The meatpacking industry has suffered severe coronavirus outbreaks, in part because production-line workers often work side-by-side for long shifts. Companies including JBS, Tyson Foods Inc and WH Group Ltd's Smithfield Foods closed about 20 plants this spring after outbreaks, prompting President Donald Trump in April to order the plants to stay open to ensure the nation's meat supply. The White House declined to comment on the industry's rejections of workers' claims. The U.S.
Workers can challenge companies' denials in an administrative process that varies by state but typically resembles a court hearing. The burden of proof, however, usually falls on the worker to prove a claim was wrongfully denied. The Minnesota Department of Health said only two meatpacking plants there had significant coronavirus outbreaks: a JBS pork processing plant in Worthington, and a poultry plant in Cold Spring run by Pilgrim's Pride Corp , which is majority-owned by JBS.
In Colorado, 69% of the 2,294 worker compensation claims for COVID-19 had been denied as of Sept. 12. Although the state does not break down the denials by industry, a JBS spokesman told Reuters the company is rejecting claims in Colorado and that it uses the same claim-review procedures nationwide. The administrator, Sedgwick, did not respond to a request for comment. Bruett, also a spokesman for Pilgrim's Pride, did not respond to questions about infections and claims at its Minnesota plant.At the JBS plant in Greeley, where Sanchez worked before he died, at least 291 of about 6,000 workers were infected, according to state data. The company, in its written response to the family’s claim, said that his infection was “not work-related,” without spelling out its reasoning.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said on Sept. 11 that it had cited JBS for failing to protect workers at the Greeley plant from the virus. OSHA cited Smithfield this month for failing to protect workers at its Sioux Falls, South Dakota, plant, where the agency said nearly 1,300 workers contracted the coronavirus and four died.
'ESSENTIAL' is spelled 'EXPENDABLE' ....
Terrible, greedy Smithfield and others. Shame on them.
It’s not surprising. Trump ordered people back in there & protected the COMPANIES so they didn’t have to protect their Employees. And his USDA gave the inspectors $50 & told them to find their own PPE. Working people mean nothing to Trump & his GOP lackeys. VoteHimOut VOTEBLUE
See as I mentioned before last week. If tRumps puppet gets into SCOTUS, they will take away your existing benefits and then call the Covid-19 virus a pre-existing condition and guess what Americans, you’re SOL.
Of course.
Who would have thought that the meat industry, a massive culprit in climate change, would do something so unfair. I mean profiting off the destruction of civilisation is one thing but not paying workers benefits just crosses a line.
This is why we need to demand for the universal healthcare!
Because they can get away with it under trump. Vote Biden like your life depends on it
Sure hope those workers all vote.
Boycott JBS Meat until they change this
A new war against NagornoKarabakh and Armenia by Azerbaijan is a war against democracy.
That's just wrong all who contacted covo19 was there on the job.
Sue them! Say see ya in court and let karma unfold.
Why isn't there a MAGAt chorus to send these Brazilians home
When our sitting president could stiff contractors because he arbitrarily didn’t like their work - why can’t other businessmen arbitrarily decide they aren’t responsible if you get sick and die at work and deny their families benefits?
The Chinese Communists should pay.
TheLibertyLamp JBS USA is worth billions. (US$27.8 billion in 2017) And yet they’ll kill their workers off to save money.
Trump's America.....where the rich get richer and the poor can just die, because...they need their profit !!!
Take your Union Lawsuit as far as it can go. If your case is NOT SETTLED THEN FILE IT AS A REGULAR LAWSUIT, but make it A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SO ANYONE WHO WAS TREATED THE SAME CAN JOIN YOUR LAWSUIT! Ask your Union Lawyers about THIS! Good Luck to Anyone This Applies To God sees
They are denying worker’s compensation claims. As they should be. Stop using COVID as an excuse to believe money grows on trees.
Sue the hell out of them
This is why the big businesses were given immunity from liability.
This is up to a vote everyone,m this complete abuse of workers is up for a vote, if you find this at all acceptable, then you are a Republican for Trump, if this seems inhuman and cruel and you want it to end, vote for Biden Harris. They treat employees like trash
Wht a shame!!!🤔😥🤬🖤💛
WTF? Why? Unbelievable! Challenge it! There is Nothing that covers a Pandemic I would BET! Fight it All the way to Court because you will NOT Be Alone! I would Bet it can turn into A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!! Because in the beginning it was covered, then it got too expensive! Sue!
This is why unions are still needed. People want to bad mouth unions while ignoring abhorrent treatment of workers like this.
DIDN'T THEY FORCE THEM TO WORK.
I'd tell those families to keep fighting. Ask for Go FundMe money for bills to keep fighting. Don't give up. Think of all those who died from cancer after DuPont poisoned them with Teflon. The fights can take years, but don't give up!
WTF? How much money did your state get to keep these companies open as per executive order? Missouri Meat and Poultry Processing Grant Program has 20 Million
I can stop eating meat if that will get them to pay workers benefits for COVID-19. Mistreatment of fellow human beings and their families is just disrespectful and disgusting!
The workers need to stop working, they want meat let them go cut it themselves. Strike.
That is shameful!
Major dirtball move by JBS.
These are the monsters the Trumps and Republicans are working for. They're fighting to absolve them of liability and exposure to lawsuits.
Here we go. Ordered back to work or lose their job. Get sick, no coverage, and possibly lose their lives.
There will undoubtedly be millions of lawsuits against Communist China for this pandemic....
How does the NOCEBO EFFECT WORK..
Mitch! Today we have 209,815 DEATHS still 1K/D. You DECIDED to keep an INCOMPETENT PERSON in the WHITE HOUSE! His FAILURE to manage the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE to the Pandemic has resulted in 30 Million unemployed/no healthcare + RECORD: Bankruptcies Foreclosures Evictions
This is sick!!!! Pun intended!!
Thanks Trump!
So wrong😱
Because they are mean, pay your employees.
these are the same people trump forced to work in a pandemic disgraceful
Love the compassion these corporate clowns show their workers.
Just what Trump would do too. Stiff the workers.
TrumpsAmerica
insurance, the ultimate scam
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »
Source: L.A. Times Health - 🏆 364. / 59 Read more »
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »