House Passes Bill Stripping Undocumented Aliens of Comp Benefits

Friday, May 19, 2017 | 0

House Republicans voted along party lines Wednesday to pass legislation that strips workers’ compensation benefits from undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Dan Ramos

HB 27 passed 66-31, with all Democrats voting nay, and also scales back a law that recognizes cancer as an on-the-job illness for firefighters.

“No court in this state has jurisdiction over a claim for damages suffered by an illegal alien or an unauthorized alien by reason of personal injury sustained or occupational disease contracted by the illegal alien or unauthorized alien in the course of employment caused by the wrongful act or omission or neglect of the employer,” the bill states.

The bill’s language states that undocumented aliens can sue employers for “an intentional tort.”

“We cannot allow unscrupulous employers to hire people knowing they can cut corners by not paying worker protection premiums for undocumented workers, effectively refusing to take responsibility should those workers suffer an injury on the job,” Rep. Dan Ramos, D-Lorain, told Cleveland.com.

WorkCompCentral will publish a more detailed story on the legislation in Friday’s report.