Real Stories: Reinforced Earth Company v. Workers Compensation Appeal Board et. al
Juan Carlos Astudillo
Reinforced Earth Company v. Workers Compensation Appeal Board et. al
Pennsylvania
Juan Carlos Astudillo worked as a maintenance helper for Reinforced Earth where he was required to climb scaffolds and ladders and lift heavy steel beams. In 1994, Astudillo was hit in the head, neck, and back by a steel beam and was rendered unconscious at work. He sustained a concussion and a mild head injury. For months afterward, he suffered from headaches, dizziness, loss of balance, and back pain.
When Astudillo was terminated from his job, he filed for workers' compensation, but his employer denied the compensation claim because he was an undocumented immigrant. While the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that Astudillo was entitled to medical benefits, it also found that his undocumented immigration status might justify terminating benefits for temporary total disability.
This case is a direct outgrowth of Hoffman Plastic v. NLRB, in which the U.S. Supreme Court limited the rights of immigrant workers by holding that undocumented workers are not entitled to remedies under the National Labor Relations Act when they are illegally retaliated against for engaging in activity in support of workers' rights. The Supreme Court's ruling serves to withhold rightfully owed wages from workers and rewards employers who exploit and intimidate undocumented workers.
