Carbon approves workers’ comp contract increase

Carbon County officials are making sure employees are safe on the job.

On Thursday, the county commissioners’ meeting, the board voted to approve the 2018 Housing and Redevelopment Insurance Exchange for workers’ compensation. The premium payment is for $408,517, a $9,933 increase over 2017.

Commissioner William O’Gurek said that the premium may have gone up nearly $10,000, but when you look at all the factors behind determining the premium, the county is doing pretty well.

The premium is based on two things, salaries that the county anticipates paying in 2018 and the number of claims that happen in 2017.

“With regards to the salaries, the premium is based on a projection of $13.2 million in salaries in 2018,” O’Gurek said. “That compares to $12.3 million this year.”

The commissioners said that the nearly $1 million jump in salaries is based on situations out of their control, including overtime at the county prison, as well as raises that are anticipated in the coming year.

In the claims department, the county has seen a significantly lower number of claims in 2017 over 2016. In 2016, there were 48 claims totaling $181,000, while so far this year, there have been only 21, totaling $41,000.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein credited Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, the safety team and maintenance department for also taking the initiative to resolve potential safety risks before someone has an accident.

O’Gurek pointed out that the price tag seems like a significant amount of money for workers’ compensation insurance, but in 2008, the county was paying $1,360,000 to the Pennsylvania Counties Workers’ Compensation Trust.

At that time, officials decided to accept proposals from other insurance providers.

The county received 13 proposals and interviewed five companies about their policies on claims handling, loss control, risk management and assessment and return to work policies before choosing HARIE on Dec. 12, 2008.