Wednesday, 15 August 2007 01:37

District Attorney's Workman's Comp Fraud Unit Makes National Headlines

slide8The Worker’s Compensation Fraud Unit headed by the Amador County District attorney’s office is making National headlines for a worker’s compensation case with a twist. This case is not your typical employee claiming an on the job injury. This case involved two managers accused of discouraging employees from reporting actual on the job claims.
Two managers from the Roseville Bel Air Market have been arraigned after state and Amador County investigators alleged the pair committed multiple felony counts of workers' compensation insurance fraud. BelAir store manager Nichole Leddy and her assistant store manager Amy Looper, allegedly discouraged injured employees at the Bel Air Market from filing workers' compensation claims,. The pair is accused of instructing injured employees to seek medical treatment through their private companied sponsored health plans. A press release from the specialized unit states that the investigation, "revealed that Leddy and Looper allegedly discouraged multiple employees from filing claims in order to keep the store record injury-free and earn special store incentives, including barbecues and bonuses for management," the news release said. "The complaint against the managers states that one injured employee was allegedly given cash from the store fund to cover co-payments for private health insurance coverage. Another employee was allegedly instructed to inform her private doctor that an on-duty work injury had occurred at home." The investigation began after the unit received an anonymous tip in March 2007.