There is a saying among law enforcement officials that any law is only as good as those who enforce it. That saying is being more than proven by the efforts of the Division of Insurance Bureau of Workers' Compensation Fraud and the Division of Workers' Compensation Bureau of Compliance, as they have continued to take an aggressive approach to ensure that employers and workers are toeing the line when it comes to complying with the law. Whether it is making sure employers are not scheming to pay lower premiums than they should, or investigating workers who are trying to game the system by misrepresenting their injuries, the two bureaus are working hand-in-hand to send a strong signal that fraud will not be tolerated.

"Through our efforts, more and more employers are becoming aware of the workers' compensation law and the requirements to be in compliance," said Andrew Sabolic, chief of the bureau of compliance. "They are also starting to understand the consequences of not following those laws."

A quick look at the numbers tells the story. According to the latest annual report released by the two agencies, in fiscal year 2004-2005 the joint efforts of the BWCF and the BOC resulted in 224 arrests. The arrests represent nearly $9 million in evaded premiums or monies paid on false claims. In February alone, the BWCF made 25 arrests, nearly one per day. Additionally, 48 individuals were convicted of claimant fraud along with 136 employers who purposely evaded the law by misrepresenting their payroll, worked without coverage, or used a fraudulent certificate of insurance. The BOC also issued 2,963 stop work orders assessing fines exceeding $58 million.