Roofing is the most costly insurance. It's about one-to-one pay in for the hourly rate of a journeyman roofer. A company paying a roofer $20 an hour is also paying about $20 an hour in Worker's Comp. Roofing is also one of the most dangerous trades.

Ponzi: It's my understanding that roofing is not only dangerous, it's a strain on the body. Carpet layers suffer from body problems, too. Best, Don Bauder

That was why, I'm certain, that the guy I mention decided to cheat. Your profit margin on jobs might depend upon it. Yeah, it's dangerous and nasty. Hot sun, nail guns, and falling off the roof all add up to hazardous duty.

Visduh: I think law enforcers should battle cheating on workers comp. It's not a victimless crime. Best, Don Bauder

Uh, no. Workers Compensation Insurance has no connection to employee tax returns. The crunch would come when the employee is injured, perhaps seriously, and shows up at a clinic or hospital, only to learn he/she has no record of coverage, and no sort of identification from an insurance company vouching for coverage. This is a levy paid by the employer, not the employee, and the sort of safeguard you describe isn't there. The way the fraudsters pull this off is with immigrants who have no concept of disability insurance, or many of whom are here illegally. They get hurt, they suck it up. Nobody knows nuthin'.

JustWondering: I don't know the answer to your question, but the charge against these people is hiding the existence of these workers. Best, Don Bauder

by immigrants ?

Murphyjunk: I don't know if the pair headed for prison are immigrants. Best, Don Bauder

A couple decades ago, the workers comp rates in California were the highest in the nation, placing in-state employers at a disadvantage with out-of-state competitors. (That was far from the only disadvantage of doing business in this state.) More recently there have been "reforms" made to WC, and now I don't hear or see the intense complaints. But some occupations, such as construction of all kinds, and some aspects of manufacturing have shockingly high rates. Employers in this state have to be savvy about all the costs of employing, where failure to anticipate things like WC and unemployment can be devastating. This is not a time and a place when you can just hire a person or two or three and figure that their gross income is about all you'll be paying.

When I was running an accounting department, I remember the auditors from the workers comp carrier being very good at spotting errors. But they based their findings on complete and accurate payroll records. I'd suppose these cheaters actually had managed to run a large payroll that never showed up anywhere around an auditor.

Visduh: That's what these two were doing: hiding their workers and thereby dodging workers comp. Best, Don Bauder

Many businesses do not hire auditors. Many businesses do not even bother with bookkeepers. They just run their business out of a checkbook and file false reports to taxing authorities.

Ponzi: The insurance companies should monetarily contribute to law enforcement's efforts to jail those who cheat insurance companies. Similarly, criminal law enforcement works hard to catch those who cheat casinos. The casinos should pay much of the costs of such investigations. Best, Don Bauder

Ponzi: The ad didn't move me. How about you? Best, Don Bauder

Flapper: Are inaccurate payroll records actually "terrifying?" Save that word for the administration now in Washington, D.C. Best, Don Bauder

That nitwit is a pwick alright.

Flapper: True. Best, Don Bauder

And I shoulda said that short for one who blows off on twitter is, to wit, a twitterer. Maybe the short for should have two "t's?" Twitt?

And as the moving pixel twit, and having twit, moved on . . . (not soon enough)

Flapper: Decades ago, the Chicago Cubs had a second baseman named Twig Terwilliger. That was long before twitter. Best, Don Bauder

Back then, if you didn't go by your nickname, you were nobody.