DISQUS

chrisdickey · 1 year ago

Isn't it possible that that "sub of a sub of a sub of a sub" is an undocumented worker himself? Say, a drywaller who doesn't even have worker's comp insurance for himself or any crew he may have. What are the impacts on the system of that? Well, they are the same impacts as in the health insurance industry: all of those without it make it more expensive for those who do. This is not to mention the unfair advantage that illegal drywaller has over one operating legally: he's not playing by the same, expensive, rules.

This is a more complicated issue than what's reported here ... but, I see it's the first in a series. So I'll stay tuned.

heidioftherockies · 1 year ago

Under CO workers' comp law all contractors are required to have workers' comp or insure that all subs have workers' comp coverage. It seems some employers are not playing by the same rules and they are exploiting laborers and the taxpayers at the same time. Why do people always blame the illegal workers for having the audacity to work here without work permits?

notachanceatall · 1 year ago

Ummm,



Heidi.



"Why do people always blame the illegal workers for having the audacity to work here without work permits?"



So exactly which part of



"...illegal workers for having the audacity to work here without work permits?"



are you having problems with?



Are you saying that as long as they are good illegal workers, that is somehow ok and that they should be ignored by our laws?



They are illegal.



That means that they are already law breakers here. No matter how good they are while they are here illegally.



Is this some concept that is lost in the translation somehow?



I'm guessing that if they were here legally, they would have filed and received the proper workers compensation paperwork don't you?



Don't misunderstand my position here as the prime contractor is just as culpable if not moreso for their actions of actually hiring the illegal worker in the first place. These contractors should have their license to work revoked for such a foolish and dangerous act.



If anyones first act in entering this country is an illegal one, I have absolutely no compassion for whatever happens to them. Their selfish act placed them in a position of having to skirt the law for their entire time that they are in this country.



If they simply played by the rules to begin with. You know, the same rules that all of us are obliged to follow, they would not ever have to constantly be on the run from the law.

heidioftherockies · 1 year ago

If they "played by the rules" this county wouldn't have the expansion it's enjoyed - that everyone has enjoyed thanks to the increased property taxes on the homes occupied only a few weeks a year. Even the most diehard xenophobes I know have to admit that if the undocumented workers were carted out of the valley, the rest of us would be up the Eagle River without a paddle. I believe the point of the story is (1) the undocumented workers are working here in construction (that's a fact), (2) they work in jobs no one else would really want - demolition, for example, is dangerous and the lack of safety oversight makes it more so, (3) we have a law in place that requires workers' comp insurance be provided to ALL employees, (4) injured employees - regardless of immigration status - are often not able to access the system that is in place to pay for work-related injuries because employers don't want to file claims, (5) the result of (4) is to increase the losses healthcare providers experience due to treating uninsured people thereby increasing the cost of healthcare to all, and finally this quote:

siskiyouskyline · 1 year ago

I don't think the problem is specifically illegal aliens and I know it's not just the construction industry. Worst of all is the state and their lackadaisical enforcement. So long as they get their tax dollars, the state couldn't care less what happens.