Here’s a Tip

Tips are great because they help us to make better choices, save time, and keep us out of trouble. An Ohio prison guard must not have read the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) guide that explains, ”once you return to work, temporary total [worker’s compensation] benefits cease.” (As you might guess, he returned to work, but kept receiving the benefits.)

The BWC’s Special Investigation Department received a tip that the prison guard may be working following a call from a managed care organization to the man’s home. (The person who answered the call explained that the man was not there, but at work. Oops.) The prison guard had failed to notify with BWC that he had returned to work and continued to withdraw the temporary total disability benefits from his benefit debit card.

The man pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of workers’ compensation fraud. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, but the jail term was suspended for a five-year probation period. The prison guard is also required to pay back the BWC $5,918 in restitution. His probation could be terminated if he pays the full amount in a shorter period.

I find it curious that this man worked with criminals and knew what he was getting himself into by not properly notifying the BWC that he had returned to work. Here’s a tip – if you don’t want to end up with a criminal record, don’t exercise poor judgement and lie about your situation to the government.

Source: Today’s ”Fraud of the Day” is based on an article entitled, ”Prison guard cheats workers’ comp system, must reimburse BWC,” published by the Ohio Bureaus of Workers’ Compensation Special Investigations Department on January 20, 2017.

Jason E. Chamberlin of Kingston, about 11 miles northeast of Chillicothe, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of workers’ compensation fraud Jan. 12 in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

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