New York City man indicted for defrauding more than $35K from state
A Bronx man was indicted Friday for allegedly falsely claiming he was fully disabled and unable to work at his state job so he could collect more than $35,000 in workers’ compensation. The 49-year-old man was a full-time employee at the New York City Children’s Center working as a mental health therapy aide and was injured on the job in 2019. Although for about a year he claimed he was fully disabled and swore under oath he was not working, the investigation found he was able to work and was working increased hours at his part-time job. Bronx Times
Workers’ comp in Idaho has paid more than $2 million connected to COVID-19
The Idaho Legislature recently considered amending the workers’ compensation law in Idaho to include vaccine injuries, but the state has already paid out more than $2 million for COVID-19 illnesses and vaccine injuries. Idaho law does not currently specify vaccine injury, but a new bill introduced when the state legislature convened for three days last week would have required businesses that mandate their employees to be vaccinated pay the employee workers’ compensation if the employee receives a vaccine injury. Idaho Statesman
Family of man killed in explosion files wrongful death suit against company
A lawsuit on behalf of the family of a who who died in an explosion November 12 at a Lubbock, Texas chemical plant has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company alleging the employer failed to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Everything Lubbock
Washington L&I fines employer $140K for COVID-related issues
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has fined an industrial employer $140,000 for allegedly failing to protect employees from COVID-19 and failing to report COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths after an inspection earlier this year found 15 employees who worked at the same machine tested positive for COVID-19, and of the 15, one died and two others were hospitalized from complications of the virus. The Daily News
Kansas lawmakers meet in special session
The Kansas Legislature is meeting in special session this week to resist the federal government over the vaccine mandate. Legislative leaders waited until the emergency standard was in place to call a special session, but now that the rule is in legal limbo, it’s unlikely the Republican majority will abandon plans to allow employees dodge the mandates simply by invoking religious objections. Hays Post