Real or fake? Revealing workers’ compensation fraud

Employers want to believe the best of their employees, but some see a workplace injury as a way to make easy money. (Photo: iStock)

Security cameras in a company cafeteria recently captured a brazen attempt to fake a workers’ compensation injury. The video shows that the man dumped a cup of ice onto the floor, disposed of the cup and then laid down on the floor as though he slipped on the ice. Prosecutors have charged the man with insurance fraud and theft by deception.

In this case, the fraud was well documented. Most employers don’t have cameras in their lunch rooms or other areas of their workplaces. It can be difficult to prove someone has faked an injury in the workplace without cameras catching them in the act. But the consequences of undetected workers’ compensation fraud are enormous. Fraud is a costly financial burden to employers and taxpayers, and it interferes with providing benefits to the vast majority of injured workers with legitimate claims.