LIMA — Ohio has vaulted from the 39th to the seventh-best state for business, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted told local employers Thursday at a workers’ compensation law forum in Lima.
Husted, John Logue from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Jim Hughes from the Ohio Industrial Commission, and Janelle Mutuszak and Robert Solt IV from Bugbee and Conkle spoke at the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Law Forum at Shawnee Country Club in Lima.
Husted emphasized career centers retaining the youth and living the American dream in Ohio.
“I want our children and grandchildren to stay, live and work in Ohio,” he said. “If you’re not partnering with local career centers, you’re missing an opportunity.”
The workforce has become an issue, due to the population having more people in the age range of 55 to 64 than 15 to 24.
Logue shared that the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has seen its workforce decline from 3,500 employees in 1994 to just over 1,500 today, not due to cuts or layoffs but because of fewer claims.
“We used to see 250,000 injuries every year from state-funded employers; this year, we’re expecting around 65,000 claims,” he said, noting aggregate premiums are below $1 billion. He attributed the decline to safer workplaces and highlighted complacency as the biggest controllable threat.
As chairman of the Ohio Industrial Commission, Jim Hughes connected with small-business owners by emphasizing the need for efficiency and certainty in decision-making.
One example he noted was during the pandemic. He highlighted the challenges posed by the pandemic, noting that while remote work complicated in-person hearings, his team effectively utilized WebEx for virtual meetings, ensuring continued efficiency.
Janelle Mutuszak, a 20-year employee at Bugbee and Conkle, specializes in workers’ compensation hearings. She explained temporary total compensation for injured workers in Ohio, which replaces lost income. Claimants receive 72% of their wages for the first 12 weeks, then 66.67% thereafter, with no set limit on duration. TTD can end if the claimant returns to work, is released by their doctor, reaches maximum medical improvement, or is offered suitable, less demanding work.
Robert Solt IV from Bugbee and Conkle discussed a work injury case involving an employee who lost her balance. A drug screen revealed 745 nanograms per milliliter of marijuana, over 20 times the legal limit to operate a vehicle. He noted that under Ohio law, there’s a rebuttal presumption for intoxication, which calls on the employee to prove drugs or alcohol did not cause the injury.
“You have to prove that this intoxication did not cause the injury,” he said.
Solt acknowledged that the wheels of justice often move slower than anticipated, but he is confident that a resolution will be reached soon.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
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