Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Illegals and Montana Worker's Comp

Most everyone knows that businesses in Montana are strapped by an overly expensive Worker’s compensation program that has been consistently ranked 50th in the nation. Naturally our State Worker’s Compensation Insurance executives are not ranked as the poorest paid and most over worked in the nation.
In reality they should be if their pay was based on performance like it is in most private industry.  Just what is adequate compensation for a team of executives that systematically guides a company into last place year after year?
Various “fixes” are being proposed by the Montana Legislature this session and Representative Gordon Vance, R-Bozeman, submitted House Bill 71 which in essence said that illegal aliens would no longer qualify to collect worker’s compensation benefits. Probably not a huge savings but it’s a start – baby steps but still moving towards the lofty goal of reform. What happened when Vance’s bill went to hearing on Monday you ask? Surprise – surprise! A parade of folks from groups like the Montana Trial Lawyers’ Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and their ilk came scampering into the chambers to bemoan the “wisdom” of Vance’s Bill.

I am getting nauseous just thinking about these idiots. You can read a related story by Phil Drake over at the Montana Watchdog.

13 comments:

  1. This seems like common sense to me. If you are doing a job that it is illegal for you to do, why would you expect to collect any benefits from it? This includes social security as well.
    I doubt this is a problem in Montana, but it is the baby steps that will get this country solvent again.

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  2. playing with pennies again...
    interesting to discover that in most industries pay is dictated by performance...
    never had one of those jobs...
    particularly ones like the banksters and unsurance scammers.
    then there are the politico clowns...
    think if the generales were paid based on victory and least expenditure on the way...
    they would all be drawing food stamps, and should be.

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  3. It doesn't seem like pennies Johnson if you are one of those that are paying the highest
    workers comp rates in the nation.

    It is hard enough to keep a business afloat without getting knifed in the back by your own state with the rates they squeeze out of us

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  4. we are back to the scummies in the hallowed halls again...
    they are optional...
    most of the scammers who headed worker's comp weren't even charged for well known fraud.
    like the utilities, it was a piggy bank for the piggy who was appointed by the piggy who was elected.
    but really, what is mt's portion of the trillion that went down in iraq?...or the trillion that went down to the banksters?...or the trillion plus to the rich in tax freebies and the pharm program?...
    insurance whine is similar to the doctor who cries about his malpractice.
    1% of med cost is malpractice settlement...
    the rest is scam.
    your politico scummies rant about reducing welfare because it's breaking us...
    in reality it is 3% of the budget...
    social security is running us banko, right?
    less than 20% of the budget, most paid by the presently employed.
    so, illegals are hardly the issue...
    politico doing illegal is the issue.
    as long as homer puts up with it...
    the themo-crap/republi-con will cash the checks, thank you.

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  5. Johnson the subject was Worker's Comp. If you want to post the same opinion for every article maybe you should start your own blog.

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  6. There are two different issues here, which probably should not be combined.

    Is there really that many illegal workers in Montana? In Havre? I honestly do not know, and I have not seen any numbers. It does have the smell of political posturing more than actually making sound and workable policy.

    As far as workmans comp, yes it is expensive, yes it is abused, and yes it is necessary.

    It would appear however, that it is an expense that is distributed throughout the different industries, and like industries should be paying about the same rates as each other, therefore it should not be a menace to competition but rather a business expense that is required by the various industries. Of course this would be a hamper to competition should a Montana business be in direct competition will businesses paying lower rates in other states.

    I just can't believe that the high rates are the fault of the apparent huge numbers of illegal workers taking the good Havre Montana jobs that someone is actually paying workmans comp coverage on. I would actually like to know the number of these illegals in Havre, in relationship to the number of border patrol personnel we have here in Havre. Teabaggers any idea? Do they really need the helicopter? What is the fuel budget for the insane fleet of vehicles?

    One more reason that places like this forum should discuss and maybe someone will come up with an idea or plan that can be forwarded as a workable idea to our representation.

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  7. cranky:
    start your own blog is sort of like shut up around here.
    as decon points out, illegals are not an issue in mt (or anywhere else) let alone responsible for high worker comp rates (that sham dates to the origin of the service)...
    which brings up the question of what REAL issues are being hidden by this fake one.
    the answer to that question is the multi-hosing handed you by ALL your "representatives"...
    too numerous to mention...
    and unlikely to ever get addressed.

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  8. Good Job Johnson! You posted on subject. That is all I wanted. I agree with you there are lots of things wrong with our government, but trying to name them all in every post detracts from the conversation.
    We have to start fixing problems somewhere. I guess this is as good a place as any. Although from talking to people that have been injured and needed workers comp, I think a lot of money could be saved by actually paying the claims of injured workers. Every injured person I ever met in this state had to hire a lawyer to get their benefits.
    These were not greedy people that wanted to sue,they just needed money to make their house, and medical payments. By the time they were done they all won their cases costing workers comp about four times as much as it would have if they would have paid when they should have.

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  9. cranky...

    remember that the source of ALL our problems is the same...
    only the names change.

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  10. Well Johnson, when our benevolent dictator for life appears all will be well. Until then maybe we should try and fix the system.

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  11. your benevolent dick-tater is already here...
    since 1650, actually...
    the screws have turned slowly...
    by corps-rat amelika.

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  12. So why aren't we talking about PUNISHING THE PEOPLE BREAKING THE LAW WHO HIRE ILLEGALS!?? If the law were enforced so that they weren't hired they wouldn't be COLLECTING! This is a dead issue to distract you idiots from all the money being stolen in Helena and the graft being given to folks, like some idiot who has a high school education being put in charge of something at the insurance commissioners? You who are worried about this miss the point, the employer is breaking the law by hiring someone who shouldnt be hired. THAT is the probelm, end of story, and if the law breaking employer gets screwed on a workers comp claim well screw him he gets what he deserves for breaking the law by hiring snow or wet backs. Meanwhile your all like the watch dog chasing after the meat scrap while thieves walk off with the big screeen tv.

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  13. bista...

    illegals get no bennies, so they are not a concern for worker's comp...
    they should be, anyone hurt on the job should be covered.
    illegals score best with large companies and corporations which, if you have noticed, tend to be exempt from most laws, especially those in the tax code.
    this whole gig is much like the welfare howl...
    welfare represents roughly 3% of the budget.
    war on the other hand is more than 25% of the budget...
    if you look at your phone bill you will see a tax of a couple bucks...
    that tax is paying interest on the cost of nam, a bill that will likely never be paid off.
    nam was a real bargain compared to the far sands...
    but, who really cares?

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