DFSP Changes and Deadlines

Drug-Free Safety Program Changes and New Deadlines

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is making changes to their Drug-Free Safety Program (DFSP). Starting July 1, 2014, the DFSP will become a bonus program and will no longer appear as a discount on workers’ compensation rates. Therefore, employers participating in the program will receive a rebate at the end of the policy year.
In addition to making the DFSP a bonus program, the Bureau is also changing the program’s enrollment and deadline dates. For private-sector employers, the January program year is being discontinued and all these employers will be consolidated into the JULY program year. Below is an explanation of how those changes might impact you.

If you are a private-sector employer and newly enrolled in the January 2014 program year:

• You must meet all January program year deadlines, including the submission of an annual report on September 30, 2014.
• On July 1, 2014 you will automatically be moved into the July program year.
• You will be required to complete another online annual report by March 31, 2015. (The work you did to fulfill the requirements for the Annual Report submitted in September 2014 will count toward the March 2015 report.)

If you are a private-sector employer and were previously in the January program year:

• On July 1, 2014 you will automatically be moved into the July program year.
• You are still required to submit your annual report by September 30, 2014.
• You will be required to complete another online annual report by March 31, 2015. (The work you did to fulfill the requirements for the Annual Report submitted in September 2014 will count toward the March 2015 report.)

If you are in the July program year:

• Your deadlines remain the same

If you are a public-sector employer:

• At this point you will experience NO changes and will remain in the JANUARY program year.

For private sector employers not enrolled in the DFSP, but thinking about it, the next enrollment deadline is April 30. With the changes to the program, this will be your ONLY time to enroll in 2014. Your next opportunity will be in April 2015. If you have questions, reach out to your BWC Employer Service Specialist, your workers’ compensation third-party administrator or Working Partners® at 614-337-8200 or 866-354-3397.

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