NC Industrial Commission Gives Extensions To Deadbeat Employers
The NC Industrial Commission caused me to take back my kudos. We have been in the business of cutting Workers Comp costs for employers and governmental organizations since 1996. However, we have not and will not aid any employers in illegal practices with their Workers Compensation, especially in not providing coverage to their injured workers.
Last month and earlier this week, I posted on the upcoming North Carolina Industrial Commission’s hearings on employers that did not have Workers Comp Insurance in effect when employees were injured on the job. For some reason, I had thought the Industrial Commission was dropping the hammer.
Today, I read an article from the Charlotte Observer that indicated the employers were given extensions to pay their fines and claims. I am not sure whether to be appalled or just plain surprised at these decisions. If the employers were not going to pay their fines at the hearings, they will likely not pay any claims or fines in the future.
If the Industrial Commission is not going to enforce the rules, what type of effect will it have on other employers in the state? If Company A is getting away with not paying Workers Comp insurance, Company B will never be motivated to pay their premiums.
I then read in the same article where State Congressman Doug Berger introduced a bill that would move the jurisdiction of Workers Comp fraud from the Industrial Commission to the Department of Insurance.
Congressman Berger is the Congressman from my district. I do not necessarily agree with him in some areas. This would be a prudent move in my opinion as you can see from my last article on this situation that there is a very large amount of premium $ that NC is not providing to the Workers Comp system.
The enforcement would likely stabilize the NC Workers Comp even if it would have to add the employers that previously had no coverage to the Risk Pool.
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