OTA Dispatch Issue 2 2020

19 www.ortrucking.org Issue 2 | 2020 WITH THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic and social distancing restrictions, a lot has changed over the past several months. But one thing that hasn’t changed is SAIF’s continued commitment to partner with OTA and provide workers’ compensation at discounted rates for qualifying OTA members. We have remained open for business, with most of our employees working from home offices all over the state. Here are some tips for making sure your workers’ compensation insurance is working for you: DON , ’’ T PAY TOO MUCH IN PREMIUM If your business has had to temporarily close or change the way it operates, both payroll and workers’ compensation premiums will be impacted. Employers should report payroll accurately to ensure they are not paying too much or too little for workers’ compensation. Furlough pay should be handled (and reported for workers’ compensation) in the same fashion as vacation pay; it is not included in the subject wages that are used to calculate premium. Contact your provider to find out how you can revise your payroll report. SAIF policyholders can find detailed instructions for reporting payroll on saif.com/payroll. It also pays to scrutinize the types of work your employees are doing. If their work falls under two or more classifications, keeping detailed records of how it is divided can reduce your premium. CONTROL THE SPREAD OF DISEASE Coronavirus will likely be a long-term concern for Oregon employers. It’s important to put measures in place to control the spread of infectious disease, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, cleaning and disinfection, access to appropriate personal protective equipment, and much more. Employees should stay home when they are ill. Employees who have been exposed to COVID-19, but are not showing symptoms should self-isolate at home, if possible. Visit saif.com/coronavirussafety for guidance from SAIF, the CDC, Oregon Health Authority, and the World Health Organization. CORONAVIRUS AND COMPENSABILITY If an employee gets sick and is diagnosed with COVID-19, is it covered under workers’ comp? Possibly. It depends on whether the employee contracted the virus at work. Under Oregon’s workers’ compensation law, the burden of proof is on the employee to show that, more likely than not, Workers ’ Compensation and Coronavirus What Employers Need to Know By Lyn Zielinski-Mills, Marketing Manager