“Corruption.” “Mismanagement.” “Mess.” “Dark saga.” “Embarrassment.” Oversight that is a “joke.”

These are just a few of the choice words that one North Dakota newspaper has used to describe the situation at North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance. Felony indictments, alleged misuse of public funds, and potential retaliation against whistleblowing employees at the agency have left a black mark on a state that prides itself on clean government.

On top of that, there is evidence that injured working people have been wrongly and deliberately denied benefits that they are entitled to by law and count on to support their families while they can't work.  In North Dakota, that's not the way we treat people who need help.

We've got to fix things at WSI. I support the initiated measure which would place control of this agency back underneath the governor's office. Within that structure, the North Dakota Insurance Department should also be given the ability to use its experience in regulating private insurance companies to make certain injured workers are receiving the protection that WSI is required to provide them.