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CLIENT ALERT: BWC issuing $1.5 billion in premium refunds to Ohio employers

Client Alert

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has now reported that the Board of Directors approved a proposal to send $1.5 billion of the agency’s revenues to Ohio employers covered by the BWC system.

BWC will begin sending checks to private and public employers in late September, with payments expected to continue into October. These funds are available, according to BWC, due to strong investment returns, falling injury claims and other operational efficiencies.

This refund is expected to be 88 percent of the 2017 policy year premium. While the bulk would go to private companies, an estimated $114 million would go to counties, cities, townships and other local government entities. Nearly $50 million would go to public school districts.

In order to be eligible to receive this refund, an Ohio employer must complete their True Up in a timely fashion.  Other eligibility criteria, employer-specific, may apply as well.

The BWC is also pushing their PAR Program, which eligible employers can apply for and, if successful, the employer can recover 50% of their premium, up to a rebate maximum of $2,000.00

Private employers should have already received their True Up notices.  Please feel free to call us if you need or want advice or assistance with any Workers’ Compensation-related matter.

For more information, contact Richard L. Williger via email at rlwilliger@bmdllc.com or call (330) 253.3770.


Department of Education Proposes Redefinition of “Professional Degree,” Excluding Nursing and Limiting Graduate Loan Borrowing

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would redefine “professional degree” programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposal excludes nursing from the recognized list and would impose new borrowing limits for graduate students while eliminating the Grad PLUS program. Public comments are due by March 2, 2026.

First-of-Its-Kind Federal Ruling Finds Use of Consumer AI Tool May Destroy Attorney-Client Privilege

On February 10, 2026, Judge Jed Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a first-of-its-kind ruling finding that documents generated by a criminal defendant using a consumer AI platform were not protected by attorney-client privilege after being shared with counsel. The court treated the AI tool as a third party, concluding that entering sensitive information into a publicly available platform may waive confidentiality. The ruling also suggests that the work product doctrine may not apply where AI-generated materials are created independently by a client rather than at counsel’s direction. The decision signals that parties should exercise caution when using consumer AI tools in connection with legal matters.

Your Golden Chance for H-1B Lottery Registration - March 2026

USCIS H-1B registration opens March 4–19, 2026. U.S.-based employees on valid nonimmigrant status are exempt from the $100,000 fee for change of status petitions. The new weighted lottery favors higher-skilled and higher-paid employees, improving odds for advanced degree holders and Wage Level 3 or 4 workers.

Invisible Algorithms: The Hidden Role of Artificial Intelligence in USCIS Immigration Processing

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are now integrated into numerous operational functions within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These tools are described as mechanisms to improve efficiency, reduce backlogs, and assist officers in managing an unprecedented volume of applications. DHS emphasizes that human adjudicators retain decision-making authority and that AI systems do not independently grant or deny immigration benefits. Find out how AI affects the U.S. immigration process.

OAAPN | Year In Review: 2026 Ohio Board of Nursing and Ohio Law Rules

Find out key changes to Ohio law and the Ohio Board of Nursing rules that have directly impacted APRN practice over the past year, including Psychiatric Inpatient Documents, Intimate Examinations, Signature Authority, Duties Related to Fetal Death, Retail IV Therapy Clinics, Release from Permanent Restrictions, Disciplinary Action, Course on Drugs and Prescriptive Authority, Overdose Reversal Drugs, Office Based Opioid Treatment, Withdrawal Management for Substance Use Disorder, Safe Haven Program, and more.