The agriculture economy is filled with blue collar workers, migrant workers, undocumented workers, and this whole group has become more and more vulnerable in recent years, and especially with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When things like injuries on the job, or help with immigration, or help with health care claims and costs, the only real solution to find a good advocate for these workers.
In this article we’ll go over some of the ways you can help select the right attorney for your needs and help get the hardworker bluecollar workers of America some proper representation.
Getting Hurt on the Job – Workers Compensation
Choosing a good construction and workers comp lawyer is all about knowing what your case needs and then finding someone with a legitimate track record.
Here are some of the qualities that are going to go a long way when you are choosing a particular legal professional for your construction or agriculture workers comp case.
What to look for in a good lawyer? We break down some of the elements below:
Elite Credentials
The credentials matter a lot when it is time to go with the best. You don’t want to settle for someone that is new to this line of work and may not know how the industry works or what the legal rights are in your state. Only choose someone that has seen it all and will know how to tackle the matter at hand professionally.
Trusted Name
It is smart to go with someone that has a proven track record in the region and has become a stalwart when it comes to delivering serious results. A construction case has to be handled maturely and it starts with a good lawyer.
Fast Results
Don’t want to wait around as the lawsuit is pursued? If you are someone that wants things to start moving along rapidly then you will want a trusted legal professional by your side. This is how you are going to save time.
Customized Approach
Each client is going to have a vision when it comes to how the legal case unfolds. This is going to depend on the situation at hand and how it needs to be handled moving forward. Those looking to customize everything should look to go with a solution that’s straightforward. This is a lawyer that will remain on top of things and make sure it is a straightforward process.
Undocumented Workers – Immigration Law and Protections
As reported by the Washington Post and a plethora of other news outlets, the situations with farm workers in the American south is a disaster. With living quarters that often house over a dozen people, and misinformation being spread about the virus (many people don’t believe its true), and workers working for dollars a day, it seems like a recipe for a human catastrophe. Truly Grapes of Wrath 2.0.
There are numerous agencies that work as migrant advocates around the US, especially in the south where migrant workers make up a large portion of the agriculture workforce.
These include:
The Center for Migrant Worker Justice
The Migrant Clinicians Network – Public Health Advocacy group especially important in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Furloughed and Out of Work – PPP, Unemployment Insurance and More
By far the largest segment of workers throughout the country that have been affected by the pandemic has been the furloughed worker. While agriculture has rightfully been considered an essential service and so the workers did not face the mass layoffs that other segments of the economy have.
However there still have been many issues facing the agriculture worker, including plant and farm shutdowns, pandemic hotspots. The American Farm Bureau has a section dedicated to how COVID-19 has affected the agriculture industry.
If you are a worker that has been affected, there are many things you can do. We spoke with J.J. Hayes, counsel at DiTomasso & DiTomasso, about his take on the steps forward for workers affected by the pandemic:
“The fact of the matter is that there has been a tremendous amount of money made available through the various programs, such as PPP Loans, supplementary unemployment, and more. As with any type of bureacracy, the main trick is to keep pounding the virtual pavement. If you need to wait on hold for hours at a time, or make dozens of calls, then that’s what you need to do. Don’t give up. We’ve read about the experience of one out of work person in NYC during the height of the outbreak, that made over 700 calls to the unemployment hotline, and got through once. Imagine if he had given up on the 699th call!”
Moving Forward – Getting Through the Pandemic
Unfortunately, in recent months we have seen a resurgence of cases in the US, and we have not flattened the curve like other countries. This means it may be many months before we may resume any semblance of normalcy.
The best advice anyone can give is to take as many precautions as possible, including the wearing of PPE and masks whenever possible. Their impact can not be understated.