Thanks Will for alerting us to this pathetic press release from Mr Pearce.
Despite the fraction of prosecutions for fraud ever to be brought against workers compensation fraudsters (simply because the overhwhelming majority of claims are genuine), Mr Pearce has decided to get tough on a minor issue. Add two more cases to the other 8 or so prosecutions in recent years and it doesn’t stack up to the tens of thousands of genuine cases each year.
This, we believe, is a cynical attempt to deflect attention away from the fraud inflicted on injured workers (and taxpayers) by his government. Sadly, the timing of this release is an attempt to perpetuate the myth that most injured workers are playing the system.
MEDIA RELEASE Friday, 3 August 2012 FRAUD SENTENCES SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE
The Minister for Finance and Services Greg Pearce said today sentences handed down to two people for WorkCover fraud worth almost $35,000 send a clear message that this type of deceit will not be tolerated.
A 55 year old woman from the Sydney suburb of Allawah has been fined $6000 and ordered to repay almost $14,000 after pleading guilty to claiming workers compensation payments while holding down two other jobs.
A 48 year old man from Green Point on the Central Coast has been ordered to serve 200 hours of community service and must repay just over $19,000 after pleading guilty to claiming compensation payments whilst employed in other positions.
The Chief Industrial Magistrates Court in Sydney was told both workers had been provided documents that clearly stated their obligations to notify the insurers of any other employment.
Mr Pearce said the penalties send a clear warning to the community that this type of offence is treated seriously by the courts and will not be tolerated.
“This type of deceit is effectively stealing from the taxpayer and from a system designed to help injured workers recover and get back into the workforce as soon as practicable,” he said. “It’s essential and expected that all those who use the WorkCover scheme are honest so it can be affordable and look after those it’s designed to protect.
“These sentences also show the penalties for WorkCover fraud are tough not only for the person convicted but also for their families, as the money has to be paid back.
“WorkCover has a system in place to protect the scheme from this type of fraud and these sentences should serve as a warning to anyone considering cheating the system that it’s just not worth it,” Mr Pearce said.
Makes me SICK! Isn’t it interesting that the hard figures (as in how many claims and how many of those claims are fraudulent) are NEVER published in those malignant articles? Why not? Simple, if you would add the figures, the fraud would equal something along the lines of 1%, even 0. someting % and that includes all sorts of “fraud”, as we saw, such as claiming too much travel costs (WTF).
Get the figures, Mr Pearce, just get us the hard figures and let’s talk again about who is defrauding who! Perhaps Mr Pearce would like to compare injured workers fraud figures with employer fraud and insurer fraud?
Well said, what about the dr fraud ; the original ntd i saw about my stress claim for bullying at work; i believe has frauded me since the day i first went to him about bullying at the workplace. i would just about garantee he will never be held accountable for the amounts of money he has obtained from whoever he charges for his serviceas .( WORKCOVER OR ALLIANZ ) IT WAS BECAUSE OF HIS INCOMPETANCE AND NEGLECT OF MY HEALTH . THAT I WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE WORKPLACE AND RECIEVED FURTHER PHYSICAL INJURIES . when i should not have been working .purely because of the amount of stress i was subjected to from my previous job. oh i forgot to mention MEDICARE the doctors SLUSHFUND . THESE CLAIMS ARE REAL AND GENUINE FOR EVERYONE . (EXEPT THE VICTIMS) the whole fraudulent scam is run by doctors , lawyers and the government . the government don;t give a stuff if you are on a disability pension for the rest of your life . it;s good business for the doctors .The drug companies these doctors push drugs for; AND THE HEALTH SYSTEM . ESPECIALLY THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM . BECAUSE THATS WHERE YOU END UP .SLANDERED AND DEFAMED ; DEHUMANIZED AS A HUMAN TO THE POINT THAT YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER MEALTICKET FOR THE HEALTH SYSTEM. THIS IS (BULLYING BY THE BIG LEAGUE)
I forgot to provide some evidence before, read more to decide whether it was a fraud:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-27/flood-hero-insurance-claim-denied/2956326
0000.1% or thereabouts.
This is how I see fraud Mr Pearce:
Denying legal entitlements to injured workers by way of
- passing retrospective laws.
- providing false information to them about the laws.
- Intimidation by the Insurers.
- rejecting previous court orders.
I wonder if he could come up with some examples when Insurers or case managers on their behalf were prosecuted for fraud.
I just cannot buy the argument that all insurers speak gospel truth all the time. Promise me to prosecute FRAUD case managers, if I prove them so.
SO we add another one or two people to the list of fraudsters it still isn’t the plague or is it mmm
Was handed a “constructive dismissal” on Jan 13th without any prior warning to this happening. I was on 14hrs suitable duties and 14 wc payments which made up my p/t job of 28hrs. 8 yrs service with these scum.
This corrupt local council with a bully/thug GM told me that they couldnt afford 14hrs of pay! LOL Its discrimination of any injured worker but they couldnt care and told me to leave.
So because they stated that due to a limited budget they couldnt sustain 14hrs I asked for my redundancy of 8yrs which was 28 weeks plus 5 weeks termination notice and $2000 help in looking for another job. What a joke they told me I was still employed, even though I was not required to be at work. This went on for 6 months until finally I was terminated on July 27th and again in the letter we have a limited budget.
I am in the IRC for harsh and unfair dismissal, full hearing in November.
Meanwhile in statements to the insurer to deny any psychological claims I had lodged due to losing financial security and the despair of not been able to pay outstanding debt which also impacted on my daughter… and at the age of 55, disabled my chances of finding a job=zilch…..Council had stated a month after I was told to leave and it was written in BOLD, I was stood down on FULL PAY! Well shiver me timbers more like 80% of my basic P/T pay over the last 6 mths (s38 payments?)
Had to go to the big smoke yesterday and see the Insurer JLT (StateCover) ( second largest in the world), asked politely if somebody could help me with the forms as I didnt want to be fined or placed in prison.
The receptionist rang 3 different people, nobody had the decency to come out and help me and told me to leave the forms on the table. Rudeness! Shows Insurers dont have the guts or fortitude to meet victims.
So I sat there in their expensive plush lounge watching the Olympics on the large plasma screen. After a while I explained to the receptionist who was only a temp it wasnt her fault that nobody had the courtsey to help a disabled women who had traveled for 2 hrs to see them.
I even placed my CV to them as the insurer have stated they will terminate payments if I dont look for 5 jobs a week They are financially huge they could easily support my 14hrs!
This failed government of NSW has tarnished all victims with the same brush!
How about they look at the corrupt employers and Insurers who are bullies and thugs.
Gee, Barry OFarrell your wonderful new wc laws about not terminating injured workers on suitable duties seems to have fallen on death ears namely my local government employer. Rather be fined 50 penalty points or more likely not because NSW Workers Commission has arbitrators who have acted previously as barristers for the Insurers couldnt care less about the plight of the majority of victims.
One more thing for Barry OFarrell whom Im sure reads this via his government spies and Insurer spies. Your future changes to wc law in regards to annual and long service leave has already been implemented by my Insurer. Against the Workers Compensation Act they refused to pay any wc payments while on long service and annual leave and yet expected me to go to all medical appointments and also not provide reimbursements for travel.
No wonder people commit suicide, its an easier option than to put up with this constant mental abuse. I saw that terrible story about a young girl that was with Armaguard who eventually hung herself.
But I have a daughter to think about and her future is my important then my pain and misery so I wont be following that path.
Up yours Barry and StateCover and my employer !!