When there has been a mistake, people need to admit it. When some of us pounce on that mistake and gleefully whale away on it, we need to admit that, too.
I wrote earlier this week about actress Tina Fey being charged a $79,000 fine for failing to carry required workers' compensation insurance. I had a bit of fun highlighting the hypocrisy of the rich and famous, and took jabs at her political leanings in the effort. The New York Workers' Compensation Board had filed a judgment against her in the State Supreme Court last week. In it’s demand for payment the agency cited the failure of previous attempts to collect the fine, and indicated all “Appeals before the Board have been exhausted.”
This week they announced it was a clerical error, and all was being forgiven. It turns out that Tina Fey was A-OK. She had insurance the entire time.
Oops.
First, I extend my apologies to Ms. Fey, for assuming the worst. I suppose I should have known that a state agency could easily rack up massive fines and penalties, exhaust the appeals process, and file a final judgment with the state Supremes all because of missing paperwork. Probably happens every day.
We've come to realize, that in New York at least, it has happened before. Last year the NY WCB fined actor Jim Carrie $72,000 for not purchasing workers' compensation insurance, only to eventually declare it to be a clerical error.
Some people think that agency needs to modernize and go paperless. Sounds to me they've already gone paperless, or often can't find it, anyway.
So, I was wrong, and I need to publicly admit it.
It was bound to happen eventually.