COVID-19 Employer Liability Still Unknown

Authors

Heather R. Falks

Date of this Version

2021

Citation

Court Review - Volume 57

Comments

Used by permission.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a new era of personal injury litigation. Across the United States, lawsuits for wrongful death, negligence, and retaliation are being filed against businesses for their failure to protect employees and the public from the known dangers of COVID-19.¹ Tyson Foods was sued for wrongful death by the widow of a Tyson employee who contracted COVID-19 five days after administering temperature checks for Tyson employees at a meatpacking plant. He died from COVID-19 two weeks later.² A Trader Joe’s employee filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board claiming he was terminated in retaliation for requesting greater COVID-19 protections from his employer^.3 New York sued Amazon for disregarding health standards in Amazon warehouses.⁴ Colorado congressman Doug Lamborn was sued by a former employee who claims the congressman failed to implement any safety standards and as a result contributed to the spread of COVID-19 to his staff.⁵ Most recently, following the death of four courthouse workers, the Superior Court of Los Angeles was fined more than $25,000.00 for COVID-19 safety violations.⁶