Workers' Comp Info Session Planned
WORKFORCE West Virginia and its Region VI Business Center are coordinating a third
information exchange event focused on the legislative changes to the West Virginia
Workers' Compensation Agency.
"The state is shifting to a privatized system. Every West Virginia employer will
be impacted by these changes, which begin in January 2006," said Paul Schreffler,
Fairmont State Director for Economic Development and Workforce Education. "This workshop
will help companies understand how they will be affected, as well as to identify how
they can begin to take advantage of programs that can reduce their rates."
The workshop will be held on Thursday, May 19, in the boardroom of the Preston County
Board of Education office, 300 Preston Drive, Kingwood, (behind Preston Area High
School). The event is scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost of the workshop is
$25.
The Fairmont State Community & Technical College's Center for Workforce Education
is supporting this effort to educate employers and the public on the upcoming changes
to the Workers' Comp system. FSC&TC can deliver training and other services that will
help a business reduce its rate.
The May 19 event will focus on the "Evolution of an Employer's Mutual Company." The
featured speakers, David Casto, Director of Safety and Loss Control, and Lisa Smith,
Ombudsman specializing in small business matters for the Workers' Compensation Commission,
will be leading the information exchange sessions. They will also be joined by safety
and risk reduction experts who can confidentially answer specific questions and provide
technical support.
"The Region VI Business Center is the Workforce Investment Board's employer component
for the 13-county region. The Center and the WORKFORCE West Virginia partners have
made a commitment to inform and support our local employers through this monumental
change," said Penny Weidner, Director of the Business Center.
For more information, call the Business Center at (304) 292-5568. Pre-registration
is encouraged.
