It was a hot, muggy day in south Florida when Cristina Lopez sank to her knees, overcome by a wave of nausea and dizziness, as the sun beat down relentlessly on the plant nursery where the Guatemalan migrant works with three of her children.
Lopez was thirsty, overheating, and unable to continue lugging plant pots as the heat index topped 100F (38C). She could barely see straight, but employers are not required to give outdoor workers regular breaks or access to shade, and Lopez said she was reprimanded for taking a short rest.
“The supervisor told me to punch out and go home if I couldn’t do the work. I felt terrible but I have a family to support and couldn’t afford to lose the hours, so I drank some water and went back to work,” said Lopez, 39, wiping the sweat from her brow.
