Ohio Appeals Panel Tosses Fraudster’s ICO Complaint

• An Ohio appeals court panel denied a woman’s complaint against the Industrial Commission of Ohio, which found she had engaged in fraud by working at a California addiction and recovery facility while being paid temporary total disability compensation.
• Despite having signed a form to allow total temporary disability compensation and checked “no” when asked whether she was working in any capacity, she sent an email to Big Lots’ compensation manager using an email address associated with California Palms Addiction and Recovery Campus, where she was discovered to be working.
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Twin Cities Cop Sacked in Brutality Cases Sees WC Claim Approved

• A Minneapolis City Council committee approved a $100,000 workers’ comp settlement with former police officer Michael Griffin, who cost the city nearly $411,000 in legal fees for police brutality lawsuits in 2010-2011.
• He was sacked in 2022 for carrying a rifle without authorization or training and lying about it.
• According to local reports, misconduct is not legally relevant to whether the city has to pay workers’ comp benefits.
• Griffin is the latest of hundreds of police officers who’ve left the force since the 2020 police murder of George Floyd, with most retiring early and getting disability pensions and workers’ compensation settlements due to post-traumatic stress disorder.
• His was one of four similar $100,000 settlements with officers approved this week. The settlements are paid out of the city’s self-insurance fund.
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NY WCB Sets Webinar on Best Practices to Access Benefits

• New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board’s Advocate for Injured Workers will offer a webinar best practices workers can use to access their benefits.
• Dubbed “Workers’ Comp 202” the 90-minute free program will cover topics ranging from understanding labor market attachment, to the importance of items such as the degree of disability and the Carrier Continue Payments order.
• Two sessions have been scheduled on Feb. 12 and March 25.
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California Rating Bureau Promotes Andrea Coleman to Lead

• The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California has named Andrea Coleman to be president and CEO.
• Coleman joined the WCIRB in May 2022 as EVP and COO, with broad responsibilities, including several operational areas and the contact center.
• She succeeds Bill Mudge, who moved to the CEO emeritus role until his retirement on April 1.
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