Welcome to the Industrial Commission
Agency News
Three Hearing Officer Manual policies have been updated and will take effect as of Monday, August 2, 2010. The policies updated were Memo E7, Memo I5 and Memo K1. To view the changes, click the Hearing Officer Manual link in the Quick Links bar on the right.
We've implemented telephone interpreting services to better serve you and save more than $80,000 annually.....Full Story
We've launched video hearings to increase the efficiency of our service to you while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in Ohio workers’ compensation premiums....Full Story
A procedural change will shave 7-14 days off of the Commission Level hearing appeals process...Full Story
Innovative cost-saving measures will help us save Ohio employers $3.3 million dollars per year in workers' comp premiums! A Cleveland Plain Dealer story spells out how we did it....Full Story
About the Industrial Commission
The Industrial Commission (IC) of Ohio conducts over 180,000 hearings annually and most of these hearings take place within 45 days of the original claim appeal. What does that mean to you? It means you can expect great customer service as we provide a forum for appealing Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) and self-insured employer decisions.
Our mission: Serve injured workers and Ohio employers through expeditious and impartial resolution of issues arising from workers' compensation claims and through the establishment of adjudication policy. Throughout the appeals process, the Industrial Commission assists parties via our toll-free customer service and TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) phone lines, our askIC@ic.state.oh.us general email address, by providing interpreting services, and with assorted Web services.
Hearings on disputed claims are conducted at three levels within the Commission: the district level, the staff level, and the Commission level. The Governor appoints the three-member Commission and the Ohio Senate confirms these appointments. By previous vocation, employment or affiliation, one member must represent employees, one must represent employers and one must represent the public. The executive director manages the agency’s day-to-day operations.
While BWC is responsible for collecting workers' compensation insurance premiums, overseeing the insurance system, and paying out compensable claims, the IC is responsible for:
- Providing a forum for fair and impartial claims resolution
- Conducting hearings on disputed claims
- Adjudicating claims involving an employer's violation of specific safety requirements
- Determining eligibility for permanent total disability benefits
The IC's independence from BWC allows it to more fairly adjudicate disputes over those benefits. For a breakdown on how well we’re serving you, read the Industrial Commission 2010/2011 Budget Booklet entitled Building on a History of Fiscal Prudence. This Booklet was published in March 2009 to provide information about the IC to legislators during the state’s biennium budget process.
To learn how the IC works to resolve disputed claims, see The Appeals Process.
I.C.O.N.
I.C.O.N. is your online resource for managing your hearing file. Logon to file appeals, objections, continuances, cancellations, request services, and view or add documents to your hearing folder.
Customer Service
We're here to help! Call, fax or email us at askIC@ic.state.oh.us with questions and concerns.
Forms
Download individual PDFs of IC forms.
IC Policies
Get the information you need to comply with IC rules, resolutions, policies and guidelines.
The Appeals Process
Confused about the process or what is expected of you? Visit the Appeals Process section to learn the ins and outs of workers’ compensation claims and hearings.
