Here illegally? No problema in Pennsylvania!

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a 5-2 ruling on Monday, found that an employer held the burden of proof to show that an injured worker was in the country illegally.

David Cruz was a truck driver for Kennett Square Specialties when he hurt his back in 2008 while loading barrels into his truck. Originally from Ecuador, Cruz suffered a herniated disc and was unable to continue working for the company, according to a report by Business Insurance.

Work-injury-claim-formHe then filed a workers compensation claim asking for medical expense reimbursement and disability income.

Kennett Square Specialties, a mushroom farm near Philadelphia, paid temporary benefits to Cruz for about a month, and then issued a formal denial of benefits.

Attorneys for Kennett Square asked Mr. Cruz during a hearing in 2008 if he was a naturalized U.S. citizen, if he was an undocumented worker or if he possessed a “green card”.

Cruz, on the advice of his attorney, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination and refused to answer the question.

Mr. Cruz also invoked the Fifth Amendment when he was later asked if he improperly used his wife’s Social Security number when receiving medical treatment for his back injury.

The court ruled that Cruz’s refusal to testify about his immigration status did not meet the burden of proof because Kennett Square Specialties had no other evidence that Cruz was working illegally.

In a partial dissent, Justice J. Michael Eakin agreed that Mr. Cruz suffered a work-related injury but said that Pennsylvania lawmakers “did not intend to reward” undocumented workers “by allowing them to participate in a social insurance scheme for Pennsylvania workers.”

Kennett Square must now pay both medical and disability compensation benefits to Cruz.

In brutal new grilling, Rep. Trey Gowdy shreds IRS commissioner over agency’s shifting stories

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Don Noel

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Comments are closed.

Latest Articles