Peter Bray wrote:
 
>We had an employee that had tooth decay during their employment
>with us.  On going to their detist, this employee was informed that
>the tooth decay was related to their job! And was put on Accident
>Compensation, a program funded by employers (mostly) and taxes.
>
>We disputed the tooth decay being a work related "injury" citing the
>employees part time bar work and poor family history of tooth decay
>as being more likely causes of tooth decay plus the lack of hard
>evidence linking honey consumption and tooth decay.  We have now been
>ruled against on this issue meaning we have to apply for a review
>process and hence will put in an inordinate amount of time preparing
>a defense to this.
>
>This case will have the potential to set a dangerous precedent plus
>bad publicity spin off for honey.  Does anyone have any information
>relating to a link between tooth decay and honey?  Positive or
>negative.
>TIA
>Peter Bray,
>Airborne Honey Ltd., PO Box 28, Leeston, New Zealand
>Fax 64-3-324-3236,  Phone 64-3-324-3569  [log in to unmask]
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>
 
Hi Peter
 
Sounds like the N.Z. compensation boards functions like
their Canadian counterparts, that is they are stacked against
the employer in all disputes.
 
I can suggest three ways or points to fight this one:
 
a) If you think back you and witnesses can surely remember
that this fellow always had a foul smell coming out of his mouth
suggesting that he never used the business end a tooth brush
for its intended purpose. As a matter of fact when you talked
to him you always tried to keep him down wind in case he choose
to reply.
 
b) Talk to your lawyer about seeking compensation for all the
honey he stole from you on the job, after all you must have hired
this person to work and not to eat your product on the job.
 
c) If you are a member of a beekeepers association you may be
able to find a few old timers with good teeth to disprove the
dentists claim. Incidentally a dentsist basically runs a business
and when a patient says there is no way that he can afford the
recommended line of work he may start looking for ways to make
somebody ells pay the bill, which is likely what happened here.
 
Hope this helps
 
Viktor in Hawkesbury, Ontario.