The Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River have provided food and employment to New Orleans residents for centuries. However, even the most seemingly safe journey out onto the water or routine maintenance procedure while on the dock exposes workers to multiple workplace hazards.
Commercial Fishing Boat Owners Are Exempt from Workers’ Compensation Laws
A general concept that applies to labor laws around the country is that employers must provide workers’ compensation insurance protection to all their employees. These plans provide medical care at no cost to the worker and cash benefits for all time missed at work because of the injury.
Unfortunately, the maritime industry is one portion of the economy that is exempt from these laws. The idea at the time of the exemption was that boat workers do their jobs off the coasts of numerous states or even in international waters. As a result, it was difficult to place the location of the workplace in any one state.
