Is Santa Claus a bad employer?

Forbes seems to think Santa is a bad employer. In their recent feature on "The Forbes Fictional 15," Santa led the roster of their picks for some of the world's wealthiest fictional characters. In the case of our jolly friend, they level some damning charges:

"At issue is Claus’ treatment of his large elvish work force, which annually produces some 700 million toys with a market value in excess of $14 billion. Critics claim that the elves work long hours for low pay under hazardous conditions. Particularly at issue is Claus ' adamant refusal to give the elves any sort of health insurance and his stubborn insistence on keeping his manufacturing operations at the North Pole, where governmental oversight is nonexistent."

While I would guess that Santa's good works in other areas might be mitigating factors, nevertheless, Santa should remember that charity begins at home. And it should be noted that Santa is not the only boss with seasonal failings included on the list - curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge comes in at number 12.

And while we are on the topic of Santa, a story in today's Insurance Journal has some good news for homeowners about a liability waiver that promises to shield Americans from Santa's fat suits. That's one less worry!

All of us at Lynch Ryan extend best wishes to our readers for a happy, safe, and healthy holiday season … and special thanks to all those of you who will be working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to keep things humming for the rest of us!