I was recently interviewed by KFOX news in El Paso, Texas about Covid.
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — With COVID-19 in the workplace, there is more at stake for both employers and employees. Lawyers in El Paso said they’re getting more calls from people about COVID-19 issues at work.
“Employees are telling me they are getting laid off because they have been exposed to coronavirus,” Roger Davie said.
Davie is an attorney for labor and employment law in El Paso. He said he’s received an increase in calls from people who believe their rights have been violated in the workplace.
“Employees that are terminated because the employer assumes they have COVID-19; they certainly should be filing a claim with the [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] for disability discrimination,” Davie said.
Davie said workers’ compensation is something else to consider.
“Texas law doesn’t require employers to have workers’ comp, but if an employer has workers’ comp, you cannot sue them for negligence, but COVID-19 may be the exception,” Davie said.
If your employer provides workers’ comp, you may qualify, if you got sick at work or because of work, but it has to be proven.
“COVID-19 may be one of those kind of illnesses that is caused by the general public,” Davie said.
You could also have a case, if a loved one were to get the virus at work.
“If someone they know got seriously ill, or someone they know died, they may have cause of action against their employer. It’s possible, if their employer was negligent and put them in a situation where they were infected with COVID-19 at work,” Davie said.
https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-paso-lawyers-see-increase-of-covid-19-workplace-violation-calls