The Misadventures of Moscow Mitch: The Hill: McConnell proposal would abandon sick workers
By DAVID SUPER
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has insisted that he will block any further COVID-19 relief legislation without a provision that immunizes employers from liability for any sickness or death their workers suffer when they become infected on the job. He and President Trump insist that this will make a significant difference in getting the economy back on track.
Precedent certainly exists for removing classes of harms from the private tort litigation system, and sometimes crafting other systems to respond to injuries is socially beneficial. Sen. McConnell’s proposal, however, does not fit this pattern at all.
Far from developing another way to help sick workers and their families, he would simply bar the courthouse door and leave them with no recourse.