Ky. Issues Record Number of WC Citations, Fines

A record number of workers’ compensations citations and fines have been issued by the Kentucky Office of Workers’ Claims, which said it issued 1,100 citations in 2005 up 709 from 2004. The office oversees workers claims and issued the citations to employers who failed to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees.

According to a news release from Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s office, the penalties resulting from the citations totaled a record $737,775. The smallest penalty assessed was $200, while the largest was $50,000.
Citations were issued in the construction, trucking, manufacturing, retail and professional-services industries.

Kentucky law requires any employer with at least one employee to carry workers’ compensation coverage.

Investigators from the Office of Workers’ Claims investigate businesses based on leads, complaints from the public, random inspections and reports of employee injuries.