[ConservativeInPA]

The average income in Liberia is $436. That would make $1,900 a boat load of money. Imagine an insurance policy 4 times your salary.

[ThunderSleeps]

At $5 a day, figure an average American work year of 50 weeks of 5 days. (I realize that may be very different there) That is still $1250 a year, well above the average, in fact 2.8 times the average. Average in America is $51,939. I wouldn't mind making $148,545 a year.

I didn't read the article but I would suspect they are forcing them out and possibly burning the house to reduce the chances of further infection. Get them out, away from the infected person's personal effects that may be contaminated. Burn the place to keep anyone from coming back and to destroy the virus.

[heartwood]

Many of those who receive the death benefit will spend it or have it taken from them quickly.

The logistical difficulties in administering a pension might make that a worse option.

A little paternalism wouldn’t come amiss here - hiring a surviving adult family member, or orphanages and schooling for orphaned children.

[Smokin' Joe]

Considering the housing will likely be burned, but would be used for worker housing if successfully decontaminated anyway, the 4X average annual salary 'settlement', and even food for today and tomorrow, that isn't such a bad deal.

No corporation in the US is required to house and pay survivors in perpetuity unless there was negligence, and in the event you died of some non work-related disease, chances are you'd get nothing.

It may not seem like much money here, but under the conditions there, it might even be called generous.