Police Occupational Diseases

News from the Pennsylvania General Assembly

STATEHOUSE SNIPPETS

SCHOOL VOUCHERS: State representatives took the wraps off the latest legislative proposal regarding school choice. The bill introduced by Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, would provide vouchers, starting in 2012-13, for children from lower-income families who attend poorly performing schools. At a news conference, Christiana said he was "tired of another generation having to suck it up and attend failing schools" for lack of an affordable alternative. The proposal also would expand the existing Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. (House Bill 1708)

POLICE ASSAULT: The House voted unanimously to impose new penalties for intentionally exposing someone in law enforcement to a communicable disease. Depending on the grade, offenders could receive up to 10 years and a $25,000 fine. The bill would give the same legal protections to police officers that currently apply to prison guards. It was sent to the Senate. (House Bill 1618)

HAPPY HOUR: The Senate voted unanimously to approve a bill that would allow holders of retail liquor licenses to hold happy hours and discount the price of alcoholic drinks up to four hours per day and no more than 14 hours each week. Under the bill, licensees would be prohibited from discounting drinks between midnight and closing time and required to post notice of happy hours seven days in advance. The bill, which was amended in the Senate after an earlier version passed the House, must return to the House. (House Bill 148)

FIREFIGHTERS CANCER: The House voted 200-1 to designate cancer as an occupational disease under the Workers' Compensation Act for firefighters with at least four years of continuous experience fighting fires. They would have to establish direct exposure to a set of carcinogens to show they contracted cancer as a result of their occupation. The measure was sent to the Senate. (House Bill 797)

QUOTEWORTHY

"The time is now for us to do the responsible thing for Pennsylvania's present and future." — House Minority Whip Mike Hanna, D-Clinton, at a news conference about a Democratic proposal to assess a well production-based fee or tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction.

LOOKING AHEAD

The House and Senate are both scheduled to be in session through Friday.

IN FACT

The Stourbridge Lion, an English-made locomotive that ushered in America's commercial railroad industry, underwent a successful test run in Honesdale in August 1829, to the amazement of local witnesses.

Time Limits for Filing Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Claims ...

    July 01, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ — A work injury can disrupt a person’s entire life and cause physical pain as well as emotional aggravation from dealing with medical bills and insurance bureaucracy. Filing and getting a workers’ compensation claim recognized can help alleviate these issues. However, unless an employee acts within the specified time lines, he or she may lose the opportunity to receive benefits at all.

Time Limits for Initial Filing an Initial Workers’ Compensation Claim

In Pennsylvania, an injured worker should report a work injury within 21 days after its occurrence to his or her employer. Without this notice, the employer and the employer’s insurer are under no obligation to pay workers’ compensation benefits . However, failure to give notice within 21 days does not preclude a worker from pursuing a legal claim; it only delays possible payment.

Nevertheless, an employee must provide notice to the employer within 120 days after the injury or he or she will lose the right to receive any kind of benefits. If notice is given in this time frame and the workers’ compensation insurer denies liability for the injury, the employee then has three years from the date of injury to file a claim petition for benefits.

One exception to the 120-day rule is occupational diseases such as cancer or chemical exposure and poisoning. In order to qualify for compensation in these situations, the employee must become injured or disabled within 300 weeks of the date of last employment in the job that caused the occupational illness. Moreover, the injured worker must file a claim for benefits within three years of the date of injury or disability. Failure to act within three years will result in a loss of eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits.

Time Limits for Reinstating Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Additionally, there are time limits for reinstating workers’ compensation benefits after the insurer suspends or terminates benefits. For suspended benefits, an employee with a partial disability must file a claim to reinstate benefits within 500 weeks of the date on the last benefit check. For terminated benefits, the employee must file a claim to reinstate benefits within three years of the date on the last benefit check.

Employer's guide to workers' compensation

Transactions of the Fifteenth International Congress on Hygiene and Demography: pt. I. Section III: Hygiene of infancy and childhood; School hygiene. pt. II. Section IV: Hygiene of occupations

Recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases and ILO list of occupational diseases

Bulletin of the Public Affairs Information Service, annual cumulation

Public Affairs Information Service bulletin