Erie, Delaware County Businessmen Charged with Workers' Compensation Violations

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Criminal charges were filed recently against Erie and Delaware county businessmen accused of violating workers' compensation laws, the Department of Labor & Industry said today. The charges were filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

Douglas Pifer

According to the criminal complaint, Douglas Pifer, of Bradford, sole proprietor of Douglas Pifer Trucking Company, Erie County, operated his trucking company between March 28, 2004, and Dec. 12, 2010, without workers' compensation insurance even though the U.S. Postal Service had provided Pifer with $94,774.28 for that purpose.

U.S. Postal Service contracts include a line item that provides mail transport companies with funds specifically allocated for purchasing workers' compensation coverage.

Pifer is charged with 10 counts of failure to insure and one count of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 21 at Erie County Courthouse in Erie.

George Economou

According to the criminal complaint, George Economou, of Drexel Hill, president of Stacy's Pizza, Delaware County, failed to maintain the required workers' compensation coverage for its employees between April 29, 2006, and Dec. 31, 2006.

Economou is charged with 496 counts of failure to insure. He waived his preliminary hearing and is scheduled to appear June 6 in Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.

According to Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act, it is a criminal offense for an employer not to carry workers' compensation liability insurance. Each day's violation is classified as a separate offense as either a third-degree misdemeanor or, if intentional, a third-degree felony.

Media contact: David Smith, 717-787-7530

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry