PA Workers Compensation Bureau Update

May 19, 2008

Mandatory Mediation in PA Workers Compensation

On November 9, 2006, the most recent amendment to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, known as Act 147 of 2006, was signed into law. Several of the provisions of Act 147 were designed to quicken the litigation process in PA workers’ comp. One of those provisions created what is known as “Mandatory Mediation.”

Mediation, generally speaking, is a process where an independent person meets with the parties to a dispute and helps the parties reach a resolution to their quarrel. This is a process used in all types of litigation, and even in disputes outside of litigation. Usually, this is a very informal process. The mediator will meet with the parties separate and together, working to try and bring them together on common ground. There is no court reporter present, and things said in mediation are not admissible in the litigation (encouraging the parties to be honest about the strengths and weaknesses of their position).

Mediation has been used in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation matters as long as I can recall. In the past, mediation only happened in PA workers’ comp when the parties so requested. The process was entirely voluntary, and did not occur that often.

May 1, 2008

Philadelphia Workers Compensation Hearing Office Moving

by Glenn Neiman

Typically, in Pennsylvania, workers’ compensation hearings are held in the County in which the injured worker lives. Many Counties in PA have a single hearing location (Allentown for Lehigh County, Reading for Berks County, Easton for Northampton County), while others have multiple locations. For instance, in Montgomery County, hearings are divided between hearing offices in Malvern and Dresher. Similarly, in Bucks County, there are hearing offices in Bristol and Doylestown.

Another County with multiple locations is Philadelphia County, where there is an office in Northeast Philadelphia and one in Center City Philadelphia. The Center City hearing office has been in the State Office Building at Broad and Spring Garden Streets for as long as I can remember (and I have been handling workers’ compensation cases in PA for over 15 years). As you may have heard, however, the State Office Building has been sold and the Philadelphia workers’ compensation hearing office will be moving.

Though details are hard to come by, we believe the new Philadelphia workers comp office will be located at 8th and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia. The move is expected to take place by the end of 2008. We will certainly be updating this information as we learn more!

April 23, 2008

PA Workers’ Compensation Act Available Online

by Glenn Neiman

Did you know that you can read the entire Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act online? While certainly not fun reading material, the PA Workers’ Compensation Act can provide valuable information. This is not a substitute for having an experienced workers’ comp attorney, but is another resource an injured worker can use to learn and protect his or her rights.

April 16, 2008

Workers’ Compensation Vocational Counselor Regulations in PA

by Glenn Neiman

Under certain circumstances, injured workers in Pennsylvania are required to submit to a vocational evaluation (a meeting with a vocational counselor). Until recently, the injured worker would usually then hear nothing . . . until a petition was filed by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier to reduce the injured workers’ benefits based on a “Labor Market Survey” (Basically a listing of jobs said to be available to the injured worker). This “hiding” of the vocational evidence made it more difficult for the injured worker to fight the petition.

In June, 2007, new regulations were passed by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, requiring vocational counselors to provide a copy of their initial report, as well as any additional reports, including the Labor Market Survey, to the injured worker, and his or her attorney within certain time frames. This makes the battle to protect an injured worker’s benefits much more fair.

When a workers’ compensation insurance carrier requests the injured worker have a vocational meeting, this should be a clear signal to the injured worker that his or her benefits are in jeopardy. It is at this time, if not before, when an injured worker should seek a workers’ compensation attorney.