More Charges Rolled Out Against Washington Trucking Company Owners

March 27, 2002
An investigation by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries results in additional felony charges against a couple who are already in big trouble with the state.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) investigation of a Clark County man and woman, part of the state''s crack down on workers'' compensation fraud, has resulted in the filing of additional felony charges against the already-in-big-trouble couple.

Clark County prosecutors recently filed the charges against Larry J. and Phyllis Ann Brossard, owners of Bandits Express trucking company, accusing them of falsifying payroll records to avoid paying more than $82,000 in workers'' compensation premiums for their employees. The couple pleaded not guilty.

They already face several other counts of falsifying payroll records to avoid paying $224,000 in taxes. Included in that amount are workers'' compensation premiums owed for employees of several companies the couple owns, including Brossard Excavating and Bumper Boats. During that investigation, which dates back to 1996, sheriff''s deputies also discovered the couple was growing marijuana.

An on-going investigation by L&I auditors recently turned up another company owned by the couple. An audit of that company revealed that between August 2000 and March 2002 the Brossards knowingly misrepresented to L&I the number of hours worked and the amount of their payroll for drivers working at Bandits Express.

The L&I case is expected to go to trial on July 15.

The prosecution of the Brossards is part of a stepped-up fraud investigation effort at all levels by L&I. "Our goal is to level the playing field, so that an employer who breaks the law doesn''t have a financial advantage over a company that looks out for its employees'' welfare by contributing to workers'' compensation," said Joel Sacks, deputy director of L&I.

Between March 1998 and March 2000, the agency conducted 724 audits of unregistered employers who weren''t reporting hours and therefore weren''t contributing to the workers'' compensation fund. In the most recent two-year period, ending Feb. 28, 2002, L&I conducted 1,364 audits and assessed more than $5.6 million in premiums.

Other areas of fraud also have received attention. Over the past 12 months, the agency has issued dozens of fraud orders against injured workers who were illegally collecting time-loss benefits. Some of the orders have been to collect payments and penalties as high as $425,000.

And last summer, L&I inspectors and auditors began focusing on residential wood framers who weren''t contributing to the workers'' compensation program. That initiative is about to enter a new phase next month, when L&I appeals to home builders and general contractors to stop doing business with framing subcontractors who aren''t registered and don''t have an up-to-date account with the state''s industrial insurance program.

by Sandy Smith ([email protected])

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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