(A) Not later than thirty days after the formation of a professional employer organization, a professional employer organization operating in this state shall register with the administrator of workers' compensation on forms provided by the administrator. Following initial registration, each professional employer organization shall register with the administrator annually on or before the thirty-first day of December. Commonly owned or controlled applicants may register as a professional employer organization reporting entity or register individually. Registration as a part of a professional employer organization reporting entity shall not disqualify an individual professional employer organization from participating in a group-rated plan under division (A)(4) of section 4123.29 of the Revised Code.

(B) Initial registration and each annual registration renewal shall include all of the following:

(1) A list of each of the professional employer organization's client employers current as of the date of registration for purposes of initial registration or current as of the date of annual registration renewal, or within fourteen days of adding or releasing a client, that includes the client employer's name, address, federal tax identification number, and bureau of workers' compensation risk number;

(2) A fee as determined by the administrator;

(3) The name or names under which the professional employer organization conducts business;

(4) The address of the professional employer organization's principal place of business and the address of each office it maintains in this state;

(5) The professional employer organization's taxpayer or employer identification number;

(6) A list of each state in which the professional employer organization has operated in the preceding five years, and the name, corresponding with each state, under which the professional employer organization operated in each state, including any alternative names, names of predecessors, and if known, successor business entities;

(7) The most recent financial statement prepared and audited pursuant to division (B) of section 4125.051 of the Revised Code;

(8) If there is any deficit in the working capital required under division (A) of section 4125.051 of the Revised Code, a bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or securities with a minimum market value in an amount sufficient to cover the deficit in accordance with the requirements of that section;

(9) An attestation of the accuracy of the data submissions from the chief executive officer, president, or other individual who serves as the controlling person of the professional employer organization.

(C) Upon terms and for periods that the administrator considers appropriate, the administrator may issue a limited registration to a professional employer organization or professional employer organization reporting entity that provides all of the following items:

(1) A properly executed request for limited registration on a form provided by the administrator;

(2) All information and materials required for registration in divisions (B)(1) to (6) of this section;

(3) Information and documentation necessary to show that the professional employer organization or professional employer organization reporting entity satisfies all of the following criteria:

(a) It is domiciled outside of this state.

(b) It is licensed or registered as a professional employer organization in another state.

(c) It does not maintain an office in this state.

(d) It does not participate in direct solicitations for client employers located or domiciled in this state.

(e) It has fifty or fewer shared employees employed or domiciled in this state on any given day.

(D)

(1) The administrator, with the advice and consent of the bureau of workers' compensation board of directors, may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to require, in addition to the requirement under division (B)(8) of this section, a professional employer organization to provide security in the form of a bond or letter of credit assignable to the Ohio bureau of workers' compensation not to exceed an amount equal to the premiums and assessments incurred for the most recent policy year, prior to any discounts or dividends, to meet the financial obligations of the professional employer organization pursuant to this chapter and Chapters 4121. and 4123. of the Revised Code.

(2) A professional employer organization may appeal the amount of the security required pursuant to rules adopted under division (D)(1) of this section in accordance with section 4123.291 of the Revised Code.

(3) A professional employer organization shall pay premiums and assessments for purposes of Chapters 4121. and 4123. of the Revised Code on a monthly basis pursuant to division (A) of section 4123.35 of the Revised Code.

(E) Notwithstanding division (D) of this section, a professional employer organization that qualifies for self-insurance or retrospective rating under section 4123.29 or 4123.35 of the Revised Code shall abide by the financial disclosure and security requirements pursuant to those sections and the rules adopted under those sections in place of the requirements specified in division (D) of this section or specified in rules adopted pursuant to that division.

(F) Except to the extent necessary for the administrator to administer the statutory duties of the administrator and for employees of the state to perform their official duties, all records, reports, client lists, and other information obtained from a professional employer organization and professional employer organization reporting entity under divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section are confidential and shall be considered trade secrets and shall not be published or open to public inspection.

(G) The list described in division (B)(1) of this section shall be considered a trade secret.

(H) The administrator shall establish the fee described in division (B)(2) of this section in an amount that does not exceed the cost of the administration of the initial and renewal registration process.

(I) A financial statement required under division (B)(7) of this section for initial registration shall be the most recent financial statement of the professional employer organization or professional employer organization reporting entity of which the professional employer organization is a member and shall not be older than thirteen months. For each registration renewal, the professional employer organization shall file the required financial statement within one hundred eighty days after the end of the professional employer organization's or professional employer organization reporting entity's fiscal year. A professional employer organization may apply to the administrator for an extension beyond that time if the professional employer organization provides the administrator with a letter from the professional employer organization's auditor stating the reason for delay and the anticipated completion date.

(J) Multiple, unrelated professional employer organizations shall not combine together for purposes of obtaining workers' compensation coverage or for forming any type of self-insurance arrangement available under this chapter. Multiple, unrelated professional employer organization reporting entities shall not combine together for purposes of obtaining workers' compensation coverage or for forming any type of self-insurance arrangement available under this chapter.

(K) The administrator shall maintain a list of professional employer organizations and professional employer organization reporting entities registered under this section that is readily available to the public by electronic or other means.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 27, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2017.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 493, §1, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.179, SB 139, §1, eff. 4/1/2013.

Effective Date: 11-05-2004; 2007 HB100 09-10-2007