Working from the comfort of home is not the reality for those essential workers who safeguard the U.S. food supply. In late April, while meat processing and packing facilities started to shut down after suffering significant COVID-19 outbreaks, the federal government ordered their doors to stay open to maintain the food supply chain. Many state assemblies quickly stepped in to provide protections for those facility owners and operators from worker-based claims. As many additional businesses and civic institutions have reopened, federal and state legislators alike have attempted to answer the question on many minds: who bears responsibility if an individual becomes infected with COVID-19 through exposure at businesses and schools? Employers, employees, families and customers alike are concerned not only about their collective health but also how the answer to that question impacts their livelihoods.