Media Advisory: March 5, 2009

BWC and IC Consolidating Springfield and Dayton Service Offices

Agencies’ efforts will save more than $1 million per year

COLUMBUS – In an effort to achieve greater efficiency and cost savings, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) and the Industrial Commission of Ohio (IC) will close their Springfield Customer Service operations, effective Friday, March 27, 2009. The Springfield operations will be consolidated with current operations in Dayton. The closing will result in a total annual cost savings of more than $ 1 million in fiscal year 2010 and will eliminate current service and operational redundancies, lower administrative costs and save on commercial lease expenses.

“Now is the time to think creatively about how we can provide quality customer service while operating more efficiently through the reallocation of our resources and staff,” said BWC Administrator Marsha Ryan. “Given the close proximity of both offices, this consolidation makes good business sense. It will save BWC more than $760,000 a year, make the most of our resources and ensure customers of each office receive complete services in a single location.”

The Springfield office has operated at 1 Limestone Street since opening in February 1994, and has been operating as a “satellite” office of the Dayton Customer Service Office since January 2008. At that time, BWC office lost 16-percent of its workforce, including the service office manager, due to an early retirement incentive. BWC currently has 29 permanent employees assigned to Springfield and the IC office has four. This consolidation plan eliminates the need for BWC to fill four critical hire positions in Springfield and one position in Dayton. While BWC and the IC will retain all current employees, through attrition, the IC eventually will not backfill two clerical positions and a manager position, saving an additional $173,000 per year.

“The consolidation of the IC’s Springfield office with the Dayton office will allow the IC to make the most efficient use of its resources,” said IC Executive Director Christa Deegan. “The significant fiscal savings to the IC over the next 10 years will be in excess of $3.1 million. We look forward to continuing to provide excellent customer service at our combined Dayton location.”

BWC staff located in Springfield service approximately 6,422 active employer policies and 4,746 active injured worker claims. However, a recent 12-month study of office walk-in traffic showed just 33 employers and 10 injured workers visit the office each month. The IC has seen a 20-percent reduction in the volume of injured workers and a 13-percent reduction in the number of employers who use services in the Springfield office over the past four years.

Beginning March 30, customers who previously received services through the Springfield office can visit customer service offices in Dayton or Columbus. Employers and injured workers may also access their BWC accounts online at www.ohiobwc.com or may speak to a customer service representative by calling 1-800-OHIOBWC. To reach the IC, customers may visit www.ohioic.com or call 1-800-521-2691.

BWC and the IC currently have 15 customer service offices located throughout the state to service injured workers and employer customers within assigned geographic territories. In December 2007, BWC closed two underused customer service facilities located in Bridgeport and downtown Cincinnati, consolidating those operations with nearby BWC facilities for a savings of more than $800,000.

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