OSHA SMALL BUSINESS HANDBOOK
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Save Premium Dollars by Participating
in Drug-Free Workplace or PDP Plus Programs
If you are interested in reducing your Ohio workers' compensation
premiums to a minimum, you should consider participating in the Bureau's
Drug-Free Workplace (DFWP), Drug-Free EZ (DF-EZ) or Premium Discount Plus
(PDP Plus) plans. These three programs offer companies the opportunity to
reduce premiums for three to five years.
Drug Free Workplace Program (DFWP & DF-EZ)
DFWP & DF-EZ affords state-funded employers the ability to choose their
level of participation based upon their individual circumstances, policies
and practices. Discounts of 10%, 15% or 20% are dependent upon the
employers' level of participation and are applied to the employers' premium
rates for up to a period of five years. These program discounts may be
stacked on top of group rating program discounts up to a maximum total of
95%.
Common elements of each level include written policy, employee education,
supervisor training and pre-employment, post-accident and reasonable
suspicion drug testing. In addition, employers must offer some form of
employee assistance depending on the level of participation that is chosen.
Levels of employee assistance range from simply providing a list of local
resources to including EAP services as part of the employer's health benefit
plan.
Employers in DFWP, companies who employ 26 or more full-time equivalents,
are required to provide two hours of employee education annually. In
addition, supervisors must receive four hours of training in the first year
of participation and two hours of refresher training in each additional
year.
DF-EZ participants, companies who employ 25 or less full time equivalents,
are required to provide one hour of employee education annually. In
addition, supervisors must receive two hours of training annually. DF-EZ
participants also enjoy the added incentive of receiving up to a 20% premium
rebate for achieving frequency and severity improvement goals. These goals
are as follows:
Frequency & Severity Improvement Goals
Measurement |
Goal |
Rebate |
Frequency Improvement
(measured by # of claims filed) |
15% or greater
reduction over previous year |
5% |
Severity Improvement
(measured by # of lost time days) |
15% or greater
reduction over previous year |
10% |
Bonus |
Achieving Both Goals |
5% |
|
Premium Discount Plus Program
PDP Plus offers discounts of 10%, 10% and 5% over a three-year consecutive
period respectively. Unlike DFWP and DF-EZ discounts, PDP Plus discounts may
not be stacked on group rating program discounts. Companies that are
participating in group rating or that are retrospective rated do not qualify
for PDP Plus.
In addition to the up-front premium rate discounts, PDP Plus participants are
eligible to receive the frequency and severity premium rebates and bonus
summarized in the table above. PDP Plus provides the incentive for companies to
implement safety and claims management systems targeted at improving injury
prevention and workers' compensation cost control programs.
Companies that have previously exhausted their eligibility in the Bureau's past
PDP Program are not eligible for participation in PDP Plus.
For more information on DFWP, DF-EZ or PDP Plus please call RHS Solutions, Comp
Management's risk, health & safety consulting division, toll-free at
1-888-264-2635.
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