The New York state attorney general’s office recently reached a $46,000 settlement with the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the country over its policy of firing workers injured on the job.
C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc., which has warehouses in Newburgh and Chester, had a written policy of firing employees injured in a “preventable accident” within their initial 90 day probationary period of employment, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a statement. The attorney general said C&S violated workers’ compensation laws that prohibit employers from firing employees who seek workers’ compensation benefits.
“An employee injured on the job deserves medical care and workers”™ compensation benefits ”“ not a pink slip,” Schneiderman said. “Employers must not set policies that dissuade workers from reporting injuries and getting the care and support they”™re entitled to under the law.”
The settlement requires C&S to formally change the policy as well as pay $46,000 to the attorney general’s office: $36,000 to be given to terminated employees and $10,000 in penalties. The grocery supply company also will be required to train all employees on their right to file for workers’ compensation benefits.
The investigation into C&S began after the Schneiderman’s office represented the state Workers’ Compensation Board in an appeal where an employee was fired after being injured on the job. The probe revealed that 18 company employees were fired under the policy in 2010 and 2011.
C&S Wholesale Grocers, headquartered in New Hampshire, had revenue of $25 billion as of 2014.
