The family of Ferdinand Benjamin, a JBS USA employee who worked at the Souderton plant and died from the coronavirus, is suing the company for wrongful death, writes Millie Munshi for Bloomberg.

Benjamin’s son, Enock, filed the suit in a Philadelphia court after his father died from a COVID-19-caused respiratory failure.

“JBS treated workers as expendable and placed them standing shoulder to shoulder without basic protective equipment such as masks,” said attorney Robert J. Mongeluzzi of Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, the law firm representing the family.

The suit alleges that the company did not provide sufficient personal protective equipment and forced employees to work in close proximity under cramped conditions. Additionally the suit alleges employees were discouraged from taking sick leave in a way that suggested they may be terminated if they do.

The suit also adds that the company increased production at the Montgomery County facility including the addition of a weekend shift amid growing demand, “while it could have devoted weekends to disinfecting the plant,” said Steven Wigrizer, a partner at the law firm representing the family.

Read more about the lawsuit at the Bloomberg by clicking here.