Media Advisory: Feb. 24, 2009

BWC to Hold Saturday Call Center Hours to Assist Employers Paying Premium

Live support available at 1-800-OHIOBWC and ohiobwc.com from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 28

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) will open its customer call center this Saturday to assist Ohio’s private employers in meeting the February 28 premium payment deadline. Employers may contact live customer service representatives by calling 1-800-OHIOBWC or visiting ohiobwc.com from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“BWC recognizes that Ohio employers are under tremendous pressure to remain profitable while meeting the demands of their day-to-day operations,” said BWC Administrator Marsha Ryan. “Ensuring the timely filing of their workers’ compensation insurance premium should not add to their burden. Because the premium payment due date falls on a Saturday, we want to accommodate those employers who may need that extra day to submit their timely premium payment by making staff available to them if they have questions or filing difficulties.”

Live support representatives will be available to:

• Accept premium payments from credit card and bank accounts by phone;
• Accept payroll reports; and
• Answer inquiries from employers.

Employers wishing to make medical provider service, safety service inquiries and claim-related inquiries are encouraged to use self-service options at ohiobwc.com and 1-800-OHIOBWC. Live support for these inquiries will be available during regular business hours on Monday, March 2.

The ability to make premium payments and report payroll is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at ohiobwc.com.

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