Bronx Nursing Home CEO Arrested Under New Law Making Failing To Obtain Workers Compensation Insurance A Felony

August 8, 2008 1:09 p.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - A Bronx nursing home CEO was arrested Thursday for illegally failing to obtain worker's compensation for hundreds of employees.

"Providing protection for workers injured on the job is the law, and we all share the cost when employers ignore taking care of their employees," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said when he announced the arrest.

Cuomo said the arrest of Helen Sieger, president and CEO of the Kingsbridge Heights Care Center, was the first saying it was the first in New York state under a new law that makes it a felony for employers to fail to have this insurance on workers.

Sieger, 55, was arrested and charged with not covering employees with workers' compensation insurance for over one year, from May 31, 2007 to June 26, 2008. Sieger employs more than 400 to take care of more than 300 nursing home residents.

"Today's arrest should send a strong message: Employers who think they can wait until they get caught before getting workers' compensation insurance are in for a rude awakening. Any employer trying to cheat workers and the State by failing to have workers' compensation insurance will be held accountable by my office," Cuomo said in a statement.