Anytime I hear right wing ding bats talk about less regulation, I only hear one thing; less safety, low wages and more profits.
A KELOLAND Investigation into the Copper Lounge building collapse has discovered that the family of the construction worker, who died, Ethan McMahon, may have a difficult time pursuing a case in court against the construction company he worked for. It all has to do with Workers’ Compensation and South Dakota laws surrounding the insurance.  According to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, Hultgren Construction had a Workers’ Compensation policy for its employees. By state law, the family would have to prove intentional injury by McMahon’s employer in order to bring a lawsuit
I have actually known about these horrible anti-worker laws for a long time, but try to explain them to workers and they blurt out some kind of anti-union garbage, then buildings collapse, and everyone is wondering why families are not being properly compensated for their losses. One party rule, corruption, lack of ethics, ALEC run legislature, just to name a few, protect big business instead of the common worker.
Workers’ Compensation would provide death benefits amounting to 2/3 of McMahon’s weekly salary to any of his children through the age of 18 or 22, if they are a full-time student. McMahon was not married. If he had a spouse she would have been entitled to that benefit. Workers’ Compensation also covers up to $10,000 in funeral and burial expenses.
Oh, and also being punished for being a heathen and not being married. Nice.
Sioux Falls Emergency Manager Regan Smith says the city has created a log of is expenses, just as it would in the case of a natural disaster where it would seek reimbursement from the state or FEMA. In this case, the city will wait to see if any party is found responsible for the collapse and bill them.
So let me get this straight. When the city destroys other people’s property through bad plumbing, or inspections, they blame GOD and won’t reimburse those people, but when the city ‘thinks’ someone is responsible for causing them expenses, they send them a bill. Sounds a bit hypocritical to me? But no surprise.
There is so much dirty pool going on with this building collapse, it’s disgusting, and our city charter and state laws are not helping the matter much.
I also take issue with our mayor talking about how great our first responders are (in which they are) then turns around and screws their unions on raises and benefits. Kudos and compliments don’t buy groceries or pay insurance premiums.
So keep voting for the one-party rule, because like the day of the collapse, in the end, all we are going to find under the rubble is the little guy holding the bag once again.