Employer Responsibilities for Workers’ Comp in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, like most states, most non-exempt employers are required to provide workers’ comp coverage for their workers so that in the event of a work-related injury or illness, the employees can recover medical expenses, lost wages, and disability. To meet this requirement, employers may either purchase workers’ comp insurance or obtain approval to self-insure.

Nonetheless, the system works only if everyone does what they’re supposed to do. If the employer fails to hold up its end of the bargain, a worker may find himself unable to recover from Pennsylvania workplace injuries. This breaks the relationship between employee and employer, and it also breaks the law.

If you have suffered a work-related injury in Pennsylvania, let a Lancaster workers’ comp lawyer help you ensure your employer is doing what it is required to do to provide you with financial compensation for your work-related injuries.

What Are the Employer Responsibilities for Workers’ Comp In Pennsylvania?

The workers’ comp laws in Pennsylvania are designed to streamline the process, not make it more difficult. As a result, employers have only a handful of responsibilities, including:

• Employers must carry workers’ comp insurance or develop their own “self-insure” system through the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
• Employers must notify all employees of their workers’ comp rights. Usually, this is done by posting notices in common areas, such as breakrooms, lunchrooms, or next to time clocks, but employees also send out notification messages on a regular basis. The notification should include the name and contact information for the company’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier and a list of at least six doctors approved for injured workers.
• The employer must provide emergency medical care for an injured worker and call for an emergency medical response team when appropriate to the severity of the incident. Injured workers must be given access to emergency care and any reasonable and necessary follow-up care without restriction.
• The employer must notify its insurer of the incident within one workday of the time the company has been informed that a workplace injury has occurred. If the company self-insures, the company workers’ comp benefits administrator should be notified instead.
• The employer must provide the injured worker with appropriate claim forms, again within one workday of the time the company has been informed that a workplace injury has occurred. The company also should provide the injured worker with written instructions about filing a workers’ comp claim.

Speak to a Lancaster Workers’ Comp Lawyer for More Information on Third-Party Claims

Employers have simple yet critical responsibilities when it comes to workers’ comp claims. Unfortunately, many employers, especially companies without designated human resources personnel, are simply unprepared and are left scrambling to identify and fulfill their duties at the last minute.

If you have been injured at work, let a Lancaster workers’ comp lawyer at Vanasse Law LLC help you through this complicated process. Contact us for a same-day response and a free consultation.