Emergency Restoration Experts (ERE) in Chandler, AZ is an emergency services company that responds to and mitigates water and fire damage. Most of their work is insurance based. Please keep that in mind when I later discuss the issues with falsifying insurance claim reports.
A little background first: FACT; Co-owner Bryan Bradley has a verifiable history of 1) drinking alcohol to excess (2 DUI's, public drunkeness at company functions), and 2) physical abuse (two civil suits brought forth by past female employees, one of whom was actually grabbed around the throat and lifted off the ground by Mr. Bradley; eventual settlement was $750,000.00). FACT; ERE was pulled by OSHA inspectors from an Asbestos Abatement project at a local hospital because their workers did not follow OSHA Protocol by failing to don the required protective clothing, and removing and disposing of it before stepping from the enclosed work area into the unaffected areas of the hospital. They effectively cross contaminated over a dozen separate areas by working unprotected, then just stepping out into the unaffected areas.
The following is my personal experience, and as such, will just have to be taken as anecdotal. While in his employ I was subjected on an almost daily basis to verbal abuse in the form of disjointed, profane tirades disparaging my ability to perform my assigned duties. When at any time I pointed out to Mr. Bradley that he was incorrect (and indeed he was, as he was usually too drunk at the time to have a firm grasp of the situation) he would get completely flumoxed and end the conversation with the equivalent of "I just can't talk to you, you're a (expletive) idiot".
On one occasion he called me at 6:30pm on a Friday, well after normal working hours, and launched into his usual alcohol fueled tirade about my not having taken care of an issue that, it turns, I had nothing to do with. He explained that he had told the insurance adjuster who was involved that I (me) was a (expletive) idiot, and his (my) (expletive) was out the door if I didn't straighten out. When I confronted him about the incident on Monday morning he had no memory of the phone call or our conversation.
This was by no means an isolated incident, either with me or the myriad other employees, most of whom are no longer employed by ERE.
As to the incidences of malfeasance; on one occasion in particular I had written a "scope of work" performed by our field employees for a particular water damage project. The techs were required to keep daily activity reports stating exactly what work was performed, how much drying equipment was placed and removed, and a record of the drying conditions (how wet a particular area is at the time of each daily monitor). This is the documentation I drew upon to write the correct scope. It is imperative that the information be correct as many insurance companies require it to be submitted along with the invoice to ensure all activities performed are justifiable.
In this instance, as different areas dried more quickly than others, quantities of drying equipment were removed at different times during the process. I wrote the "scope" accordingly. When Mr. Bradley reviewed my scope he flew into a rage, screaming that there's no way such and such an area could dry in one day... Or even two. He told me to alter my scope so that it stated (with appropriate charges) that all the equipment was on site for 3 full days. This completely contradicted the daily back up paperwork. When I informed him of this his response was..."so, change the back up docs you idiot". When I informed him that I didn't feel comfortable falsifying the documents he advised me that either I comply, or I would be looking for another job.
I made the changes to the scope to be submitted to the insurance company, and to the field documents (under duress), but first made a copy of all the original field docs so I'd have them in case it became an issue I had to defend myself against. I still have them.
I can't quite figure out how the field techs are able to do such good work (and they are very good indeed) while the company hierarchy abuses the lot of them on a daily basis, constantly threatening them with firing, and villifying them behind their backs.
This is, more than anything, a warning to those who utilize ERE's services, and also to the insurance companies that trust their contractors to behave in a professional and ethical manner. ERE does neither. Let it also serve as a warning to present and future employees that they do not have to endure the condescension and rank despotism of Mr. Bradley and his lack of decorum.
This is a bad company that belittles it's employees and cheats insurance companies. While I have no particular affinity for insurance companies either way, it's quite apparent that false claims for undue profit are part of the reason we all pay such high premiums. Avoid Emergency Restoration Experts at all costs.
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