Tesla is a company that is under constant scrutiny when it comes to media coverage and recently it has been investigated repeatedly for allegations of workers’ compensation violations. Tesla’s very public face puts a spotlight on this issue and the company has learned the hard way that even when allegations are only allegations, they can still cast a negative light on a company, especially in California where workers’ compensation law often seems to favor employees over employers. Los Angeles employers workers compensation defense attorneys know that it is important to provide an aggressive defense when it comes to allegations of workers’ compensation and other employment law violations.
Tesla has been accused of denying adequate medical care and workers’ compensation to injured employees in an effort to keep employee injuries off of the books so that the company appears to have fewer workplace injuries than they actually do in order to improve their safety record. In a newly released report, the Center for Investigative Reporting revealed allegations that Tesla’s workers’ compensation manager pressured doctors to keep work place injuries off of the books and as a result, injured employees did not receive adequate medical care for their injuries. Employees were reportedly often sent back to work when they should have been given lighter work duty or had time off to recover.
Recently, a Tesla employee started a GoFundMe page alleging that he was injured on the production line at Tesla due to the company’s gross negligence. He claims that he has been unable to work due to his injuries for over four months, yet the company only paid him for ten days of that four months. He further claims that he cannot afford his housing, car, food or gas, and that he is unable to visit his children who are in foster care without a car or gas money.
Keeping the number of workers’ compensation claims low benefits employers because when they have a low number of claims, they generally have lower insurance premiums than employers with high numbers of claims. It is also reported that Tesla pays for the first $750,000 of a claimant’s workplace injuries, so if there is no workers’ compensation claim, Tesla may save a significant amount of money in not having to pay for medical care for injured employees.
The effect of these allegations on Tesla remains to be seen. Tesla has defended its practices and has stated that its goal is to have the safest factories in the world. Defending allegations like these are critical for employers and it is important for employers to hire experienced workers’ compensation attorneys to handles such allegations. If your company has been accused of violating workers’ compensation laws, contact a Los Angeles employers workers’ compensation defense attorney at Sacks Law Group, APC to schedule a consultation. Our attorneys have more than 40 years of experience providing aggressive and effective representation for insurance companies and employers.
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