Quote of the day
"I think it's a message that goes out, that if you're going to hire undocumented workers, you are not going to be able to use the government services of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and have a worker deported without having them come back."
Stephen J. Dennis, attorney for injured illegal worker Edgar Velasquez, who was deported before he could pursue his workers' comp case; Dennis says he knows of no U.S. jurisdiction other than Rhode Island in which an injured illegal worker has been allowed to return to sue an employer
Prosecutors Drop Felony Charges Against WSI Officials
North Dakota prosecutors dismiss felony conspiracy charges against two Workforce, Safety and Insurance executives due to new information. Sandy Blunt, executive director, and Romi Liengang, special investigations director, had faced charges relating to the use of state transportation department photos in an investigation to identify the sender of a companywide e-mail that disclosed salary information.
Go to the full story by Crystal R. Reid, Bismarck Tribune
Go to the full story by Dale Wetzel, AP via San Diego Tribune
Rhode Island Judge Awards Workers’ Comp to Illegal Immigrant
In a nearly unprecedented case, a Rhode Island judge issues a preliminary order awarding workers’ compensation to a 22-year-old illegal immigrant who suffered severe facial injuries in a chainsaw accident last year while working for a tree services firm, but who was deported to Mexico last year before he could pursue his case.
Go to the full story by Karen Lee Ziner, Providence Journal [With Photo] Go to the full story by AP via Boston Globe
Bay State Worker’s Family Sues City for Wrongful Death
The family of a worker killed in 2004 when a Waltham, Mass., sewer pipe he was repairing flooded files a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the company that subcontracted his employer alleging negligence. By Stephanie V. Siek, Boston Globe [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Bomb Scare at Winnipeg WCB Office
Winnipeg police evacuate the Manitoba Workers Compensation Board’s downtown offices and close four streets following a bomb threat last week. Winnipeg Sun
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Dozen Charged with Fraud in Queens
In Queens, N.Y., nearly a dozen individuals face charges of workers’ compensation fraud totaling more than $300,000, after an investigation by the New York State Insurance Fund, the New York State Insurance Department’s Insurance Frauds Bureau, and the Inspector General’s Office of the State Workers’ Compensation Board. North Country Gazette
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In Show Me State, County Brainstorms for Protocol
Scott County, Mo. commissioners are working to come up with a protocol for workers’ compensation injuries. The county plans to appoint a workers’ comp doctor who will see all injured employees, and administer drug testing the day of the injury. By Michelle Felter, Standard Democrat
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Opinion: Too Soon to Give Up on Privatization
Privatization of West Virginia’s workers’ compensation system, with BrickStreet Mutual easing the transition to a competitive market, is on its way to a successful launch. Hitting the “abort” button is a bad idea. Wheeling News-Register
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Fired Illinois Worker Wins Record Punitive Damage Award
An Illinois jury awards a 63-year-old worker $2 million, in potentially the largest punitive damages payout in county history. The former concrete worker suffered spinal injuries in 2002 when a ladder he was using collapsed; when he applied for workers’ compensation, his employer allegedly fired him. By Matt Hanley, Beacon News (Aurora, Ill.)
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