Thread: OH: Workers comp for illegal immigrants may end

Workers comp for illegal immigrants may end
State senator’s bill targets undocumented workers.

By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau
Updated 1:42 AM Saturday, March 27, 2010

COLUMBUS — Undocumented immigrants injured on the job would no longer get workers compensation benefits in Ohio, if pending legislation becomes law.

State Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said he was surprised to learn that the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation doesn’t ask whether an injured worker is legal or illegal before cutting a check for benefits — something he deemed a “shameful practice.â€

Deport all illegal aliens. No benefits.

Most illegals are in jobs they have no skills or intellect to understand the dangers, and they don't get covered by workers comp insurance anyway because they are paid in cash and the employers don't bother to provide any coverage anyway.

This is just another feel good measure by the politicians who to your face attempt to calm your outrage over failure to enforce our laws but behind the scenes are telling employers and their campaign contributors don't worry this won't affect you. Status quo will remain.

We will as taxpayers continue to support and pay for the medical care and work related injuries, some very serious. We are paying now, for deaths as well as injuries. Illegals are injured to a greater degree than citizens - in trenches that are poorly built and collapse, falling off buildings and roofs because of safety ignorance, using machinery that they do not know how to operate safely, etc.

We need to use E-Verify, perform audits of companies to ensure that they comply, and enact specific penalties that will actually hurt them enough to stop corruption. Only when a politician goes down that road is there any serious attempt to stop hiring illegals. Demand that they fine the employer if an illegal is hurt on the job and demand that the employer pay the total cost of all medical treatment if you want sincere attempts to change this treason. Employers don't care about workers comp coverage for illegals, they don't care about whether they get hurt or receive benefits. It is the work comp insurance companies that want a way out of paying for the costs of increased on the job accidents - and to put those costs on taxpaying citizens instead.

Well, then, I would consider this not only a cost saving measure but a safety measure if it will keep those workers prone to injury off the job. Let Americans who actually understand the safety training because they speak English have those jobs.

When they classify you as a subcontractor to skate the legal system, they make you your own business, so to speak. They don't have workman's comp, on another business.

Many of the illegals in construction are working with fake social security numbers and the small business subcontractors who hire them do not e-verify. I heard of a case where a probable illegal(spoke no English) claimed he fell a few feet off a ladder and injured his ankle. Although the x ray showed no fracture, worker's comp payed for surgery, months of PT, etc. etc. as the man kept saying(through an interpreter) that his ankle still hurt. The illegal sued and received a big settlement. He had worked for the American for 2 weeks, using someone's social security number. This is probably another way illegals game the system all over the country. No more worker's comp for illegals!

Well, I guess I'm of the minority opinion. Illegal residents aren't all picking crops and only a few are "off the books". IMO, most illegal aliens are working "on the books". Too many employers would be enticed to hire more illegals and ignore safety standards, if only they didn't need to pay Workers Compensation (WC) claims.

When someone gets injuried, on the job, WC is set up to help the injuried employee. As an employer, I strongly believe all employers must pay WC claims for injuried parties. Even if the injuried is illegal.

If the employer is so concerned about this, let them E-verify everyone.

It's just a scam for employers to get out of their responsibility toward the "injuried".

We are a "right to work" state. There are no employment rules. Even on state jobs, or local community jobs such as roads or public buildings, we have a law that demands that the contractor hire only legal workers. They scam the system by hiring sub contractors who then hire sub contractors who hire on the job. They specifically target illegal workers because they pay them so poorly. That is how we as taxpayers and health care system users wind up paying for them, even if severely injured and/or killed. We pay extensive hospitalization and rehab and pay them money while injured, without the benefit of workers comp insurance, it comes from the taxpayers.

Because of language and experience deficiencies, illegals are injured far more than legal workers. We had a "suspended walkway" being built at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and the whole thing came crashing down, killing some and paralyzing others. They said the immediate problem was no one spoke English at the hospital, and most are still inpatient a year later at Shepherd Spinal. I know because I attend a clinic there regularly and I was shocked to see an overwhelming proportion of Hispanics as inpatients, most in wheelchairs. These injuries are not being reimbursed by WC insurance, we as taxpayers are covering it.

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