Calls pour in for probe of employee intimidation

Workers allegedly pressured about injuries

By DANIEL LOPEZ

Herald Staff Writer

Article Last Updated: 11/02/2007 09:04:24 AM PDT

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said Thursday it is continuing to probe allegations that employees at the Salinas box company of Smurfit-Stone Packaging Containers were pressured not to file workers' compensation claims for injuries they suffered on the job.

Deputy District Attorney Ed Hazel said his office has received a number of telephone calls since it was reported Wednesday that the box company and the medical office of Pinnacle Urgent Care at 947A Blanco Circle in Salinas were under investigation.

Investigators served search warrants at Smurfit-Stone and Pinnacle early Wednesday, seizing computers and records with information tied to the investigation.

Douglas Tetaoka, 58, a supervisor at Smurfit-Stone; David Polk 51, a former human resources manager at the box company; and Eugene Guzman Jr. 61, a physicians' assistant at Pinnacle, were arrested and booked into county jail Wednesday.

Hazel declined to say how each man was connected to allegedly dissuading Smurfit-Stone employees. He said that Thursday it was unclear whether other people were involved.

Tom Lange, a spokesman for Smurfit-Stone, said Thursday that the company is cooperating with the investigation.

"Our company has a long-standing reputation for being a safe place to work," he said. "Honesty and integrity is part of that and we don't tolerate noncompliance with our core values."

Lange said Tetaoka didn't go to work Thursday but declined to comment about the supervisor.

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"We don't discuss personnel matters publicly," he said.

Daniel Lopez can be reached at 646-4494 or [email protected].