Group Retro Lawsuit Update - We Have Filed All the Legal-15 Forms on Behalf of Our Clients

If your business participates in a group retrospective rating program through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC), you may have been following the ongoing legal proceedings tied to group retro refunds. Spooner Inc. wants you to know that we have taken action on your behalf: we have filed all required Legal-15 forms for our clients in connection with the group retro lawsuit, so you do not need to take any additional steps on this matter.

What Is the Legal-15 Form and Why Does It Matter?

The Legal-15 form is an official BWC document used to designate or update a representative who is authorized to act on an employer's behalf in legal and administrative matters. In the context of the group retro lawsuit, submitting this form correctly and on time is a critical step to preserving your rights and ensuring that any potential refund or settlement outcome applies to your account. Missing this filing — or filing it incorrectly — could affect your eligibility to benefit from the lawsuit's resolution.

What Spooner Inc. Has Done for You

As your group retro administrator and workers' compensation consultant, acting on your behalf in these matters is exactly what we are here to do. Specifically, we have:

• Reviewed the filing requirements associated with the group retro lawsuit and the Legal-15 process

• Prepared and submitted a Legal-15 form for each eligible client in our group retro programs; 2018 policy year filed in 2024 and 2019 policy year filed in 2025

• Confirmed submissions to help ensure your interests are properly represented going forward

You do not need to file anything on your own in connection with this particular action. If you received any notice or correspondence from the BWC regarding the Legal-15 requirement, our filing on your behalf is intended to satisfy that obligation.

What Happens Next

The group retro lawsuit is still working its way through the legal process, and the timeline for any resolution or refund distribution remains subject to court proceedings. The BWC’s current position, from everything we know, is that they paid Kent Elastomer and they were the only ones getting refunds from the lawsuit. We disagree with the BWC’s position and their refusal to engage in any meaningful conversation around this issue. The Legal-15s filed in 2024 and 2025 preserved our client’s appeal rights. The most recent activity was a request to set a hearing on the matter for each impacted employer that is a client of Spooner. As developments occur, we will continue to monitor the case closely and communicate updates to our clients. You do not need to take any independent action to stay in line for a potential outcome — your position is protected through our filing.

It is worth noting that participation in the lawsuit process does not require you to do anything differently in how you manage your workers' compensation program day to day. Your coverage, your group retro participation, and your ongoing obligations with the BWC remain unchanged.

Questions About Your Group Retro Program

We understand that legal proceedings like this can raise questions — about what it means for your bottom line, your BWC account, and what you might expect down the road. If you have received any correspondence that concerns you, or if you simply want to talk through how this situation affects your specific account, we encourage you to reach out. Our team is available to walk you through the details in plain language so you can feel confident about where things stand.

Spooner Inc. is committed to managing the details so you can stay focused on running your business. If you have questions about the Legal-15 filing, the group retro lawsuit, or any other aspect of your workers' compensation program, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We are glad to help.