Risk Manager Suspended as Medical Payments Skyrocket

Thursday, February 8, 2018 | 0

Paterson’s insurance risk manager has been placed on unpaid suspension after the city’s medical payments in workers’ compensation cases jumped by millions of dollars.

The disciplinary charges against Samir Goow include conduct unbecoming a public employee and “other sufficient cause,” Municipal Law Director Domenick Stampone told northjersey.com.

Stampone refused to detail the allegations, and Goow did not respond to a phone message left by a reporter with the website.

The city’s business administrator, Nellie Pou, also refused to discuss the specific charges but confirmed that medical bills had increased by millions of dollars even though the number of workers’ compensation claims had declined.

Former Mayor Joey Torres appointed Goow to the risk manager job in April 2015, and city officials previously credited him with cracking down on bogus claims. Goow’s brother is former Councilman Aslon Goow Jr., who is considering another run for the council in 2018.

WorkCompCentral reported in May 2016 that Paterson had reduced the number of claims under Goow’s leadership.