Adverse Effects of Workers’ Compensation Fraud
Workers’ Compensation fraud hurts both businesses and its employees. Fraud drives up Workers’ Compensation insurance costs and affects every employer across every industry. When Workers’ Compensation premiums rise, employers may be forced to cut back on employee benefits such as raises, health insurance, and even jobs. The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Fraud Poster is a proactive tool you can use to beat the high cost of fraud in your workplace.
The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Fraud Poster is designed to help your employees become aware of Workers’ Compensation fraud, the consequences for fraudulently making or handling claims, and how to report Workers’ Compensation fraud. Informing individuals of the prohibited conduct and consequences can help deter fraud and encourage fraud reporting.
Oregon Workers’ Compensation Fraud Prevention
The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Law provides that any person who knowingly makes any false statement or representation to the officials or employees of the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Department of Consumer and Business Services, the Workers’ Compensation insure carrier, or to a self-insured employer, for the purpose of obtaining any benefit or payment under law, either for himself/herself or for any other person, or who knowingly misrepresents to one of these entities the amount of a payroll, or who knowingly submits a false payroll report to any of these entities, commits a Class A misdemeanor. Individuals committing a Class A misdemeanor may be fined up to $6,250 and/or up to one year in jail.
In addition, Oregon’s Health Care Payment Fraud Law makes it a Class C felony to: (1) knowingly make or cause to be made a claim for health care payment that contains any false statement or false representation of a material fact in order to receive a health care payment; or to (2) knowingly conceal or fail to disclose to a health care payor the occurrence of any event or the existence of any information with the intent to obtain a health care payment to which the person is not entitled, or to obtain or retain a health care payment in an amount greater than that to which the person is or was entitled. A Class C felony is punishable by a fine up to $125,000 and/or up to five years in jail.
Individuals committing workers’ compensation fraud are also subject to revocation or denial of their claim, offset for benefits fraudulently obtained, restitution, and civil judgments.
The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Fraud Poster contains a space where an employer can identify its workers’ compensation carrier and contact information so that fraud can be reported and investigated.