PA Workers’ Compensation Judges (WCJs) are like other employees in many ways. Just like we see turnover in any industry among its work staff, we see WCJs leave the bench for retirement or other opportunities. Recently, we discussed two new WCJs being named to the bench by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Perhaps we were remiss, however, in neglecting to mention the reason for the openings on the bench, and honoring those who served the workers’ comp arena so admirably.
As we have previously discussed, workers’ comp hearings in PA are generally conducted in the county in which the injured worker resides. These workers’ compensation hearing offices are spread throughout the State of Pennsylvania. Over the past several months, four of the WCJs have left the bench. From the Northeast Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office, Judges Ida Louise Harris and A. Michael Snyder have stepped down. The Malvern Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office (Montgomery County) has lost Judge Seymour Nathanson. And, just recently, we were told by Judge Geoffrey Dlin, that he would be stepping down as WCJ from the Allentown Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office (Lehigh County).
We want to wish all of these former members of the PA workers’ comp judiciary the best of luck in their future endeavors. As with the entire Pennsylvania workers’ compensation community, we want to thank these wonderful individuals for their service to the Bureau.