur:

• Employer will not be eligible for prior year rebates and incentives
• Employer will be removed from current year programs
• Employer will become ineligible for programs the following year and will continue to remain ineligible for all future years until all past true-ups are completed.

How to report payroll and complete the true-up
Although employers may contact BWC at (800) OHIO-BWC (800.644.6292) and complete their true-up report over the phone, BWC anticipates high call volumes and long wait times. They strongly encourage employers to complete their true-up report online through their BWC e-account at www.bwc.ohio.gov. If you do not have an e-account, simply select the Create E-Account Link to begin. You will need your BWC policy number and/or Federal Tax Identification Number. 

Deadlines

• Private employers - True-up report must be completed and payment received no later than August 31, 2025.
• Public employers - True-up report must be completed and payment received no later than February 28, 2026.

Please note: There is no longer a grace period. True-up and payment (if owed) must be POSTED by the deadline date.

If you have any questions, contact our Sedgwick program manager, Dave Deyo, at david.deyo@sedgwick.com.

Complacency and the Workplace 

In today’s fast-paced work environment, many employees find themselves settling into routines that can often lead to complacency. Complacency can be defined as, doing the same task for so long without incident that you assume nothing will ever happen. While familiarity with tasks can create a sense of comfort, it can also pose significant risks, especially concerning workplace safety. It’s crucial to understand how complacency can lead to accidents and what can be done to mitigate these risks. Complacency can affect anyone at any age, regardless of their experience, so it is important to train all employees on how to spot complacency among themselves and other employees.

Let’s take an example of a person who performs a daily safety inspection before production starts.  The purpose of the inspection is to identify any potential safety hazards. This daily routine occurs for months even years without incident. But, because “an incident has never occurred”, the employee decides to skip an inspection one day and no injuries resulted. So, the employee skips another one, then another, and soon inspections are rarely being conducted. Until something happens. Skipping important safety steps due to complacency could result in serious injury to the employee or fellow workers.

Usually, the best person to spot complacency is the employee themselves, but complacency can mean they don’t see the dangers right in front of them.  To overcome this, teach employees to spot signs of complacency in their co-workers first.  The more they learn how to recognize these signs in others, the easier it will be to recognize it in themselves.  

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