News Digest 1-7-2020

Wrongful death suit filed against Connecticut factory for fatal machine accident

The relatives of a 29-year-old Florida man who was killed June 7 in an industrial accident at New Milford, Connecticut concrete block and brick manufacturing company, when he became entangled in a conveyor belt system, have filed a wrongful death suit against his employer. His sisters accuse the company of failing to have adequate and/or appropriate safeguards, such as emergency stop devices, side rails and stair protection. NewsTimes (Danbury, Conn.)

Tennessean columnist: Nashville being built on pyramid of payroll tax fraud

According to some estimates, $2.6 billion in payroll tax fraud is lost annually, while Nashville construction projects add up to more than $2 billion. However, local and state lawmakers fail to take action to prevent it or to implement any form of oversight, argues Victor White of the Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council. Tennessean [with video]

New York roofer sentenced for workers’ comp fraud

A 54-year-old Amsterdam, New York residential roof contractor who failed to appear for sentencing for conviction of fraud charges in 2017 was sentenced last week for charges including failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance. Recorder

Physicians discuss healthcare workers’ protection legislation

“We have been threatened with bodily harm by the very people we seek to help more times than we care to count,” contend Dr. Gregory Jasani, emergency medicine resident at the University of Maryland and Dr. Aamir Hussain, internal medicine resident in Manhasset, New York. Here, the two physicians discuss the Workplace Violence Prevention for Healthcare and Social Service Workers Act that was recently passed by the U.S House of Representatives. Baltimore Sun