A total of 100 stop work orders have been issued against Florida employers for not having legitimate workers' compensation coverage, state authorities said.
The Department of Financial Services Division of Workers' Compensation said it took the actions after 848 site visits.
Tom Gallagher, Florida chief financial officer, said that employers who follow the rules have difficulty competing with those who cheat the system.
"We have seen workers' compensation rates fall and the availability of coverage increase in recent years largely due to the efforts of our investigations to root out fraud and abuse," Mr. Gallagher said.
According to his office, there were 35 stop worker orders issued in the Miami area and 65 in Orlando.
"In many cases where it was difficult to establish whether adequate coverage had been obtained, a request for business records was issued," Mr. Gallagher said.
Under a stop work order, a business must immediately cease all operations. The action is lifted once the employer obtains the proper coverage and pays a civil penalty equal to the amount of 1.5 times the workers' comp premiums avoided.
Employers who violate a stop work order face a penalty of $1,000 per day of violation and may also face criminal charges.
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