The SAIF Board has cancelled their meet in July,To all their employees it’s a stick in the eye.They are probably hoping until September nigh,That the whole Plotkin scandal will just up and die. There is nothing to talk about – nothing to see,Just a gaggle of people angry at thee,The Board dare not meet less…
Of Heroes and Evil Men: A SAIF Scandal Comparison and a Letter From John Plotkin
This really isn’t a comparison, because truth be told, there is no accurate comparison possible between the two sides of this story. I could have just as easily called this article “Of Heroes and Incompetent Men”, or even “Of Heroes and Incompetently Evil Men”. The preponderance of evidence related to the termination of former SAIF…
Nursing Our Injured Workers' Ain’t No Hooey
A recent article in the Houston Chronicle likely provides a glimpse at what an element of workers' comp will look like in the not too distant future. The subject concerned the use of what is called the ConciergeCLAIM Nurse program run by Travelers Insurance. Travelers touts it as a program that has both lowered cost…
First Complaint Over Plotkin Termination Filed – Did SAIF Board Willfully Violate Open Meeting Laws?
A looming 60 day statute of limitations appears to have prompted the filing of what is no doubt the first of several complaints regarding the SAIF termination of former CEO John Plotkin. Plotkin's attorneys Monday filed a motion for injunctive relief with the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon, Marion County, seeking to void…
Blithely Building a Better Butter Burger
When it comes to employment issues, bad news, it seems, is everywhere these days. Immigration, health care reform, improper terminations, unemployment, rising disability roles, and more – we read about these challenges daily. That is why it was so refreshing to stumble across a “feel good” employment story, and I felt compelled to share it…
200 Attend Plotkin Lunch, Tort Claims Notice Filed; Oregon Press Awakens From Its Slumber
It has been a busy week for the people of SAIF, where the Plotkin termination scandal continues to wreak havoc while the dedicated employees and staff struggle to maintain their professionalism and commitment, just working through every day. Tuesday was the company's 100 year anniversary, and it hosted a celebration at the Salem Convention Center.…
The Existential Texas Roofer: Employer Responsibilities in Workers' Comp and Those Pesky Specific Hypotheticals
The topic of workers’ compensation and employer responsibility has found its way into the Texas Governors race, and it presents some interesting philosophical questions for our industry. The Texas Tribune reported Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is running for governor, has indicated he wants to maintain the current ability of employers to opt-out of workers’…
Domestic Employer Lesson Number 72: Don't Hire Your Nanny From Craigslist
In our ongoing effort to help improve employer effectiveness, we offer today’s lesson in the Domestic Employer category. People looking for someone to live in their home and care for their children should probably not hire people they find on Craigslist to perform those tasks. A couple in California thought they had found the ideal…
Bob's Not So Excellent Portland Adventure
I am supposed to be in Portland, Oregon this morning. I should be having breakfast in my hotel, the Hyatt Place Portland Airport/Cascade Station, and then getting in my rental car and driving to Salem, where I would have the opportunity to lunch with SAIF employees as well as John and Kim Plotkin. Yes, I…
SAIF Saga: Even the Salem Witches Got a Trial
I’ve made reference previously comparing the Plotkin/SAIF saga to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The fundamentals for those persecutions were eerily similar to those in the termination debacle that has unfolded in the Oregon city of that name. It was probably, in retrospect, an unfair comparison. The witches, after all, actually got a trial…