Workers Compensation out of control at Briggs

By Ross Winklbauer

As reported in the last 7-232 Reporter, the Company has hired Corvel Corporation to bring in "so called" rehabilitation nurses. At the time, Scott Shaver, the manager of Worker’s Compensation at Briggs, said "I’m not trying to be strong handed, I’m just trying to control costs".

It has become very obvious, that wasn’t the case at all; not only is he being strong handed, but he has let the worker’s compensation area get totally out of control. Take the case where the worker’s comp. department decided a person has been off too long, even though the employee’s doctor classified them as totally disabled.

They just stopped their benefits. Fortunately, the employee called the Union and the Union was able to get their benefits paid again. The Company doesn’t have the right to just cut off benefits. Corvel had been calling people at home after work harassing them, when they could’ve spoken with them at work when the Union representatives were available. When they do go ahead and talk with them at work, they do it right on the shop floor instead of doing it in private.

During shutdown, they were calling people at home and harassing them while there were no Union reps. available to explain to our members what their rights are. They also sent letters to some members with a pass telling them their injuries weren’t work related and they had to get back to work or get laid off.

These "so called" nurses are trying to act like treating physicians by attempting to examine the workers. Again, they do not have that right.

Worker’s comp has been sending so many people to these "so called" independent doctors for exams that it makes you wonder if they are receiving some type of kick-backs from them.

The manager is trying so hard to make a name for himself that one of his own case workers got hurt while doing work that is normally done by our Union people or outside contractors. It will be interesting to see how long it is before he sends her for an independent medical exam and has it come back "not work related".