Massachusetts Launches Verification Site for Workers’ Comp

In a move designed to combat instances where employers lack coverage, Massachusetts has introduced a new Web site that allows anyone to see if a business has workers’ compensation insurance.

The Web site, recently launchedby the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, allows the public to verify proof of coverage for a particular company. Although the site is not designed to detect fraud, the state said it may assist investigations to determine whether fraud exists.

The Division of Industrial Accident said more than $53 million has been paid out of the Workers’ Compensation Trust Fund over the past 10 years to pay injury claims of workers who were employed by businesses that failed to carry workers’ compensation insurance.

Thirty-six other states have publicly accessible databases that the public can use to verify coverage for a business.

There are a number of good reasons for making this information publicly available, according to officials. For one, the page can assist homeowners in ensuring that hired contractors have workers’ compensation insurance. It also allows general contractors to verify whether subcontractors are properly insured, and can help protect agent and broker fraud by allowing customers to verify their coverage.

The site can be found by visiting the Labor and Workforce Development Web site at www.mass.gov.