West Boylston-  Sheriff Guy W. Glodis announced today that the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has been recognized by the Worker’s Compensation Division of the Commonwealth as the most improved state agency for efficiency and cost-savings. 

In a comparison of fiscal year 2006 versus fiscal year 2005 worker’s compensation costs for ALL state agencies (with a threshold of $300,000 per year), the Sheriff’s office achieved a total decrease in worker’s compensation charges of $540,467.30 or 45%.  (FY05 $1,206,465.72; FY06 $665,998.42). 

Sheriff Glodis took office in January of 2005 with a promise to instill a higher level of professionalism, accountability and good fiscal stewardship.  “The decrease in our costs did not come overnight.  The focus of my entire management team is a commitment to accountability and a belief in fiscal responsibility,” said Glodis. 

Upon his election to the Office of Sheriff, Glodis immediately pledged to address the crippling effects worker’ s compensation was taking on the efficient operation of the Sheriff’s Office.  The Sheriff implemented a comprehensive seven point plan that included:

A letter to all employees reminding them of the penalties for Worker’s Compensation fraud (with a copy of a news story announcing the imprisonment of an MCI-Bridgewater Corrections Officer for fraud).

• A letter to all employees out on Worker’s Compensation reminding them of their obligations to return to work when healthy.

• Assignment of an in-house attorney and a in-house worker’s compensation case manager to handle all claims.

• Adoption of a policy requiring the first doctor’s visit to be to a jail doctor.

• Frequent meetings and strategy sessions with the leadership of the Worker’s Compensation Division of the Commonwealth.

• Increased re`ferrals to private investigators to investigate fraud.

• Creation of a cost savings/sharing program.

  “Sheriff Glodis has provided much needed leadership and accountability with the proof being in the proverbial pudding,” said Brian Hickey, Administrator of the Statewide Worker’s Compensation Division.  “Sheriff Glodis’ leadership on this issue has been a model for other state agencies.”  In fact, members of Sheriff Glodis’ management team have twice been invited to speak to statewide audiences about the Worcester County approach to addressing worker’s compensation challenges.

  Sheriff Glodis also announced a 20% decrease in correctional officer sick usage from calendar year 2004 (10.63 days per officer) to calendar year 2005 (8.15 days per officer) with the 2006 year to date number of 4.22 days per officer (or a 2006 annualized number of 7.5 days per officer.  “These reductions in our worker’s compensation costs and unauthorized sick usage, represent a significant cost savings to the taxpayer of Worcester County,” said Sheriff Glodis.