Raleigh, NC – North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey recently announced that 21.9 million pills were collected during the highly successful Fall 2020 statewide Operation Medicine Drop campaign. The pills, which won’t end up in the wrong hands or in our waterways, were collected by 126 law enforcement agencies and more than 400 drop boxes… [Read more]
Work Force & Human Resource News
Cal/OSHA Standards Board Adopts Emergency Temporary Standards to Protect Workers from COVID-19
Sacramento, CA – The Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board unanimously adopted emergency temporary standards to protect workers from hazards related to COVID-19. The emergency standards will be in effect immediately if approved by the Office of Administrative Law in the next 10 calendar days. The temporary standards apply to… [Read more]
WA COVID-19 Workplace Safety Violators Cited and Fined for Mask Violations
Tumwater, WA – As the number of COVID-19 cases grows in Washington, so does the number of complaints about workplaces violating state Safe Start and masking requirements. Complaints about possible violations are up substantially this week after Gov. Jay Inslee announced new restrictions to help curtail the growing pandemic. The Department of Labor & Industries… [Read more]
CA Electrician Arraigned in $63,000 Workers’ Compensation Insurance Scheme
San Bernardino, CA – Mark Redheffer was recently arraigned on felony counts of insurance fraud and attempted perjury after allegedly lying and concealing information in a workers’ compensation claim in order to receive over $63,000 in undeserved temporary disability benefits from his employer, Southern California Edison (SCE). After receiving a referral from Redheffer’s employer, SCE,… [Read more]
NY Contractor Arrested for Failing to Have Workers’ Comp Insurance After Employee Injury
Albany, NY – New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro recently announced the arrest of a Pearl River-based contractor who failed to obtain required workers’ compensation insurance despite having several employees working on construction jobs. One of the employees was injured on the job. Peter and Kathryn McCann own and operate PMC Construction (PMC), a… [Read more]
MIOSHA Partners with NSF International to Expand COVID-19 Workplace Safety Program
Lansing, MI – Businesses across Michigan can now schedule free COVID-19 safety consultations as a part of the new Ambassador program partnership with NSF International and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). Ambassadors are conducting outreach to statewide businesses to offer education and support to implement regulations on workplace safety. “Partnering with NSF… [Read more]
WA L&I: More Than 20 Farms Cited for Coronavirus Violations Since March
Tumwater, WA – The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) recently announced it has conducted 384 agricultural workplace safety and health inspections so far this year to help make sure farmworkers are safe on the job. One hundred thirty of those inspections of agricultural employers have found violations for various health and safety… [Read more]
NY Woman Sentenced for Cashing Deceased Father’s Workers’ Comp Checks
Albany, NY – New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro recently announced the sentencing of a Randolph woman who stole $3,065.28 in Workers’ Compensation benefits by forging her late father’s name in order to cash the checks. Bonnie S. Slater, 60, of Randolph, was sentenced today in Cattaraugus County Court before Hon. Ronald Ploetz to… [Read more]
Former OH Police Officer Convicted for Workers’ Comp Fraud
Columbus, OH – A retired police officer for the city of Canton recently pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud after the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) discovered him working two jobs while claiming to be permanently disabled. James H. Blaine of North Canton must pay BWC $66,481 in restitution and $23,000 in investigative costs… [Read more]
RI Federal Air Marshal Employee Admits to Disability Payment Fraud
Providence, RI – A former Federal Air Marshal employee recently admitted in federal court in Providence that he concealed his self-employment and then his role in a Middletown-based martial arts business from the United States Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, in order to collect nearly a quarter of a million dollars… [Read more]