(Rocky Hill, CT) - The Office of the Chief State’s Attorney today announced that a Waterbury woman has been arrested and charged with illegally collecting Workers’ Compensation benefits in the amount of $19,082.00 during her employment at a Waterbury hospital.
Tashia McKenzie, age 36, of Waterbury, was arrested on June 30, 2026 by Inspectors from the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and charged with one count of Fraudulent Claim or Receipt of Benefits, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 31-290c, one count of Larceny in the Second, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-123(a)(2). The defendant surrendered herself at the Rocky Hill Police Department where she was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond. She is scheduled to appear at Waterbury Superior Court, Geographical Area No. 4 on August 27, 2026.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, on July 21, 2021, the defendant reported sustaining a work-related back injury while employed as a certified nursing assistant at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury. As a result of her injury, she received temporary partial disability payments and total temporary disability benefits.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) is a wage replacement benefit for which an employee may be eligible, if they are able to perform some type of work, including “light duty” or “restricted” work, but not the same kind of work or the number of hours they worked at the time of the injury, and the employer cannot accommodate the restrictions. To receive these benefits, the recipient is considered to have limited work capacity and must inform the employer of any improvements in their injuries. They also are required to report any income beyond the benefits provided.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) is a wage replacement benefit paid by the employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier while the claimant is unable to perform any type of work due to a work-related injury or illness.
The investigation found that while the defendant was out on workers’ compensation disability from St. Mary’s Hospital, she was employed by Hale Home Care, LLC as a home care provider, performing duties similar to those of a certified nursing assistant as well as being employed as a certified nursing assistant at Waterbury Hospital. While receiving workers’ compensation benefits from St. Mary’s Hospital, the defendant failed to disclose her other employment and her ability to resume home care/certified nursing assistance duties at St. Mary’s Hospital.
The defendant received indemnity payments from St. Mary’s Hospital totaling $19,082.00, which she was not entitled to. Documentation showed that while receiving payments, she exceeded the physical restrictions set forth by her treating physicians and that she could have returned to full duty work capacity.
The case will be prosecuted by the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in Rocky Hill.
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.