Michael Jackson returns to the family fold(Old news)

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http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?Stor...10-011254-5868r Michael Jackson returns to the family fold ENCINO, Calif., March 10 (UPI) -- Pop singer Michael Jackson has returned home from overseas and is staying with his family in Encino, Calif., Foxnews.com reported Friday. Foxnews.com Columnist Roger Friedman cited sources saying Jackson has not returned to his Neverland Ranch, which was closed by the state of California Thursday for his failure to cover his staff with required workers' compensation insurance. Neverland employees have also filed complaints with state labor officials, saying they have been without paychecks since December. On another matter, Friedman cites sources saying Janet Jackson has brought her brother's $2.2 million mortgage on the family's Encino estate up to date. The home had been in danger of foreclosure. Jackson's return to California fuels reports of a break in the singer's relationship with Prince Abdullah of Bahrain, who had played host to the singer and his three children since Jackson's acquittal of child molestation charges last June. © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,18536,00.html?fdnews Working Vacation at Neverland by Joal Ryan Mar 10, 2006, 12:00 PM PT California state labor officials have dealt a dose of reality to Michael Jackson's fantasyland estate, calling for work at the working ranch to be brought to a halt until its pop star patriarch takes care of pressing money matters. On Thursday, the state ordered Jackson to stop using employee labor at his Neverland Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara County, California, after it was determined his workers' compensation insurance had lapsed, Department of Industrial Relations spokesman Dean Fryer said. And two days earlier, the state put Jackson on notice to make good on at least $306,000 in unpaid wages. Both the stop order and the letter regarding back wages were published Thursday on The Smoking Gun. It was unclear how many Neverland staffers dropped their dusters, or shoved their shovels once the state essentially declared the ranch a work-free zone. As of December, the ranch had 69 employees, Fryer said. But, owing to the pay problems, it's believed those ranks have dwindled "A lot of employees left," Fryer said. "We don't know how many at this point." But, Fryer said, not everybody left, even as Neverland skipped at least six pay periods, dating back to December. Noted Fryer: "Some employees are dedicated." And according to Fryer, some employees are probably still at Neverland, residing in their in-house quarters. Fryer explained that the state's not evicting anybody; it's just ordering them not to work until the workers' compensation insurance is reacquired. State law requires employers with as little as one payroll employee to carry such insurance, Fryer said. On Friday, Jackson spokeswoman Raymone Bain said the entertainer was aware of the situation, but was not issuing a statement. Bain said neither Jackson, nor his family, were currently residing at the ranch. Jackson remains in Bahrain, the Persian Gulf country he retreated to following last year's acquittal on child-molestation charges. As for the zoo animals, who currently do reside at Neverland, Bain said, "They are being taken care of." Jan Glick, director of animal services for Santa Barbara County, essentially said she was told the same thing. The state notified Glick's department of the work stoppage in the name of making sure somebody was looking after the elephants, et. al. Glick said her staff spoke with Neverland's business office, and was assured the ranch didn't need help at this time. It was unclear, however, who was tending to the creatures if, per the state, no payroll employee was to be tending to the creatures. The zoo animals' care came under scrutiny in December with reports that Jackson, faced with mounting money woes, was having trouble keeping his menagerie fed with feed. A subsequent federal government inspection found that the zoo animals were all right. Glick did know what animals currently comprise the Neverland zoo. In the past, Jackson's ranch has housed, by the Associated Press' headcount, elephants, giraffes, tigers and a crocodile. Chimpanzees, such as Bubbles, resided in the main house. Until Neverland's workers' comp situation is resolved, Fryer said Jackson can use outside contractors, who should be insured by their own firms, to do work around the ranch. The state was tipped off to problems at the ranch this week, Fryer said, when a worker filed a complaint about not being paid. At the same time, the worker disclosed that Neverland employees were no longer covered by workers' comp insurance. A call seeking comment from Jackson's accounting and business management firm was not returned Friday. Fryer said he'd been told by the firm that efforts were underway to secure the needed insurance. In addition to insurance, Jackson's going to need to come up with cash. All told, he's on the hook for more than $169,000 in penalties. Add in the $306,000 in back wages, and his tab, as calculated by the state, stands at more than $475,000. Although the current Neverland troubles date back to December, Bain said they were unrelated to a reportedly $200 million loan payment that was due around the same time. Repeated calls to the Jackson attorney who was looking to refinance that loan have not been returned. It was not known how, or if, that matter was resolved. Jackson has five days from Thursday to appeal the work stop order, Fryer said. He faces more fines and potential legal action if he doesn't respond to the state's payment deadlines.