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Tag:
Workers' Compensation
Albany, NY
Politics
NY Law Expands Workers’ Comp For Job-Related Mental Health Crises
New York is taking a major step toward supporting mental health in the workplace. A bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul Friday, Dec. 6, allows employees statewide to file for workers’ compensation for specific types of mental injury caused by extraordinary work-related stress. The crucial protections were previously limited to first responders. “New Yorkers work hard — and those who have experienced the unthinkable while on the job deserve to be treated fairly,” Hochul said. “The mental health crisis our country has experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented, and we need to do …
Lakewood, NJ
News
Worker Fell 80 Feet Inside Jersey Shore Water Tower, Painting Contractor Fined $485K:
Osha
A painting contractor was facing nearly $500,000 in fines after a worker fell 80 feet to the bottom of an Ocean County water tower without safety gear, officials said. The U.S. Department of Labor cited U.S. Tank Painting for three willful and 19 serious violations, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a news release on Wednesday, July 24. The DOL proposed $485,580 in penalties for the Millstone Township company. OSHA said the contractor didn't install the required safety equipment to prevent an employee from falling inside the Bayville wat…
Ashburn, VA
News
Loudoun Deputy Wounded In Accidental Shooting Faces Long Road To Recovery, Campaign Says
Support is on the rise for a Loudoun County sheriff's deputy who was struck by a bullet in an accidental shooting during a routine training exercise last month. Loudoun County Master Deputy Kenny Foster was identified by a GoFundMe campaign as the victim of the June 13 accident. Launched by the Loudoun Dulles FOP Charitable Foundation, the campaign says the shooting caused serious internal damage resulting in three surgeries for Foster, including one to repair his main artery. While Foster — an avid handyman — has returned home to his wife and two boys, he faces a long recovery, acco…
Newburgh, NY
News
Hudson Valley Man Steals $30K In Workers' Compensation Intended For Late Mother, DA Says
A Hudson Valley man is among two defendants accused of stealing thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation intended for his late mother. Orange County resident Bryan Dunn, age 51, of Maybrook, and Hunter Diaz, age 26, of Port Richey, Florida, were arraigned on insurance fraud and related charges in Orange County Court on Tuesday, April 16. According to prosecutors, Dunn and Diaz conspired to steal more than $30,000 in workers’ compensation checks that were issued to Dunn’s late mother. The two were arrested following an investigation by the multi-agency Orange County White Collar Crime …
Drexel Hill-Upper Darby, PA
News
PA Family Dollar Employee Bilked $170K Through Workers' Comp Scheme: AG
A Delaware woman will spend at least five years in a Pennsylvania prison after admitting to defrauding two employers through a workers' compensation scam, authorities say. Victoria Newell-Brown, 56, pleaded guilty to 10 felonies in October, said the Attorney General's Office in a release. In 2019, while working at a Family Dollar store in Philadelphia, prosecutors said Newell-Brown claimed she was "totally disabled" from a fall. The company paid her medical expenses, workers' compensation, and wage-loss benefits for $1,500 every two weeks for over two years, according to of…
Jersey City, NJ
Police & Fire
Jury Awards $5.3M To Worker Injured At Site Of 45-Story Jersey City High-Rise
A jury in Jersey City awarded $5.3 million to an ironworker who underwent a series of surgeries and was left disabled by an accident at the site of a downtown luxury high-rise condominium project, his lawyers announced. Attorneys with the Clark Law Firm argued that AJD Construction Company created the hazardous condition by using pieces of a building it was replacing as fill on the site of the 235 Grand complex in downtown Jersey City. “This left large chunks of concrete, wood, and glass strewn about the site, including on the job access road which was used by everyone to walk around the si…
Paramus, NJ
Business
These 27 NJ Boston Market Stores Have Reopened After Failing To Pay 314 Workers
The 27 Boston Market stores in New Jersey that were issued stop work orders last month for failing to pay hundreds of employees have reopened. It gets better, the workers have been compensated. The chicken chain became the center of an investigation by the state's labor department when East Hanover employee Cathy Grimes reported that she and the dozen workers she managed hadn't been paid for two months, the DOL said. It wasn't long before more employees from across the state came forward, too. An investigation by the DOL found that 27 Boston Market stores in the Garden State had not been …
Springfield, MA
News
Western Mass Officer Suspended Over Alleged $87K Workers' Comp Fraud: Police
The agency responsible for policing standards has suspended a man who was an officer in Connecticut and Massachusetts and who lives in Massachusetts after he was charged with illegally receiving nearly $87,000 in workers' compensation benefits while working in Connecticut. Matthew Hubbard, age 55, of Agawam in Hampden County, was one of four officers suspended by Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training. Hubbard had worked as a corrections officer at a Connecticut prison and claimed he was hurt responding to a call on Aug. 7, 2020, the Connecticut Division of…
Newburgh, NY
News
Hudson Valley Man Receives $19K In Fraudulent Worker's Comp, DA Says
A Verizon Communications employee in the Hudson Valley has been arrested for allegedly filing fraudulent Worker's Compensation claims. Ulster County resident Jason Vega, age 48, of Marlboro, a hamlet of Marlborough, was arrested in Orange County on Thursday, April 13 in the town of Newburgh. According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, between February 2021 and July 2021 in the town of Newburgh, Vega presented medical reports, in support of an application for Workers’ Compensation benefits, which indicated he was unable to perform certain physical functions and movements…
Jersey City, NJ
News
$1.3M Owed By Contractors Of Jersey City High-Rise For Labor Violations: State Officials
A multi-agency New Jersey probe resulted in 20 contractors being fined more than $1.3 million in back wages and penalties, state officials said. The contractors were performing construction work at 88 Regent St. in Jersey City. More than 60 investigators, including those from the state Attorney General's Office and Labor Department, conducted an unannounced sweep in the summer of 2021 in response to allegations of workers being underpaid or paid off the books. Grand Street Construction, LLC of Jersey City, the owner/ general contractor on the project, did not return requests for comment.…
Newark, NJ
News
Update
: NJ Admits Errors, Clears Correctional Officer Over Motorcycle Gang Membership, Side Gig
New Jersey authorities have dropped a case against a correctional police officer who'd been accused of hiding his membership in two outlaw motorcycle gangs. Ruben Morales, who worked at the state prison in Newark, had also been accused of hiding a food truck business he worked on the side. All of the accusations were recently nullified, however, with the dismissal of a state indictment that had been filed against him. Morales, a correctional officer for nearly 20 years, had publicly professed his innocence since the announcement of the indictment in early 2021. Things finally changed last…
Paterson, NJ
Police & Fire
NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG
Two New Jersey residents are facing federal charges for failing to provide workers compensation to an injured employee and stealing more than $19,000 in unemployment funds, authorities said. Richard Hockenberry, 71, of Hawthorne, and Brianna Larkins, 34, of Secaucus, were both charged by way of indictment for the employment benefit-related crimes, Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Monday, May 9. One of Hockneberry's employees at his landscaping company became injured at work on Feb. 26, 2018, Platkin said. On May 4, 2018, the victim filed a Workers’ Compensation…
Somers, NY
News
Area Contractor Indicted For $2M Workers Comp Fraud, DA Says
An area contractor has been indicted for allegedly providing false information to obtain required workers' compensation insurance. Rockland County resident Anthony Frascone, age 51, of Congers, and owner of Alpha-Omega, was indicted by a Rockland County grand jury on Friday, Jan. 14, for two counts of grand larceny and insurance fraud, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh. According to the DA's Office, Frascone was indicted following an investigation by the office's Special Investigation Unit, which found he provided false information to acquire legally required worke…
Mahopac, NY
News
Ex-Doctor From Area Admits To Wire, Health Care Fraud, ID Theft In Scheme To Obtain $876K
A convicted felon from the Hudson Valley who previously surrendered his medical license is facing more prison time after posing as a credible orthopedic surgeon and collecting nearly a million dollars to review patient files. Hopewell Junction resident Spyros Panos, a former surgeon who practiced in Poughkeepsie, pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme in which he obtained more than $876,000 to review files related to healthcare appeals and Workers Compensation cases. Panos was previously been convicted of …
Ossining, NY
News
Sing Sing Prison Guard Arrested For Falsifying Documents To Get Workers' Comp
A prison guard at Sing Sing prison in the Hudson Valley was arrested for allegedly falsifying documents to receive thousands of dollars in illegal workers’ compensation. Staten Island resident Darquis Wright, 39, was arraigned in Ossining Town Court this week on nine counts of offering a false instrument for filing after submitting fake medical documentation for more than a year. New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro said that over the course of 16 months, Wright used the false medical documentation to obtain more than 100 days in Workers’ Compensation leave and more than $1…
Newark, NJ
Police & Fire
Feds: NJ Postal Worker Admits $687,000 Slip And Fall Scam
A former U.S. Postal Service worker from Essex County admitted Monday that she pocketed unreported income -- and traveled to France and Africa -- while collecting $686,588 in workers compensation payments for an on-the-job slip and fall that she claimed disabled her, federal authorities said. Janeide Chillis, 53, of Irvington, pleaded guilty during a teleconference in exchange for leniency at a scheduled Sept. 10 sentencing on fraud and making false statements charges. Chillis began receiving workers compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Labor after reporting that she'd been inj…
Cortlandt, NY
News
Area HS Basketball Coach Placed On Leave After Admitting To Collecting $17K For False Injuries
An MTA bus driver who lives in Northern Westchester and who worked as a high school basketball coach in Putnam County admitted to collecting workers comp benefits while still maintaining his job on the court, despite being uninjured. Tyrone Searight, 49, of Peekskill, who coaches in the Haldane Central School District, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after he claimed to be injured in 2016, forcing him out of his job as a bus driver. Despite being allegedly injured, Searight was caught by investigators continuing to coach at Haldane, all while collecting nearly $17,000 in workers' compe…
Norwalk, CT
Lifestyle
Norwalk Cop's Wife Who Helped Get Big Win For Wounded Cops Appears On 'Fox & Friends'
The wife of a Norwalk police officer who helped get wounded cops a big win appeared with her family on "Fox & Friends" this week. Debbie Roselle pushed for Connecticut lawmakers to introduce and ultimately pass Phil's Bill No. 556 so public safety officers can receive their full pension if permanently injured in the line of duty. Appearing on the Fox News morning show with her husband Phil Roselle and sons, Ryan and Michael, Wednesday, June 26, Debbie told how Phil, a 30-year officer with the Norwalk Police Department was shot at a precinct shooting range in 2017. …
Stony Point, NY
News
Area Man Accused Of Defrauding State Workers’ Compensation Fund Out Of $33.7K
A 56-year-old man has been accused of defrauding the state workers’ compensation fund out of more than $33,000, police say. Robert Marra, of Crawford in Orange County, falsely reported the extent of his injuries to his doctors and independent medical examiners, according to a collaborative investigation by the NYS Department of Financial Services, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, Marra was deemed fully disabled and received a total of $33,700 in benefits from the NYS Workers’ Compensation Fund that he was not entitled to, acc…
Bronxville, NY
News
Report: Ex-Employee Sought Cash Before Bludgeoning Northern Westchester Socialite
The former day laborer who bludgeoned northern Westchester socialite Lois Colley to death with a fire extinguisher in 2015 reportedly sought money before killing his former employer. Esdras Marroquin Gomez, an ex-day laborer also known as “Victor,” admitted to second-degree murder in Westchester County Court on Monday, May 6, and will face 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on June 13. According to a lohud report, Gomez was pursuing a worker’s compensation claim against the Colleys after he was injured while working on their farm. At approximately 5 p.m. on Nov. 9, 2015, Gomez …
Elizabeth, NJ
Police & Fire
Linden Firefighter Can't Sue Over Prank That Injured His Privates, Appeals Court Rules
A Linden firefighter cannot seek damages for a prank that resulted in an injury to his scrotum, a state appeals court has ruled. The Appellate Division panel upheld a lower court decision Monday dismissing a lawsuit filed by the firefighter, Raymond Johns. Johns was on the toilet at the firehouse on Nov. 27, 2015 when, he said, he felt a small explosion. Examining himself, he said he discovered a bleeding blister on his scrotum. On the toilet seat, Johns said he found the remnants of a bang snap -- a small firework that detonates when compressed. J…
Monsey, NY
Police & Fire
Monsey Fire Department President Charged With Workers Comp, Medicaid Fraud
A respected Rockland firefighter has been charged with fraudulently collecting more than $100,000 in Workers Compensation and Medicaid payments while employed. Raphael Ziegler, 41, the Monsey Fire Department president and a former New Hempstead fire inspector, filed for and accepted the monies while out on disability and working outside jobs and running a side taxi business, said state Inspector General Leahy Scott on Thursday in a joint news release with acting Rockland District Attorney Kevin Gilleece. Ziegler, of Monsey, who is currently employed as a Fire Protection Spec…
Stamford, CT
Schools
Mold Concern Sparks Student Walkout At Westhill HS
Students at Westhill High School in Stamford staged a walkout on Monday morning as they protest ongoing mold issues in the building. Hundreds of students took to the football field shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, after a message was circulated amongst students. During the walkout, students were advised to wear black and green, and many brought picket signs protesting the conditions at the school. The walkout comes days after a Board of Education meeting where it was announced that dozens of teachers filed worker’s compensation claims over mold-related symptoms. The Stamford Mol…
Paterson, NJ
News
$2M: Elevator Tech Who Fell Through Clifton Roof Grate Settles Suit
An elevator technician who hurt his shoulders and knee after falling through the roof grate of a six-story commercial building in Clifton has reached a settlement for $2.025 million. Brett Riccio's attorney, Richard M. Winograd of Ginarte Gallardo Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., reached the settlement on Sept. 28, according to the practice's website. While walking out of the elevator machine room on the roof in December 2014, 40-year-old Riccio stepped onto a metal grating, which slipped off its angle support, Ginarte.com says. "Mr. Riccio immediately was thrown into mid air …
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Hudson Valley Physician Arrested For Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft
A disgraced former Hudson Valley doctor is back in hot water after being busted for obtaining more than $750,000 by assuming the identity of a licensed orthopedic surgeon as part of an elaborate scheme. Geoffrey Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced the arrest of former physician Spyros Panos - a former orthopedic surgeon from Hopewell Junction who pleaded guilty to stealing millions of dollars from health insurance companies in 2013 - was arrested on Tuesday and is facing new charges for allegedly obtaining more than $860,000 in payments for revi…
New City, NY
Police & Fire
Rockland Business Owner, Wife Charged With Fraud After Mercedes Crash
A Rockland business owner and his wife were arrested Friday on charges they defrauded the workers’ compensation system after the wife crashed a client’s new Mercedes SUV while on a joyride and then claimed it was being used as part of her employment. Tammy Pena, 46, of Chestnut Ridge is accused of claiming she crashed the SUV while working at her husband's business, Sam's Professional Window Tinting in Nanuet, but investigators found she had taken the car out for a joy-ride, according to a joint statement by Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott and Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe…
