§1178. Cost containment meeting; incentive discount

            A. The office shall develop and implement informational cost containment meetings for all employers on the target list compiled pursuant to R.S. 23:1177 that shall, at a minimum:

            (1) Educate employers on how the experience modifier is computed and what financial benefit the business may realize by lowering it. Include an explanation of immediate credits provided for by this Subpart, long-term cost savings that may be earned, and potential cost savings to all employers of this state.

            (2) Educate employers on the correlation between safety, low accident rates, and low premiums.

            (3) Educate employers on the correlation between a low accident rate and a good safety training program.

            (4) Educate employers on monitoring and follow-up methods on claims filed against their insurance by their employee or former employee.

            (5) Educate employers on methods which minimize unnecessary claims by treating injured employees with consideration and courtesy.

            (6) Inform and encourage the employers to participate in the OSHA section's occupational safety and health program and notify them of cost credit that may be earned from satisfactory implementation pursuant to R.S. 23:1179.

            B. The office shall inform all eligible employers on the target list of the dates and locations of cost containment meetings to be held in areas throughout the state, as determined by the office. The employers shall be informed that if a designated representative from the company attends the meeting, the company will be granted a reduction in its experience modifier at the rate determined in R.S. 23:1179(B).

            C. All insurers writing workers' compensation insurance in this state shall allow a two percent reduction in the Louisiana workers' compensation premium for an eligible employer who attends, by a designated representative, a cost containment meeting sponsored by the OSHA section. This credit shall be granted only for a one-year period.

            D. Any eligible employer who has been given notice of a cost containment meeting, and fails to attend shall be fined an amount equalling two percent of the Louisiana workers' compensation premium for the succeeding policy year. The fine shall be payable to the secretary of the commission and shall be remitted to the state treasurer for deposit in the Office of Workers' Compensation Administrative Fund.

            E. Procedures to establish proof of attendance of a cost containment meeting by designated representatives of eligible employers shall be established by rule by the office. Employers who would otherwise be eligible shall be allowed to requalify for this reduction only once every four years.

            Acts 1991, No. 1026, §1; Acts 1992, No. 794, §1; Acts 1995, No. 124, §1, eff. June 12, 1995; Acts 2018, No. 612, §7, eff. July 1, 2020; Acts 2018, 2^nd E.S., No. 12, §1, eff. June 12, 2018; Acts 2019, No. 404, §1, eff. July 1, 2020.

            NOTE: See Acts 2018, No. 612 and Acts 2019, No. 404 providing for the effects of the conversion of certain dedicated funds to special statutorily dedicated fund accounts.