Michigan House Dems try again with payroll fraud bills
Michigan House Democrats are again floating a package of bills intended to crack down on payroll fraud and unfair pay practices that have gotten little traction in past legislative sessions. The package would make it a violation to misclassify employees as independent contractors, increase civil and criminal penalties for wage theft, expand whistleblower protections to include independent contractors and require the state’s treasury agency to notify independent contractors of the difference between an independent contract and employee. Detroit News
Family of deceased meatpacking employee files wrongful death lawsuit
The family of an employee of an Iowa meatpacking company have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company related to the employee’s death from COVID-19. The plaintiffs allege JBS failed to provide adequate protective equipment and safety procedures at the Marshalltown plant during the pandemic, including not requiring employees to report COVID symptoms or to self-quarantine if they tested positive, and lack of social distancing measures. Times-Republican (Marshalltown, Iowa)
Ex-security guard sues Boeing, claiming chemical exposure
A former Boeing Co. security officer is suing the company in federal court, alleging she suffered lasting health issues because of chemical sprays used inside a Seattle-area hangar where she was stationed in 2019. The lawsuit accuses Boeing and the plaintiff’s employer, a security service provider, of failing to protect her from the chemicals, even though the companies knew there would be negative health effects. Herald Net
Employee who lost hand sues parent company of amusement partk
An employee who lost his hand in a 2019 accident as he inspected a Fort Mill, South Carolina amusement park ride has filed a lawsuit against the amusement park’s parent company. The lawsuit alleges the parent company failed to train employees assisting in the inspection on the proper procedures for inspecting the ride and failed to require that only trained and experienced operators controlled the speed of the ride’s wire rope during the inspection. WBTV