BWC approves rate decrease for certain public employers

As reported last week, the Board of Directors for the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) plans to vote on rate cuts for private employers at its next meeting on February 23. Not to leave public employers out, the board voted last Friday (January 26) to approve a rate cut for state agencies and public universities. The average contribution rate for state agencies in the pay-as-you-go program will fall by 7.8 percent, which is the sixth consecutive year that, on average, rates fell for state agencies. The impact of the lower contribution rate is expected to total $3.1 million. It’s important to note, however, that individual decreases still depend on recent claim history and expected claim costs from July 1, 2018, to June 20, 2019.