Workers’ Compensation Pilot Program

An interesting pilot program is coming into formation for Butte County, California.  This pilot program will require those seeking to perform contract work with the county to prove they have workers’ compensation insurance for their workers.  For now, if approved, the program will apply to roofers and swimming pool builders.

There are presently criminal and civil penalties for not having workers’ compensation insurance or obtaining inadequate workers’ compensation insurance by fraud.  (Picture the agent selling insurance in the office of the employer, being told that there are a total of four employees working for the company when he can clearly see more than that working in the warehouse.)

I, for one, am always in favor of making life easier for businesses and employers.  Enough of California’s companies are being poached by the likes of Arizona, lured away with promises of New York Iced Tea and some of the lowest Workers’ Compensation costs in the country.

But while I am for making the laws easier to understand and cheaper to comply with, I can not abide the fraud some employers engage in to avoid paying Workers’ Compensation costs.  This gives them an unfair advantage when competing with employers who bite the proverbial bullet and follow the law.

Hopefully, this program will be adopted in more counties throughout the state and for more than just roofing and swimming pool work.