Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Hoeven wants control of WSI

Hoeven wants control of WSI

Nov 21, 2007 - 04:03:46 CST

By CRYSTAL R. REID
Bismarck Tribune

The governor has strongly reaffirmed his support for moving the state's workers' compensation agency back to the oversight of his office.

"Every organization goes through difficulty,"said Gov. John Hoeven. "But the problem is, we're unable to address it, because we don't have the authority."

Hoeven Tuesday also continued to push for an outside review of Workforce, Safety and Insurance, to focus on management issues and the claims approval process, although he said his office would not participate in any review of the actions of the agency's whistleblowers.

He said the long-term solution is to put the authority and oversight of the agency back under the governor's office, adding that has been his position since he took office.

He also recognized and supported an initiated measure that would put the agency under his control.

"I support it, and I will continue to express my support for it,"he said.

Furthermore, a representative from the governor's office may meet soon with the WSI board of directors, after the board discusses and votes in a special meeting on Monday to reword a motion which requested a three-member committee find and supervise a consultant to review claims and personnel issues.

The three-member committee was initially intended to be comprised of a representative from the governor's office, state auditor's office and WSI, to find an outside consultant to review claims issues that were raised by internal auditor Kay Grinsteinner and to review the auditor's "processes and procedures employed in bringing these issues to light ..."

State Auditor Bob Peterson denied the request, however; Peterson was concerned WSI's scope of the review was retaliatory in nature.

"You want a review of the 'processes and procedures employed in how issues were brought to light',"Peterson wrote in an e-mail to chairman of the board, Bob Indvik. "On the surface, this appears to be an attempt to gain evidence regarding an individual's conduct who has not only filed for whistleblower protection, but also appears to have fulfilled their professional responsibility of bringing serious issues to light."

The governor also disagreed with any review of whistleblowers' actions.

Indvik said he was disappointed with Peterson's decision, but added that the board will continue forward.

"(We'll) probably just make a new motion saying the board wishes to join the governor's office in submitting an RFP,"Indvik said. "We still want a representative with the governor's office."

And the governor's office still wants to be involved, said Ryan Bernstein, legal counsel for the governor. The goal, ultimately, is to have all personnel working together to help the injured worker.

Five employees of the agency have filed requests for whistleblower protection in the past month, including Grinsteinner and Chief of Support Services Jim Long.

Long was put on paid administrative leave on Thursday. He submitted a letter late Tuesday to the office of the attorney general requesting his reinstatement.

"I'd like to get back to work,"Long said. "Idon't feel right about being paid and not being asked to work. I'd like to get back to work as soon as possible."

Long said in his letter to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem that he believed his suspension was retaliation.

"Based on my interpretation of events, this suspension is clearly retaliation due to my cooperation with law enforcement officers pursuant to an active criminal investigation on parties who had an active role in my suspension."

The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation had executed a search warrant on Oct. 19 for a journal kept by Mark Armstrong, WSI communications executive. According to court documents, Long had been interviewed by BCI special agent Mike Quinn on Oct. 18 as part of a follow-up investigation into the allegation of misuse of sick leave by an employee at WSI.

At the end of the interview, Long said he provided copies of pages from a notebook, which Long said he acquired from Grinsteinner. She had found the journal, made copies of it and returned it after a brief search of Armstrong's office; she said she was concerned that open records requests were being improperly handled and that audit information she'd given to former board member Evan Mandigo was "leaking back" to WSI employees, according to the internal investigation of the matter, which she signed.

(Reach reporter Crystal Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@;bismarcktribune.com.)

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Comments

Injured ND Worker wrote on Dec 12, 2007 8:33 PM:

" The process for injured workers to go through to be taken care of through WSI is rediculous and there definitly needs to be internal restructuring. Everything there is for the working man/woman that is injured should be taken care of in a timely fashion instead of fighting to get any type of benefits. Your procedures are definitley for the working person. Every place I try to turn to for answers or help guess what? I don't get any! Everyone say's I'll get back to you tomorrow, when is tomorrow going to come? Families are suffering from their stupidity because they are so GREEDY! They make sure they are getting their paycheck's and insurance though. But the worker that is injured and their family suffer for the timely fashion that it takes WSI to decide on what to do right. How hard is it to figure out how to do the right thing, take care of people that are injured and trying to earn a living and not try to screw them. A working North Dakota tax paying citizen should not have to fight to be taken care of for a work related injury and our government needs to step in and take over WSI. Jim Long if you get a check right away for being suspended, see how long it takes for an injured worker to get a paycheck. Try not to get injured because you will starve if you do. "

Junik is right wrote on Nov 29, 2007 7:08 PM:

" Junik is right, no one should believe the governor really wants WSI back under his control. The chamber of commerce and 'business' want it just the way it is. The only reason the governor is suddenly involved in helping select the consultant is to make this go away. And fast. "

Junik wrote on Nov 28, 2007 10:34 PM:

" Hoeven has NEVER supported bringing WSI back to the state--this is a flat out lie by him. Only now, when the fire is hot, and he is running again, does he somehow muster up the spine to say this. There was a big push last legislative session to get WSI back into the governer's hands--as Joel Heitcamp can tell you. Where was Hoeven during this? Hiding under his desk and hoping his popularity points wouldn't go down. Hopefully the press calls him on this. Oh, and did Hoeven oversee the appointees to the current board at WSI--YEP. "

Governor not solution wrote on Nov 28, 2007 6:28 PM:

" Agree with the commentor who says putting WSI under the governor wouldn't be any better. It won't be. Still subject to political influence and cow-towing to a certain party. Unqualified leaders who won't stick around beyond the governor's term in office. Scrapping the entire model and starting over is the only option. Abolishing it altogether and opening the market to private carriers might be a solution. Pro-WSI people will say 'insurance will be too expensive, the market will cherry-pick'. That doesn't make sense. How do other states manage to have free markets and competition and businesses still manage to do business? "

Why would WSI under Hoeven be any Better? wrote on Nov 28, 2007 4:32 PM:

" Look at our State Government - look at all the political appointees our Governor has made who are not qualified to hold the positions that they do. Look how ineffective he is. Why would he be any better than what we have? Better to throw the whole thing out and bring in private companies - at least then you have some kind of recourse when things run afoul. With WSI as a Government Agency, no one can do anything about it - not the Governor, the AG, the Courts, no one. We're stuck whether it's as it is or it's under Hoeven "

To MamaMia wrote on Nov 28, 2007 1:02 PM:

" If it hurts Hoeven, it would hurt Mathern too. His opponent sat in a legislature that had the chance to put WSI under the Governor and didn't. The bill was proposed and about the only vocal supporter was Heitkamp. It got nowhere.....even though at the time Hoeven was saying, that it was a good idea to get WSI under him. Unfortunately, he can't be the one to make the decision. It has to be the legislature and they...and Mathern who was a part of it....failed to take action. "

MamaMia wrote on Nov 28, 2007 9:05 AM:

" This WSI mess could cost Hoeven the election. He needs to step up to the plate and take care of this pronto if he wants another four years. "

Bismarck Citizen wrote on Nov 28, 2007 8:36 AM:

" I would like to know why the BPD failed to respond when I reported the vandilization of the United States Post Office box in my apartment building Thanksgiving morning. It was ripped from the wall, forced open and all the mail torn open and scattered around. Bank accounts, credit card accounts, SS numbers, etc. The BPD is enforcing the 25 mph speed limit on the new section of Washington St, however, but not responding to reports of vandilization of property of the United States government. What gives? Why should I be an involved, responsible citizen? "

yeah right wrote on Nov 27, 2007 2:49 PM:

" Doesn't matter how or what the issue(s) with WSI are, clearly there's a problem and a crisis in confidence where leadership is concerned, at the org and board levels. This agency is way too political and unable to heal itself. Keep the pressure on the legislators and the governor. The gov says he can't fix it, but there are some who know otherwise. The board is nothing more than 'insulation' between the gov and the citizens. Maybe that's how it was set up? The gov's office and WSI are not islands at opposite ends of the earth with little or no contact. There is ample opportunity for discussion about claims practices, leadership issues, and accountability to the citizens of ND. Are we supposed to believe the gov can't pick up the phone and suggest to a certain board chair to fix this mess, or find someone who can? Make change happen...in the voting booth. "

Not bad timing wrote on Nov 27, 2007 10:25 AM:

" When you look at the timeline, it's not like Governor Hoeven has sat on this for years. Even though it seems like WSI has been falling apart for years, the state auditor report was just released a year ago. That's the report that brought up real morale concerns and issues within the agency. Then that debacle went on for several months of fighting and bickering...legislative audit fiscal review hearings....he said she said....we didn't do this...they're picking on us...blah blah blah. Things seemed to settle down and changes were supposed to have been made after the audit recommendations, then things blew back up again with Sandy and Romi being arrested, cleared and reinstated. So if you look at the last year, it's been pretty jam packed with WSI turmoil. I believe Governor Hoeven started working on getting WSI put back under the governor during the last session....but the legislators rejected it. Not Hoeven. They're the ones who didn't step up to the plate. Talk to your local legislator and let them know enough's enough. Hoeven can't just wave his magic wand and poof...WSI's back under his control. Let's light a fire under the legislators. "

Working Man wrote on Nov 27, 2007 8:28 AM:

" Thankyou ND Transplant for putting out the facts and asking some good questions to those supporting WSI. Its like a cancer thats festering and needs to be cut out. Keep on educating the uneducated. "

Lost wrote on Nov 26, 2007 9:50 AM:

" Before and After reading these comments. I think our insurance commissioner should be doing a little regulating here. I mean on the the whole organization. Not just risk management/ The board would just ignore him just like they are the state auditor. If you want to do something useful governor. Have the AG look into the board actions, on the auditor recommendations. For if they are unwilling to do this. They should be removed, and put somebody in there that will listen to our state auditor. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 26, 2007 9:12 AM:

" To the person apoligizing for the pedagogue of the WSI Board, it isn't necessary, although I appreciate it. I have found that if you have an opinion or idea that differs with anyone in government in ND, there are those who will attack you. Living up in Rugby and being a vocal opponent of the NCCRC, I have learned to laugh at it. Until, and it is now happen with the NCCRC, the citizens have to suffer monatarily by the quick moving, poorly thougfht out decisions of our "leaders". Thanks again, but let them go. As soon as they run out of rhetoric, they will disappear, they always do. "

Hey - Read ND Transplant's Post wrote on Nov 26, 2007 8:49 AM:

" ND Transplant is talking about a small hobby cafe in the present tense. Looks like ND Transplant is somewhat retired. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 26, 2007 8:39 AM:

" I really love you guys. You provide so much entertainment for me. I will say that I never laughed so much when i lived in CA. What part of hobby don't you understand? I strongly suggest that you look at some of the states that have both, state run and private worker's comp programs available. Funny how in those states that run both, the state funds are mainly used by high risk accounts that the private sector won't insure. The reason is is because the state rates are HIGHER. Just once I would like to see some of you realize that there is whole big world out there beyond the MN, MT,ND, SD borders. Most have to deal with governing cities larger than our state, population wise. I even provided you WSI internals the name of a company to check out, AGI, and rather than do some research, you want to whine and go off on tangents. You can't graft new ideas on a closed mind, and that is too sad, because the only ones that suffer when it comes to this topic is both the employers and employees. As an employer, I hate the idea that I have to provide "no-fault" insurance to employees and I am responsible for an employees negligence and carelessness if they are injured because of that. While I beleive that I as an employer should be responsible for injuries sustained at my fault or beacuse of a faulty safety plan or equipment,, it is unfair for employers to be liable for all injuries. So, talk until you're blue in the face, but there will never be cost effective worker's comp programs that are so one sided and government run programs will always be more expensive than those of the private sector. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 25, 2007 10:12 PM:

" First of all oz, we are not in MN, nor are we in the Emerald City, although some of your comments suggest that you think you are. While I love a debate with knowledgable people, I am unsure you are one of them, so I want you to answer a question for me, actually a two part question; Where did the worker's comp concept come from and why is it a one sided no fault policy? "

Dear ND Transplant. wrote on Nov 25, 2007 9:51 PM:

" Sorry for the responses from Oz. Is there any wonder WSI's management's arrogance gets them in trouble? Welcome to ND and I hope you have a great time with your hobby restaurant. I bet your customers have a great time. Wish I could be one. Ciao "

To ND Transplant wrote on Nov 25, 2007 9:07 PM:

" Oz is right, you are not dealing in reality. If all you paid to WSI over the last year was $400 then you are not too much of a COO other than in ego/title only. As Oz notes, the average minimum premium is $1,000 elsewhere and it is not an unlimited, non cap coverage. If you can get $500k of workers comp coverage (not $500 of property and casualty liability coverage) for about $150 then you are fibbing. I do not care about liability coverage, I care about an unlimited medical and wages work comp coverage for anywhere near that price; you can not touch it. You are sounding less and less like a 9 state COO and more like a greedy, whiny employer looking to get the least and give the least. Before you jump off the cliff with the rest of the heard, please listen to me and Oz who can save you form a sure and certain disaster because you have not idea what you are talking about. I would love to see it privatized just so you can see what a real work comp premium would look like and what real claims denial and settlement procedures look like. We have so little premium here that after the large account were cherry picked no large insurer would waste their time. Oz is right you would be in an insurance pool of last resort and pay out the nose. The employees at WSI would also see big increases in wage and you would see administrative costs 2-3 times higher than you see today. Go private, please go private and then see how you like it. Before you throw stones, get a handle on the facts first. "

Oz wrote on Nov 25, 2007 1:20 PM:

" Transplant: First of all owners coverage is not mandatory but optional. You do not have to pay coverage on yourself. Second, the deep fat fryer was an example. You are probably more suscectible to a wet floor slip with one of your minimum wage employees from all the tears wept over an unrealistic low premium. Maximum experience rate increases on small employers are limited by law for any one year. Read the statute. Anyone that has ever paid a premium with an insurance based state will tell you that any suggestion to go private will increase small employer premiums five to ten fold. Only the very uninformed business owner would opt for an insurance based system. Call your insurance agent and ask him what coverage would be in Minnesota for your operation. Under ND statute premiums are limited to approximately $28 to $29K. There is no cap in other states. Gross payroll would be the standard for premium. The vast majority of employers who actually pay living wage would be paying substantilally more premium. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 25, 2007 11:13 AM:

" Oz, you are right, a minimum premium, not a starting premium. Guess you don't understand the definition of minimum. Too bad the only cook in my kitchen is me, and as I am sure you are aware, owners have to purchase seperate policies in this state. Besides, if the $250.00 is the minimum premium why does WSI charge from hour 1? The $250.00 is nothing more than an adminsitrative fee when you get right down to it. Guess they had to figure out a way to pay for those Board members. Guess you don't understand the modification ratings for claims and losses. You make my point for me. We need an open private market so that emploers like me, who don't have claims and don't operate full time establishments don't have to support government fat. As an after thought Oz, why are supporters of WSI so quick to make assumptions? I don't have a deep fat "fryer", don't see the point in giving my customers more health problems. "

Concerned wrote on Nov 25, 2007 11:06 AM:

" I agree with Howard, something should be done with the local colleges next. First they should be mandated to follow the state procurement guidelines for bidding. Too many friends are involved. It sure would be nice to be given work without having to bid the work. "

oz wrote on Nov 25, 2007 10:13 AM:

" ND Transport, First of all every insurance based state has a minimum premium for all accounts. Minnesota is around $700. Even though you have a hobby cafe open only 38 days a year, what would be the loss if your deep fat frier severely burned one of your part time minimum wage people? At $400 a year you wouldn't even cover the ambulance ride to the emergency room. You are getting a steal at $400 per year. Minimum premium should be $750 to $1,000 per year. You would also be put into an assigned risk pool in an insurance based state which would further make it more difficult to keep the premium at the minimum rate. Plus if your injured employee sued you, your premium would escalate a lot higher than the minimum increases governed by statute in ND. "

Carolina wrote on Nov 25, 2007 9:53 AM:

" Govenor Hoven better do something for the hundreds of hurt workers that have voted for him and supported him. (Not to mention paid his salary) He needs to listen to, and set up a system to listen to the Doctors that try to help these people, all the lawyers that tell the injured worker right up front "WSI can't do anything they want" and the injured workers themselves. Are you afraid what you will hear? Do you represent the people of ND or just the politics. "

To george: wrote on Nov 25, 2007 9:35 AM:

" Good insight. do you think an old style worker's comp. agency would work better? or what is the best compromise here? "

Heritage wrote on Nov 25, 2007 8:44 AM:

" To "TO ND Transplant", those customer satisfaction numbers you talk about are they the ones that WSI skewed towards pro-WSI people as outlined in the Octagon audit (an independent outside company). Didn't they say there was a problem with the WSI customer satisfaction numbers. Yes, lets get those facts in with the fiction WSI supporters like to put out to the public. Fact, Sandy Blunt should take responsiblity for the problems that have occured under his watch, fiction put out by Blunt, SCates, Armstrong, Keiser, Wald is that its everyone else but Sandy who is the problem. Fact, 2/3 of the current employees surveyed by another independent outside firm think management needs to go, fiction put forth by Keiser and others, Blunt is an excellent manager. YES LETS GET THESE FACTS OUT!!!!!!!. These are the real facts, not the facts as WSI wants them to be. Your condascending attitude and criticism shows the true story, you can't debate facts so you feel it necessary to criticize, a method that WSI supporters have used all along, well we the public can see through all that. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 24, 2007 8:50 PM:

" While I am thinking about it and since we have such an expert on WSI in the mix, maybe you can give me your expertise on this: I have a small hobby cafe, open 38 days a year with 228 payroll hours at just above minimum wage for the last fiscal year. When you take the $250 initial premium I have to pay WSI and than add the quaterly premiums into it, I paid over 400.00 last year to WSI. An outrageous sum compared to other states that just calculate the premium on payroll hours. Why is it that I can carry $500,000.00 of liability coverage year round for almost 1/3 less than what I am forced to pay to WSI for 38 days of actual operation? The numbers aren't very cost effective at all. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 24, 2007 7:31 PM:

" Ah, it appears a WSI board member goes on the attack. Yes, it's the media's fault that WSI stays in the limelight with it's biased reporting. Thoussands .thousands of satisifed customers. Pretty scary if you ask me, 1000's upon 1000's of injured workers in a state with a population not much bigger than a small city. What makes you think I know so much about the insurance industry? I never claimed to have even a working knowledge of how insurance companies determined thier rates. My experience is limited to being an employer who has worked with both state run and priviate sector worker's comp programs. But you, you seem to know a great deal about it. Is that why my suggestion that maybe we need to do a little research into privatizing it here is so frightening? Perhaps you are afraid you might lose that limited work political appointment and have to go out and get real employment. I'll tell you what, when the state faces the reality that it can't supply the work force it needs due to the dwindling population, as reported tonight, then maybe my expertise will be of some value to you, which is in outsourcing. Until then, please don't attck my suggestions because you are afraid of them. As an economic conservative that now calls ND home, you can rest assure that I will continue to attack any Republican that justs makes more and more government. Just wish I could find a "less government" candidate" to support. So, go back to your Board, and tell them that some of us are tired of paying for excess government baggage. "

To ND Transplant wrote on Nov 24, 2007 5:44 PM:

" What objective evidence beyond personal conjecture and the limited, biased, one sided reporting shown by the media do you have to prove that it is "certain that WSI is a complete mess?" If you actually go inside WSI and read their numbers (if you actually know how to read them) and look a their consistent customer satisfaction numbers and talk to the thousands and thousands of satisfied customers you will see quite the opposite. I can find few objective statements beyond conjecture here to warrant this high a level of hate. PS -- I do not buy you were/are a COO of a multistate company. Because if you were, you would better understand that the real total cost of all classifications coupled with administrative costs, discounts, dividend credits, and grants is not even comparable anywhere else in the US. Now these, for once, are a verifiable facts established by national independent studies. Come on all, let's finally let some facts creep into all of this fiction. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 24, 2007 2:22 PM:

" Don't know when that study was done, but I do know that AIG has some excellent programs that aimed at small businesses and an excellent payroll/worker's comp program that is extremely cost effective for larger companies.. That was back n 2001, so maybe you are right George, a mutual insurer could be looked at. It might be time for the state to do a little reseach again. The only thing that is certain is that WSI is a complete mess. "

george wrote on Nov 24, 2007 10:31 AM:

" The problem with the private sector solution is that ND is a small state. At study found that rates, especially for contractors will go up if opened to private sector competition. Maybe a mutual insurance company would work, but the pie is too small to slice up and not drive rates through the roof. "

Mike wrote on Nov 24, 2007 10:28 AM:

" To Workforce Safety and Indvik, The governor may appoint the board, but up until July 2007, he could only appoint people nominated by the existing board. Even now, he can only appoint people nominated by industry groups. We need an elected official who is responsible to the people to have authority over a state agency. "

ND Transplant wrote on Nov 23, 2007 8:36 AM:

" Having been the COO of a midsize corporation that operated in 9 states, I have had the opportunity to deal with both state run and privatized workers comp programs. My EXPERIENCE is that state run programs tend to have higher base premiums for unskilled and semi-skilled workers. The mods tend to be a bit higher in the private sector. Mods, are the additional premiums a company will pay for a high rate of claims or serious injuries that end up with high medical costs. Keeping a safty program in place and good risk management, whether you have three employees or 300 is only good business sense. Privatization will get the political "fat" out of the program and keep WSI from ending up like DHS, a huge financial drain on all of us. "

Workforce Safety & Indvik wrote on Nov 23, 2007 7:38 AM:

" The governor appoints WSI board members but then says he/his office has no authority over the board, then who does? It appears WSI is Bob Indviks agency. It is very alarming that the WSI board has no oversight. Jim Long, if you don't feel right about being paid while on administrative leave then send the checks back. And to those former WSI employees who were forced out when Sandy and Co. rode into town, don't be too hard on Jim Long and some of the other Sandy Blunt derrier smoochers, I know several of you and if you were given the six figure salary or made Sandys Circle you would be jumping whenever Sandy said jump and you would care less about your fellow employee. "

Jeff H wrote on Nov 22, 2007 11:10 PM:

" Hard work seems to be used a lot by certain politicians. Hard work is not the question-its the "how" it got done. Investigations are needed more than ever. And a Governor who puts his full "hard work" to right a wrong-not a flimsy statement. "

JUST WAITING wrote on Nov 22, 2007 7:49 PM:

" FIRST WSI IS IN THE BLACK DUE TO PAT TRAYNOR & THE STAFF AT WSI WORKING HARD TO MAKE IT WORK RIGHT, THE BOARD WAS THERE TO HELP WITH THE PROCESS. IF THE BOARD IS REMOVED DO YOU REALLY THINK ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE WOULD BE GONE? NO. PUTTING IT UNDER PRIVATE INSURANCE WOULD REALLY RAISE PREMIUMS WHICH ALOT OF SMALLER EMPLOYERS COULD NOT AFFORD. ALSO DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION CAN NOW WORK TOGETHER AS AN EXCUTIVE TEAM TO RUN WSI. NO THERE IS NO TRUST LEFT, OR RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER, HOW CAN THEY MANAGE WSI. LIKE A DIVORCED COUPLE AFTER BAD A BAD DIVORCE THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN LIVE TOGETHER. SO AS FAR AS TOP MANAGEMENT HOUSE CLEANING IS NEEDED. SO I HOPE SOMEONE CAN FIGURED THIS OUT. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. OR BETTER YET DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. "

Jeff H wrote on Nov 22, 2007 1:16 PM:

" If getting out of the red and into the black was just as fair to injured workers as to employers things would be fine. Obviously thats not happening. Coverup and corruption jump out like white on rice here. Its just a matter of how big a hole they are going to dig. Some people learn by example and some are the example. "

Online Editor wrote on Nov 22, 2007 1:13 PM:

" To Doug D.Riley: The rules are the same for all posts - regardless of how anyone feels about the issue. Taking shots at me will only ensure that your comments will not be published. "

In the Know wrote on Nov 22, 2007 12:24 PM:

" I have voted for Hoeven in every election and I am disappointed that when it is obvious that there is rampant corruption in a state agency that he does almost nothing about it. A governor who stands up for what is right would take a strong stance against the WSI leadership to make positive changes. Hoeven has the political horsepower. It appears that political cronyism is alive and well. Shame on you. "

To those real employers wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:35 PM:

" You two real employers don't sound so real to me. If you are part of the employer world, it is time you learned that money does not buy all. Work comp is to serve the businesses and the employees. It is not set up to be the employer's way or the highway. You have gotten drunk on the power you have been able to express over the past few sessions. The people control the government. That is all people, not just those with money. But go ahead and cut that check to the defeat the initiative group. Most people have grown tired of government corruption and two sets of justice. If you really wanted the initiative defeated, you would make sure the current board fixed the mess at WSI and in a big hurry. It is interesting that it doesn't concern you at all that malfeasance has been brought up by whistleblowers and that there continues to be a criminal investigation. As an employer, I would be concerned how the board was handling the agency I pay premiums into every year. Ask some questions, don't just be a blind follower of corruption. There is a board meeting at 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning. Employers should attend the meeting and ask some hard questions, not just sit home and count their gold. "

Heritage wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:58 PM:

" Employers and the Chamber of Commerce can spend all the money they want to protect their own. Its real telling that employers don't want accountability for a government agency, why is that? Would real accountability mean that they will no longer get their premium dividends? WSI has lost its focus to help injured workers at the same time protecting employers from being sued. People in ND have seen how lack of accountability to an elected official has allowed this agency to run amuck. If the board wouldn't act the way they are (bunker mentality on audit issues, blame everyone but themselves, allowing politicians to get cozy with the agency, thus becoming seen as partisian, having a chairman who berates other public officials in public (i.e. the all employees meeting with the state auditors), etc) and see Blunt for who he really is, the public wouldn't be crying for accountability as much as they are. If employers want things to stay the way they are, they better start pressuring the board to get rid of Blunt, his management team, as well as the "Yes" people on the board. Maybe then the public will see change can be done some other way, however I'm afraid the egos of the board and WSI execs won't let that happen, so bring on the initiative. How many employers would allow their own company to be run by a management team that threatens/harasses/intimidates employees like the management team at WSI does? How many public companies would allow their board to commit blunder after blunder and appear to be incompetent (violating open records laws, passing motions and then looking for an RFP for something other than what was passed, go through 5 CEO's in 10 yrs, etc) w/o asking them to resign? Employers wouldn't let that happen but they turn a blind eye to the same things at WSI. "

Economic Conservative wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:23 PM:

" A Question for Governor Hoeven: Governor, if you get control of WSI back and win an unprecedented third term, will you appoint Larson the Director of WSI as HIS reward for helping you win the election? Be honest now Governor. "

Another real employer wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:20 PM:

" Well said REAL EMPLOYER!!! I agree. I will also cut my check the day those signatures are verified. Enough of this garbage about "causing damage to injured workers." Are you kidding me? The checks are still going to my one injured workers and he said that he is being treated fairly and he likes his adjuster. The people that want this under the Governor don't know what they are asking for. Hoeven will appoint some political hack with absolutely no experience in work comp insurance and he will dole out premium discounts and benefits as political favors to those he likes. Not for me. "

A REAL EMPLOYER wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:23 PM:

" Lets see how much money we employers will spend to stop an initiative to put WSI under the governor. Remember when WSI was Workers Compensation under the governor and was in the red every year. Ya, let's go back to that. I have seen injured workers from my company treated very fairly. In fact, do you know that if WSI denies your claim that your can go in front of an administrative law judge and have WSi overturned. You can seemingly do this over and over for a myriad of different reasons. Watch out governor Hoeven, don't bite the hand that feeds you over an issue only the press and Dems. care about. I'll cut my "stop the silly initiative" check the day the signature are varified. "

a joke wrote on Nov 21, 2007 4:22 PM:

" Jim Long is a joke...he strutted around the office and couldn't make a decision unless he read about it in a book! Good Job with the TQM..."a waste of time". All of his "credentials" were from a cracker jack box. He couldn't think in the "real world". Go back to school where you belong!! "

Heritage wrote on Nov 21, 2007 4:07 PM:

" Jim doesn't deserve to be back to work, but then neither does Sandy or Romi. For that matter, Mark, John, Mary M, Sonja, Jodi, Billie, and Tim H should all go as should ALL the members of the WSI board. The ones listed above have done so much damage to injured workers, employees and casued embarassment to the state of ND. They have little if any respect and can't do an effective job for the people of ND. Do they really think they have the clout/respect/honor/dignity to turn this around? If they do, they are dreaming, all they are doing is firing up the people of ND to pass the initiated measure. It would be nice if they could realize this themselves and realize they are the problem and do the right thing and resign. Can the governor do any better? Who knows, but I think that any 1st graders can act better than this bunch and they would know right from wrong and know how to treat and respecti other people. "

To Give me a Break wrote on Nov 21, 2007 3:08 PM:

" You folks have ridiculed Long for being a blue collar guy. Then when that fell flat in the press, you ridiculed him for "drinking champaign and eating caviar." Now, you are criticizing him for working two and three jobs? If that doesn’t work, you’ve seeded the idea that his academic credentials are suspect. Did he serve in the Marines through the Internet too? The fact is, it is against most states’ laws to say you have any degree that it was granted by an unaccredited institution. This latest post is part of the pattern of defamatory behavior that WSI executive managers and their cronies have leveraged against a number of current and former employees. It is a great illustration of why so many filed for whistleblower protection. I suggest you investigate whether Long is a graduate of a regionally-accredited institution immediately. (He is.) "

Give me a break wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:16 PM:

" Jim Long just wants to get back to work. What about his other jobs that he didnt' tell his employer about? He's employed at Rasmussen by his wife and he has his own business. But the internet PhD can't pay for groceries. Waaah! Guess you should have thought about that before you lied. But I still can't figure out how many people you lied to. Was it the BCI, the SAO, internal counsel or a significant other? Or maybe all of the above. Can't wait til the whistleblowers get shown for the real liars they are. And governor, you should be ashamed of yourself. Have you or any of your staff ever called WSI, shown your face at any hearings, meetings, etc.? This is a purely political ploy and anyone can see through that! It's all about politics and money. Who can get their grubby little hands on WSI's (injured worker and employer) money first! "

Howard wrote on Nov 21, 2007 2:09 PM:

" I agree with bismarckvoter, about this and the Board of Higher Ed. There's also a lot of nonsense going on within the colleges and universities. "

bismarckvoter wrote on Nov 21, 2007 1:09 PM:

" Mr. Hoeven, as someone who voted for you twice and who generally feels positive about your service as govenernor, I don't think you are going far enough or fast enough to clean up the WSI mess. The public has lost all confidence with those currently involved at WSI. They will simply not be able to restore public trust and confidence. I urge you immediately call for the resignation of the whole board and all senior level managment at the agency. Then please call for a special session of the legislature and ask them to fix the problem be it privatization, restoring administrative control to the governor or whatever is best for the people of ND. While the legislature is in special session they should also address what is happening with the Board of Higher Education. That group is also out of control (new million dollar mansions for presidents and obscene raises for college and university presidents at taxpayer expense). Who is watching out for those of us who pay taxes? "

Online Editor wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:35 PM:

" To Oliver: RFP is request for proposal. "

Oliver wrote on Nov 21, 2007 12:10 PM:

" To the Online Editor What is an RFP? I hear these initials often related to state governmental interactions but am not sure what an RFP is. "

Taxpayer4567 wrote on Nov 21, 2007 11:35 AM:

" The governor has had a number of opportunities to clean up this mess without changing the law, but has chosen to ignore it. WSI board members are appointed by the Governor and the Governor should have asked for board resignations 6-12 months ago. It's a little bit late now that some board members have resigned. Who wants to step in now and try to clean up this mess. Quite a few Republican legislators turned this into a political issue and it should never have been. Employers with a good track record have seen their rates rise despite the fact they received a so-called premium discount. Keep in mind some employers pay premiums with federal and/or state tax dollars. Taxpayers need to vote with their pocketbook and also take responsibility by voting out the current Governor/legislators. I know I will. "

Dumbfounded wrote on Nov 21, 2007 11:26 AM:

" It looks like a good time for the governor to do the right thing, now that he has announced that he is running for reelection. Now maybe the board and the director will do the right thing and resign. The workers of this state are not getting the proper services. Case in point. Do not get stabbed by a needle at work that someone left in the trash. Workmen's Comp will cut you off after one test and treatments. Needless to say, that this is not enough time for some of the things running around out there to incubate. Who is supposed to pay for testing? The workers in this state are getting the short end of the stick, yet these people still remain in power. It is long overdue for a change in the leadership there. "

Pet Lover wrote on Nov 21, 2007 11:18 AM:

" To Leo, Just me, JB and Okay - I can't believe you think Hoeven will actually do something different if he as oversight over WSI. The only reason he's getting involved now is for political reasons. He's a little too late. What has he done for North Dakota lately??? "

stumped wrote on Nov 21, 2007 10:06 AM:

" It is unbeleivable that Gov. Hoven has waited this long to speak up. All these issues were brought up after the audit by the State Auditor, and he stood silent. I quess he thought it would be politically beneficial to speak up now. Isn't that why anything gets done in ND, because it will benefit somenone politically. Now I understand why he is called an empty suit. The Republicans of this state should be ashamed. I for one will not consider voting Republican again. They are completely out of control, and smell from arrogance. "

WD2 wrote on Nov 21, 2007 9:27 AM:

" The WSI Board can best be described as "the Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight". It is apparent that it does not understand its fiduciary and constituent responsibilities. It has its own agenda which isn't anything close to that which it is intrusted. "

Clark wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:44 AM:

" Glad to hear an official is coming out and saying what we've been blogging - looks like retaliation. Nice to see someone with a little spine. I'm surprised Hoeven officially said something. Maybe his PR person is reading the blogs. "

Economic Conservative wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:27 AM:

" Isn't it time for this Republican Administration to start acting Republican? WSI, whether under the control of the Governor or as a quasi- government agency is a failure. It's time to take WSI into the private sector. WE have far too much government in our state and the cost is just more of a burden on the tax payer. Injured employees not being taken care of means they end up on the public assistance roles. While it's nice to see Hoeven do an about face and i9s now supporting an initiative to take control from the WSI Board, it is clear that he isn't up to the task. After all, isn't this just an election year campaign move? Why did he wait until the public opinion, which is outrage and disgust over the current scandle at WSI, to now throw his support this way? We need a leader who can be decisive and Hoeven, facing a real crisis at WSI, has now shown us he is just a people appeaser. Mr. Hoeven, where was your stance on this issue two months ago when the employees at WSI needed it? Let insurance professionals run WSI. As a business owner, the thought of how WSI premiums will rise under Hoeven's gunfighter style spending of public monies frightens me. Take WSI to the private sector now. "

okay... wrote on Nov 21, 2007 8:09 AM:

" Thank you Gov. Hoeven! "

JB wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:58 AM:

" Thank you to the Tribune, Governor Hoeven, and the people who got the facts out to the rest of us. THAT is how responsive government is supposed to work. Now, can the executive branch lawyers sort this mess out in the name of justice? Will a 'new' legislature give Heidi control over WSI? "

Forward Observer wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:43 AM:

" Hoeven's position has always been that he wanted the Governor's Office to have oversight of WSI?? Since when? He's had plenty of opportunities to take control of this situation, but chose otherwise. Now that a third term is on the line and WSI is hot issue, he's finally decided to listen to his constituents! Sorry, but that's not how this works. The Governor needs to listen to the citizens of ND all the time, not just when it's convenient and serves his personal goals. "

Employer wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:42 AM:

" Up to now, I have adamantly supported the board and the need to have it seperate from the Governor's office. However, in light of these most recent and disheartening tidbits of news concerning the Board's desire to investigate an employee; I have no choice but to support the initiated measure that will put the control of WSI back under the Governor's control. To the Board: I'm sorry, but when you fail to do what is proper and start going after people, you have gone too far. You as a board, have failed miserably in this whole matter, thus allowing it to becoming a circus. "

Just Me wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:32 AM:

" It is about time! Maybe then the mess will be cleaned up "

leo wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:30 AM:

" Thanks, Governor. "

What will the Governor actually do? wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:29 AM:

" I don't believe the Governor will actually do anything different or better than is currently being done at WSI or by the WSI Board. Look at the Governor's other departments - particularly DHS - the corruption within our State is astronomical with no end in sight. It seems to me that this is just another way for the Governor to have more control over the citizens and give less to the citizens and more to his cronies. "

Where was Hoeven wrote on Nov 21, 2007 7:24 AM:

" Hoeven should of spoke up during the Legislative Session when there was a bill to put WSI back under the Governor's control. A lot grief and heartache for claimants and employees of WSI could have possbily been avoided! WSI would be on the road to cleanup as we speak instead of having too wait another year "

Barney wrote on Nov 21, 2007 6:37 AM:

" What will it take for this board to get it right? They make a motion at a meeting and then try to do something other than what the motion said (i.e. what the board chair wants the investigation (oops, audit) to do and what the state auditor said was the motion at the meeting). That has been the problem all along, the board and WSI executives think they can do what they want. Isn't any member of the board embarassed by this and the fact that they can't get it right (i.e. support for Bjornson, which was in an improper meeting), The drama goes on and on and on. Its time for Republicans to get on board and put control back under the governor and get over this almost daily embarassment in the news about WSI. They have now had 4 reviews in the last year (State Auditors, Octagon, their own internal survey Oct 2006, a review in Jan-Feb 2007) and now another one. Are they shopping around for a positive answer? The board and execs should do the right thing and resign. "

campaign stump wrote on Nov 21, 2007 6:13 AM:

" as good as any other I suppose "

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