Help

BI’s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips.

To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “workers compensation”. This will limit your search to that combination of words.

To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “hurricane” & “loss”.

Login Register Subscribe

Man’s comp claim not so squeaky clean

Reprints
dry cleaning

The owner-operator of an Olympia, Washington, dry cleaning business is facing a felony alleging he stole workers compensation benefits by faking the severity of an injury he suffered at his own business, all the while continuing to load and unload washers and dryers, hang and bundle clothes, and serve customers.

Byung Sung Kang, 54, is charged with stealing more than $21,000 in partial wage replacement payments and nearly $50,000 in medical bills, interpreter fees, vocational costs, and other benefits, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

Meanwhile, an L&I investigation filmed Mr. Kang lifting heavy loads of clothing and doing other physical tasks at his shop during the same period he claimed his workplace injury was so severe that he spent his days resting at home.

“It’s unusual to bring fraud charges against business owners,” Chris Bowe, assistant director of L&I’s Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards division, said in a statement. “That’s because most of the people receiving workers compensation benefits are workers. But we do investigate business owners if we receive reports of fraud.”

 

 

 

Read Next