by DannyHaszard 210 Replies latest watchtower scandals
The ruling states that they were being givien the work of employees vs the work of volunteers and therefore they are entitled to workers comp.
The next step is to continue the employee/employer relationship and have those bethelites leaving claim unemployment. Since the WTBS has never paid into unemployment they would be in a world of hurt from the state.
Wow.
Think about the hundreds or thousands of construction workers who have worked at Bethel over the decades. Think of the dozens of them that must have been injured on the job over the years. Think of how many of them were told, "Son, maybe it's time for you to go back home and pioneer" when it became obvious they were no longer able to haul bricks due to injury.
If each of them is due back compensation to the tune of hundreds per week, that could be a seriously crippling blow. And it could affect ongoing operations as well.
This is one to keep tuned to, I think.
I wonder if it can be deemed unfair dismissal where a couple are in Bethel together and both are asked to leave because one suffers an injury?
This IS going to hurt.
Great news, and I think West70 may be right about the WT layoffs. They have demonstrated they are a devious bunch.
Is this another example of the Holy Spirit Dollar directing Jehovah's Organization?
Perhaps someone would like to start another thread enviting Bethel Lay off victims to check in and register for a possible class action suit.
Steve
QUICK! You soon to be downsized Bethelites!
Develop an injury case like this one! Whiplash! Whiplash!
Call the ambulance chasers!
I love it....
metatron
Well, this is a very interesting development. Personally, I don't see a mass of individual lawsuits against the society because most JWs will not sue their mother, and there probably aren't that many injuries.
However, the real danger to the society comes from the Worker's Compensation Boards. In my experience, WCBs are ravenous for revenue and will agressively seek out any promising source. Here we have a case where a large company has not paid in to the plan, but has a claim, indicating that there is exposure - a clear case for making an assessment. In addition, WCBs are typically governed by rules which they pretty much make up themselves, and are passed through the legislature.
So, this could be a HUGE pain in the ass for the society, especially if there are back dues and penalties to pay.
Runningman:
You are correct. If this ruling is upheld, there will be numerous ramifications past, present, and future. Not necessarily lawsuits, but the whole "workers compensaton" ball of wax - layers of ram ....
This is why Bethelites are being shuttled out of NY state ASAP. Evidently, Legal does not have a great deal of confidence they will get this overturned; but it is possible given the effect on other Religious Orders besides JWs - never underestimate who wil help out the JWs on this behind the scenes.
This is definitely THE STORY to watch over the next couple months.
However, the real danger to the society comes from the Worker's Compensation Boards. In my experience, WCBs are ravenous for revenue and will agressively seek out any promising source.
That's it! I have built over a hundred homes in 20 years of construction,and always worked for a general contractor.Ask anybody in buisness in the USA (some states more severe than others) and they will tell you the heavy burden of worker comp insurance premiums is the reason i never had my own company.
If you work for me in Massachusetts or Florida and you are badly hurt and i don't have coverage for you i may be looking at jail time.-Danny Haszard
From the New York state WCB website:
Notice who is not covered? On the surface, you would think that the WTS could get off scott-free. BUT, everyone at Bethel has a JOB to do. While on the premises of Bethel, they are either binding books, boxing and shipping pubs out, cooking, etc. None of these jobs qualifies as "non-manual capacity." Sure they engage in teaching, but on their own time. They are "manually" working otherwise.
It's obvious that WTS legal saw the writing on the wall and this is the reason for the layoffs. I imagine that Gilead instructors, and other "teachers" wouldn't qualify for WC coverage. Since Patterson is primarily a "teaching" facility, I suppose most of them are safe from the pinkslips.
And maybe there is a tie-in here with the tragedy of the Bethel worker who ran over that lady on the way to his congregation and cost the WT about 1.5M in the settlement...the common factor being that Bethelites may legally be employees rather than volunteers. So, did they give them proper hours, health care, maternity benefits, affirmative action, living wages (minimum wage) etc...after all, we are talking about a billion dollar corporation with 6000 employees here!
