Quote of the day
"It seems somewhat excessive to be holding meetings in a luxury resort in Lexington, Ky., when everybody's in West Virginia and we've got plenty of resorts here."
Steve White, director of the Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation, about BrickStreet Mutual's hosting of its annual meeting and golf outing
Investigators Target Bay Area Pallet Manufacturers
Earlier this month, California’s Economic Employment Enforcement Coalition investigators issued 49 citations for safety and labor violations, with fines totaling more than $567,000, in a sweep of Bay Area pallet manufacturers. Employers allegedly failed to pay workers’ compensation insurance, provide proper safety training, and committed other violations associated with the underground economy. By Chaille Brindley, Pallet Enterprise
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BrickStreet Stonewalls on Annual Meeting at Plush Kentucky Resort
BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Co., West Virginia’s sole provider of workers’ compensation coverage until July 1, draws criticism for hosting an annual meeting and golf outing for agents this week at a Kentucky resort even though all of the company’s business is in West Virginia. Agency officials won’t talk about it. By George Hohmann, Charleston Daily Mail
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Advisor in BWC Investment Debacle Settles Case
The investment adviser who was convicted of fraud last year, in connection with the loss of $216 million in Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation hedge fund investments, agrees to pay $5 million to settle a civil case with the state. Mark Lay, chief executive and founder of Pittsburgh-based MDL Capital Management, admits no wrongdoing in the settlement.
Go to the full story by Mark Niquette, Columbus Dispatch [with photo] Go to the full story by AP via Lancaster Eagle
New York Man Admits to Workers’ Comp Fraud
A 51-year-old Solvay, N.Y., man pleads guilty to fraudulently obtaining $17,000 in workers’ compensation benefits by failing to report that he was receiving $75 per week at another job. By Pedro Ramirez III, Syracuse Post-Standard
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Illinois Firefighters Say They’re Getting Hosed
With recent attention to the number of workers’ comp claims by public safety officers in Danville, Ill., in addition to a firefighter’s basketball injury that was charged to the city, some say firefighters are being unfairly singled out. By Amanda Evans, WCIA-TV (Champaign) [with video] Go to the Full Story…
Age Biggest Factor Facing New Zealand’s Comp Scheme
The major macro factor that New Zealand’s accident compensation scheme must deal with over the next four decades will be the aging population, according to a report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Workplace stress and rising medical costs also are identified. Stuff.co.nz
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