Employers Get Major Protections in GOP Liability Proposal

The Senate Republicans’ proposal to shield businesses from coronavirus-related liability includes provisions protecting employers from a range of workplace laws, including those that prohibit job bias, govern wages, and mandate minimum safety standards.

Liability Shield: The bill’s safe harbor provision would immunize employers from lawsuits or enforcement actions connected to the virus under seven federal employment laws. It covers claims beyond alleged occupational exposure to include those involving changes in working conditions caused by a law, order, or declaration related to Covid-19.

Too Extreme? Critics say Republican lawmakers and business groups have overblown the danger posed by potential litigation over ...