Meat Company Hit With Wrongful Death Action Following Employee’s COVID-19 Death

PHILADELPHIA — The family of a slaughterhouse worker who died after contracting COVID-19 has sued his employer in Pennsylvania state court, accusing it of forcing its employees to work in unsafe conditions without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

The May 7 complaint, filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, names JBS S.A., JBS USA Food Co., JBS USA Holdings Inc., JBS Souderton Inc. and Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. as defendants.

Enock Benjamin, a union steward at JBS’s Souderton, Pa., meat processing plant, died of respiratory failure caused by COVID-19, the lawsuit says. Benjamin’s death was caused by defendants’ decision …