Salem, OR – Each year DCBS adopts by rule the workers’ compensation premium assessment rate that is paid by all employers to fund workers’ compensation and workplace safety and health programs. The rule also adopts the rate for an additional amount that is collected from all self-insured employers and self-insured employer groups to fund the Self-Insured Employers Adjustment Reserve and the Self-Insured Employer Group Adjustment Reserve. These funds ensure worker benefits are available in the event of a financial failure of a self-insured employer or self-insured employer group.
This rulemaking will adopt the assessment that will be in effect from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014. Determining the proposed rates requires fiscal year-end (6/30/13) financial data. Before recommending the 2014 rate, the department must analyze this financial data and review and authorize a proposed workers’ compensation pure premium rate filing filed by the National Council on Compensation Insurance. We expect the recommendation for the 2014 premium assessment rates to be announced in mid-September 2013.
A hearing on the proposed Workers’ Compensation premium assessment rate will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013 at the Labor & Industries Building, 350 Winter Street NE, Room F in the basement. Written testimony will be accepted through 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 by the Director’s Office of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, 350 Winter Street NE, P. O. Box 14480, Salem, OR 97309-0405.
Text of the proposed rule, as well as the other rulemaking documents, will be available on or before Sept. 24, 2013 and can be found at: http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/DIR/rules.shtml.
Source: OR DCBS