Politicians in the U.S are fighting over the next relief bill, Republicans want full protections for businesses who may reopen to early as fears of second wave grow

Republicans want a protection-guarantee for big businesses as fears of a second wave of the Coronavirus in America grow.

• That protection shield would by all accounts shield businesses from being sued in the event their employees get sick from the coronavirus. This includes businesses who may have gone against federal recommendations and opened too early.

• Democrats like New York ‘s Chuck Schumer have made it clear favouring bosses over workers won’t actually be possible.

The battle in Washington over the next relief bill is heating up. Democrats and Republicans on one front have equally agreed that another bill is needed. But among Republicans including Mitch McConnell they have made it clear that there are red lines that they require.

Among those notable redlines appear to be the suggestion from Republicans of what they’ve called a “liability shield.” According to Mitch McConnell, businesses whether they open now or in the future as the pandemic improves need to be fully protected. Protected, er, from the almost inevitable lawsuits and trouble that may follow. Republicans reportedly fear that businesses who open too early may be sued or taken to litigation if employees fall sick or the necessary social distancing guidelines aren’t followed by companies.

In an interview on the Fox News Channel, McConnell made the remarks that litigation lawyers are “already sharpening their pencils” at the prospect of suing companies that aren’t quite literally following the law.

And imagine you’re a businessman thinking about reopening and you have heard that the trial lawyers all over the country are sharpening their pencils, getting ready to sue you, claiming that you didn’t engage in proper distancing or other issues related to health and safety,’ McConnell said.  

McConnell also reiterated his remarks on the Brian Kilmeade show.

‘If there’s a lawyer out on the sidewalk looking at every move you make as to whether or not you somehow have been irresponsible in this phase one and two that we move into as we re-open America, that’s not the way to get the country going again,’ McConnell said.  

These comments and the battle brewing over the next relief package come as America faces a likely inner problem from its own meat processing plants. In the last week, several major plants including Smithfield Meats have all closed. Closures have mostly, per plant officials, been related to numerous spikes in cases of the Coronavirus on site(s).

As a response, Donald Trump signed an executive order under the Defense Production Act classifying plants as an essential part of the economy. That executive order effectively demands that plants remain open at all times virus concerns or not.