NCTimes Former employee accuses Poway auto dealership of insurance fraud

August 26, 2010

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POWAY: Former employee accuses Poway auto dealership of insurance fraud

Hack asks DA's office to investigate alleged cover-up related to

his mold-related illnesses

A former Toyota of Poway employee has asked the district attorney's office

to investigate his claim that the dealership and its workers compensation

insurer committed insurance fraud when they allegedly denied that mold at

the business made him sick.

The Toyota dealership is the same one preparing to move from the north

side of Poway Road to the south side as part of a relocation deal that will

cost the city's redevelopment agency $3 million up front....

....He and three other former Toyota of Poway employees with similar claims

spent about an hour Wednesday telling their stories to investigators with

the DA office's insurance fraud division. Hack said he is acting as " the

public voice " for the group, which left the investigators with copies of

inspection reports, photos and other materials that allegedly back up their

claims.

....After mold was discovered earlier this year in the building he worked

in, Hack said, he showed photos of the problem to his doctor, who diagnosed

Hack as suffering from mold exposure.

....The dealership then tried to get him to apply for compensation under a

federal Family Medical Leave Act program and fired him when he refused to

do so on principle, said Hack, who is now getting state disability payments.

" They're shirking their responsibilities at taxpayers' expense, " Hack

said. " The state shouldn't pay when it's clearly a workers comp issue. "

....City officials have said they knew about the mold but also believe it

has been eliminated.

....Steve , a spokesman in the DA's office said its investigators

would review the materials Hack and the other former employees dropped off

before deciding whether to look into the matter further.

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