By Cindy Gomez-Schempp
I was recently interviewed by Al Jazeera America by Pulitzer Prize winning author, writer, and journalist David Cay. He has written extensively, including a book, on worker’s compensation. Cay was genuinely curious about how, North Dakota, one of the smallest and least populated states in the union earns the reputation of having the highest per capita death rate in the country and how the state’s Worker’s Compensation Insurance, riddled with long standing complaints of fraud, claimant abuse, and corruption, could remain out of the national spotlight for so long.
His story , ‘In North Dakota: There Will Be Blood’ was published today May 15, 2014, and can be viewed at this link:
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/5/north-dakota-workerdeathsbakkenoilgas.html#commentsDiv
Following is an excerpt from David Cay’s article:
“Cindy Gomez-Schempp, who has written numerous exposés of the North Dakota workers’ compensation system, argues that the state is more interested in turning a profit from the state-run insurance fund than paying legitimate claims”
“‘We need a workers’ bill of rights,’” she told me, noting that state law says workers must get ‘sure and certain relief’ from death or injury on the job, but denial of claims is what is almost certain.”
“‘The state does not even allow to use an attorney until the end stage of the claims process, which is rigged against workers,’” she said.
To read my exposés on WSI go here:http://thepeoplespressproject.org/community-events-and-news/workforce-safety-insurance-to-be-or-not-to-be-an-insurance-company-and-other-dirty-little-secrets
and here: http://thepeoplespressproject.org/put-bluntly-who-cares