The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service have launched a joint year-long initiative to combat workers’ compensation fraud.

This effort, building on last year’s prevention and awareness campaign launched by the OIG (Link, 9/14/09), will commit increased investigative resources to identify fraudulent claimants.

Workers’ compensation benefits help employees who suffer on-the-job injuries, and a crucial element of that program is to make sure they are extended only to employees with legitimate injury claims. A number of employees each year submit fraudulent claims or extend their absences by falsely reporting they are unable to return to work.

According to Inspector General David Williams and Chief Postal Inspector William Gilligan, this initiative is an opportunity for the OIG and the Inspection Service to collaborate and focus on protecting the integrity and financial health of the Postal Service.

If you know someone who is defrauding the Postal Service, contact the OIG at 1-888-USPS-OIG or at www.uspsoig.gov.

source: USPS News LInk