US Representative Ocasio Cortez Fined – NY Daily News Workers Comp Article
The NY Daily News Workers Comp article has been circulated around the blogosphere for mostly political means. Many of my fellow Workers Compensation bloggers publish articles that are politically-based. I try to avoid that as much as possible.
The article by Kenneth Loveth was the original source.
How could an article on forgetting to pay your workers compensation premium bill not jump off the page? Even a young Congresswoman that many consider a champion of the people (Socialist?) can forget to provide her campaign workers with the most basic of necessary benefits.
The NY Daily News workers comp article pointed out that she had forgotten to pay Workers Comp premiums for her campaign workers covering the month of April 2018.
Did she receive any special forgiveness for her campaign’s oversight? She definitely did not receive any special treatment. The New York Workers Compensation Board fined her $1,500 for going without coverage. What would have happened if one of her workers seriously injured themselves on the job?
Of course, Ocasio Cortez was excoriated by both Democrat and Republican pundits. This situation, unfortunately, rears its ugly head in the PR arena.
Tina Fey paid a similar fine when she neglected to cover her workers a few years ago. The same thing occurred in this case. However, Ms. Fey was originally fined $79,000. The NY Workers Comp Board then realized she might have had at least partially adequate coverage.
Ms. Fey and the Board agreed that her fine should have been reduced to an unreported amount.
Both situations show two things:
- Not paying your workers comp premiums will catch with you eventually
- The NY Board shows no favoritism or mercy – pay premiums or pay a fine
We receive at least a call or email once per week where an employer has let their Workers Compensation lapse. J&L Risk Management Consultants cannot fix an unpaid premium bill even if some of it was disputable.
The bottom line – do not forget to pay your workers comp premiums or your company may end up creating a column for the NY Daily News Workers Comp.
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