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It is high praise from the Ohio Manufacturers' Association that the group is asking the state's next governor -- whoever that might be -- not to touch the state's workers' compensation system or undo reforms that have generated results for employers AND workers.
It is not broken. It does not need a politician to fix it.
"Ohio's workers' compensation system is working, and the next governor should keep it that way," said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. "Employers are paying the lowest rates in more than 65 years, injured workers are protected and surplus funds are being returned to the businesses that paid them. Those are results worth protecting."
Among the reforms that have produced such results are strengthened professional governance, improved transparency, required actuarially sound rates and LIMITED POLITICAL INTERFERENCE (emphasis ours), according to the OMA.
Anyone new in the governor's office is going to feel as though they need to do a little meddling. Leaving things alone just doesn't sit right with a person who has swept in declaring everything is wrong and they are the only right.
"The next governor will inherit a workers' compensation system that is delivering strong results," Augsburger said. "The job is not to dismantle it. The job is to protect the progress, maintain fiscal discipline and keep the system working for Ohio workers and employers."
In addition to low rates, billions of dollars have been returned to Ohio employers because of the way the workers' compensation system is run.
Surely no politician wants to be associated with undoing that. Let's hope they can restrain themselves.