Chicago Business Litigation Lawyer Blog
Over the coming weeks and months, employees will begin returning to work in increasing numbers across the state. As they do, employers will find themselves facing unique challenges created by the risk of workplace exposure to COVID-19. Potential transmission of COVID-19 by employees can create liability concerns for employers. The primary concern for employers is whether they will be entitled to the tort immunity typically provided by workers’ compensation laws in light of the unique nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Far from being just a hypothetical concern, the first workplace COVID-19 exposure case in Illinois was filed a few weeks ago by the estate of an employee who passed away from complications of COVID-19.
Under many states’ workers’ compensation statutes, a claim under the state workers’ compensation system is the exclusive remedy for an employee who suffers a work-related injury. This is often referred to as the “workers’ compensation bar” or “exclusivity bar” and represents a trade-off for employers and employees. For employees, workers’ compensation laws make it easier for employees to recover from employers for workplace injuries. Many workers’ compensation laws are no-fault laws, meaning the employer must cover the employee’s injury even if it was not at fault for causing the injury. In exchange for lowering the threshold for recovery, the workers’ compensation laws usually prevent employees from suing their employer for additional compensation under a different legal theory for workplace injuries. Continue reading ›