Tulsa School District Takes Action, Reduces Workers' Comp Costs

Thursday, May 26, 2016 | 0

As the Tulsa Public Schools district is bracing for more budget cuts, this year it has taken steps to reign in its workers’ comp costs, according to Fox23 News in Tulsa.

Because the cost of claims was rising “drastically,” according to Kenneth Calhoun, executive director of human capital for Tulsa Public Schools, the self-insured district this year hired a risk management team to educate teachers in workplace safety.

That move has saved the school district $1 million, according to the news report.

That should reduce its workers’ compensation spending by 25 percent, as the district set aside $4 million a year in 2014 and 2015 to pay claims.

The district recorded 572 claims in 2015, compared to 601 in 2014. To date this year, it has received 500 claims.

The district also plans to hire an in-house attorney to deal with contested workers’ comp claims. To date, the district has used outside counsel.