Question from a Blue Collar follower:
Dear Blue Collar,
We’re being lied to by one of our employees. Our ‘disabled’ worker was caught playing golf, his limp miraculously cured, laughing and joking and blissfully unaware that he was spotted by a colleague. Our options?
Answer:
Blue Collar itself receives upward of 10 calls/wk from employers who suspect fraud. Indeed, desperate workers sometimes resort to WCB as a lifeline, especially in a weak economy. WCB pays out 90% of salary as compared to $2,000/mo (EI max), thus posing a tempting proposition for the ethically-challenged. At other times, more disturbingly, bad apples are simply gaming a system that can be overtly biased in favor of employees.
So what are your options?
First off, where there’s cause to doubt the veracity of a claim, call your case worker. The Board often shows disdain for any sort of PI surveillance unless they themselves engage someone to uncover malfeasance. Unilateral decisions on your part to hire PI’s can backfire spectacularly, often landing employers in legal hot water.
Our advice is to share your findings with the WCB. They may, or may not, pursue the investigation further. If they demur, you’re at full liberty to hire a PI. Just ensure the investigator is licensed and experienced.
