Farm Workers Sue over Workers' Comp Coverage

摘要

An injured agricultural worker and several nonprofit organizations have filed suit against the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration. The plaintiffs claim that the comp law excludes farm and ranch laborers from coverage in violation of the equal protection provision of the state constitution.rnAccording to the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and other parties, the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Act requires that employers provide "basic protection." That includes medical care for injuries sustained on the job, lost wages for days the employee cannot work due to injury, and death benefits for families of those killed on the job. However, in New Mexico, the agricultural industry is exempt from this requirement. Some employers voluntarily choose to cover workers through liability insurance or by paying for medical expenses directly.