While the 2005-2006 hurricane season necessarily diverted much media attention to homeowners' insurance, the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC), part of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), quietly racked up some impressive numbers in its past fiscal year.

Its aggressive pursuit of employers who flout the state's workers' compensation laws and regulations has contributed in helping employers save more than $1 billion in workers' compensation premiums during the last several years. The division also has seen a reduction in fraud and ensured coverage for more than 30,000 workers who were previously uninsured.

One of the integral bureaus within the DWC is the Bureau of Compliance (BOC). During the current fiscal year that began July 1, 2005, the bureau has issued more than 2,400 stop-work orders (SWOs) and has levied more than $45.7 million in penalties against non-compliant employers. At this pace, it appears that the BOC will match or exceed its fiscal year 2004-2005 statistics.