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Farm Workers, Equal Treatment And Insurability: Griego V New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration, Mel Cousins
Farm Workers, Equal Treatment And Insurability: Griego V New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration, Mel Cousins
Mel Cousins
The US courts have considered a number of cases where a person has argued that his or her exclusion from insurability (either in social security, unemployment insurance or workers compensation) was in breach of the guarantee of equal protection in federal and/or state constitutions. The Social Security Act had originally entirely excluded domestic and agricultural workers. Early cases upholding the constitutionality of the Social Security Act had, inter alia, held that the exclusion of certain classes of worker from the scope of coverage did not render the legislation unconstitutional. However, these cases had not involved claims of racial, economic or …
Black Lung Benefits And Constitutional Challenges: The Byrd Amendments To The Black Lung Benefits Act; And The Kentucky Consensus Procedure, Mel Cousins
Mel Cousins
This note discusses two recent issues where legislation concerning benefits for coal workers affected by pneumoconiosis (black lung) was challenged under the US Constitution, including issues of due process, equal treatment and the takings clause. Congress has recently restored earlier legislation making it easier for the survivors of workers affected by black lung to qualify for federal benefits. Several courts of appeal have upheld this legislation against constitutional challenges from employers holding that it is neither in breach of the employers’ due process rights nor a taking within the meaning of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. In contrast, the …