Colo. Bill Denying Workers’ Comp to Illegal Immigrants Dies in Committee

A Colorado proposal to deny workers’ compensation benefits to illegal immigrants injured on their jobs has died in a Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee.

Republican Sen. Greg Brophy’s bill 98 would have barred any “unauthorized alien” from receiving workers’ comp benefits for permanent partial disabilities, medical impairments, permanent total disabilities, and wage losses during temporary disabilities for work-related injuries.

Brophy said now employers could be liable for paying for injured illegal immigrant workers’ health and medical care, even if those workers are no longer covered by the employer’s workers’ comp insurance.