A comment on my most recent article got me to thinking about how the employees of SAIF, the Oregon State Fund for workers’ compensation, really feel about the termination of their CEO, John Plotkin. It was related to the many responses the articles about his termination have generated on this site. That comment said, and…
Rub a Dub-Dub, State Workers in a (Hot) Tub
I’m pretty certain of one thing. Next time the Ohio Industrial Commission holds a meeting, I want to be invited. At least to the after party. The Ohio Inspector General’s Office says no laws were violated, but four hearing officers created “an appearance of impropriety” by attending a party hosted by two lawyers who represent…
SAIF Employees, Seems Your Board Doesn't Want Your Input
Well, the Oregon DOJ has responded to former SAIF CEO John Plotkin’s requests regarding their proposed Name Clearing Hearing (NCH), and lo and behold, it seems the employees will not be encouraged to attend. You guys will need to speak to the principal to request a hall pass, it would seem. Be sure to have…
SAIF's Actions on Plotkin Give State Funds and Workers' Comp Industry an Undeserved Black Eye
I’ve said it previously in other posts. I was raised in a small town in the mountains of Southwest Colorado, where I learned that a man’s handshake was his word, and his word was his bond. For many during the 70’s when I was growing up, it was an unshakeable code of the west. Things…
Plotkin "Inappropriate" Comments Revealed: They're Kidding, Right?
The alleged comments that got SAIF CEO John Plotkin fired last month were recently made available to me, and if accurate they only bring additional incredulity to the entire affair. Plotkin, who was let go for “making inappropriate comments” to employees after just 3 months on the job, was terminated with such speed and absence…
Now Ignoring Co-Workers is Worse Than Bullying Them
We thought being harassed by the office bully was bad, but it turns out that overt harassment is better than having him ignore us completely. I can barely keep up with the worst offensive actions of the workplace. I've written about office bullying in the past, but a recent study now indicates that bullying isn't…
SAIF Offers "Name Clearing Hearing" to John Plotkin – But Whose Name Are They Trying to Clear?
The Oregon Department of Justice, speaking on behalf of SAIF Corporation, the Oregon workers’ compensation state fund, has extended an offer to recently terminated CEO John Plotkin to hold a “Name Clearing Hearing”. The ludicrous offer is apparently intended to give him an open forum to tell his side of the story, and reads as…
A Lake Tahoe Lesson for Workers' Comp
My wife and I flew in to Reno on Tuesday, and since we are traveling with her bicycle, I had reserved an intermediate SUV to accommodate our needs. The rental agency did not have any vehicles in that class, so they upgraded me to the largest one they had – a black GMC Yukon XL;…
Bob's Guide to Political Correctness
It has become obvious to me that political correctness, that creeping, insidious thought-cancer that has permeated every fiber of our societal existence, is here to stay. It is equally obvious to me that some of you Neanderthals that read my blog are still struggling with the concept, and this may be limiting your social and…
Governor Kitzhaber, Is Oregon the New North Dakota?
Dear Governor Kitzhaber, I have been very critical in the past of the Peoples Republic of North Dakota (PRND), for the treatment received by a past director of Workforce Safety & Insurance. WSI is North Dakota’s state fund for workers’ compensation insurance, similar to your SAIF Corporation, except it is monopolistic. Unlike your agency it…