By C1 Staff
LINCOLN, Neb. — The family of slain correctional officer Amanda Baker is seeking a change in state law that would allow the families of slain workers or would allow injured workers to sue their employer for negligence.
A current workers compensation agreement reached between employees and employers decades ago blocks families and workers from seeking compensation, according to the Star Herald.
The payout for Baker’s death would be $235,000, which Maren Chaloupka, the Baker family’s attorney, says is too little to really provide a disincentive for the county to create safer workplaces.
Chaloupka and Baker’s mother, Julie Bazler, assert that the county has taken extreme measures to cut costs, even going so far as to ask officers to bring their own toilet paper.
It took 15 minutes for Baker’s body to be discovered, despite the fact that her assault took place in front of a video camera. The camera was apparently unstaffed at the time.
The Baker family supports Bill 556, which would allow employees to see damages in court if they could prove an employer was willfully negligent for their injuries or death.
Businesses and insurance companies oppose the bill, saying that it would create exceptions to the workers’ comp agreement and start a slippery slope of more lawsuits.
The Bazlers said that no security upgrades have been made at the Scott’s Bluff County Jail since their daughter’s death. Another female officer was choked earlier this month but survived.
The family offered to drop any future legal action against the county if a security review of the jail was conducted and changes considered in a public meeting. Their offer was rebuffed.
“If something doesn’t change, someone is going to go through this again,” said Randy Bazsler.