Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the miners who were killed in the tragic accident in West Virginia. As residents of the coal region here in Schuylkill County, we are all too familiar with the risks and dangers associated with working in the mines.
On the heels of this accident, we recently saw an article on the TimesLeader.com about a local coal industry businessman who violated workers’ compensation insurance and income tax laws.
According to the article, Al Roman, owner of the Huber Breaker and No. 1 Contracting, was sentenced on six counts of workers’ compensation insurance payment and one count each of willfully evading earned-income tax and failure to make required payments.
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Task Force said Roman and No. 1 Contracting failed to obtain and maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage from July 2006 until March 2008. This was brought to light when an employee filed a workers’ comp claim after injuring himself on the job in 2006.
The investigation also determined that over $109,000 was withheld from the pay of employees for Act 511 taxes beginning in January 2004, but never handed over to tax authorities.
Roman received five years probation and ordered to pay back more than $170,000.