Quote of the day
"We never intended to target illegal immigrants with this."
Utah Rep. Michael Morley, R-Spanish Fork, who sponsored legislation that overwhelmingly passed the Utah Senate and House and was signed into law in March
Does Beehive State Law Target Illegal Immigrants?
To some it is an anti-illegal immigration measure aimed at denying workers’ compensation to illegal workers. For its supporters, “Morley’s Law” will prevent injured workers who are cleared to return to work from collecting disability benefits if they are in jail, fired for cause or for breaking the law. By Steven Oberbeck, Salt Lake Tribune [with photo] Go to the Full Story…
Keystone State City Must Pay Officer’s Attorney Fees
The city of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., must pay more than $20,000 for an injured police officer’s attorney fees after a court affirms that the city improperly denied him workers’ compensation benefits, the city police union claims. According to Tom Kupetz, president of the Wilkes-Barre Police Benevolent Association, the city’s action resulted in “a complete waste of the taxpayers’ money.” By Bob Kalinowski, Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice
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First Cardinal CEO Seeking New Business
Richard Flaherty, president and CEO of First Cardinal Corp., says he is looking for new business to keep his 220 employees busy now that the future of its workers’ compensation self-insured trusts is in question. By Eric Anderson, Albany Times Union
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Upstate Courthouse Contractor Target of Lawsuits
The construction manager for the $30 million Oneida County Court House renovation since 2003 has been sued at least 15 times by subcontractors, banks, bonding companies, a union and the state Workers’ Compensation Board, for failure to pay his bills on other projects, a review of documents at the County Clerk’s Office shows. By Elizabeth Cooper, Utica Observer-Dispatch
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New York Bus Driver Accused of Fraud
In New York, a 73-year-old Onondaga County man is arrested for allegedly improperly taking $27,089 in workers’ compensation benefits while employed as a bus driver in Rome, the New York State Insurance Department reports.
Go to the full story in the Rome Sentinel
Go to the full story in the North Country Gazette
Attorney Criticizes Decision to Close Upstate Service Centers
The Workers’ Compensation Board decision to close numerous hearing locations in upstate New York will force struggling injured workers to travel farther to hearing points, in the face of exorbitant fuel costs. By Justin S. Teff via Albany Times Union
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Gang Attack Creates Complex Situation in New Zealand
Five years ago in New Zealand, a man was paralyzed from the waist down in an apparent gang attack in the car park of his employer premises. The event started a long dispute over who was liable to pay a huge workers’ compensation bill—the employer, or the state-owned insurer. By Gary Sheeran, Sunday Star Times via Stuff.co.nz
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Aussie Unions May Punish Government for Workers’ Comp Stance
Angry Australia unions could move to embarrass Premier Mike Rann’s administration a second time if it refuses to enter negotiations over workers’ compensation entitlements, which it slashed earlier this year without consulting the unions. By John Wiseman, Australian
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