Democrats Offer Presumption, Enhanced Penalties for Safety Violations

Michigan would become the latest state to provide a workers' compensation presumption for infectious diseases in essential workers, under a bill introduced Tuesday. SB 161, sponsored by Sen. Sean McCann and 13 other Democrats, does not mention COVID-19 or coronavirus but would apply to infectious diseases during a statewide emergency. “For an essential worker, 'personal injury' includes an injury or illness resulting from the essential worker's exposure to an infectious disease during a declared emergency,” the bill reads. Essential workers are those required...