The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act was passed in 1914. It enshrines all of the rights that employees have and the obligations that employers bear. The latest version was updated last year and implemented in February of 2016. This post will go over the Workers' Compensation Act (WCA) and how it may help you.

Workers' compensation is a method that assigns the burden of caring for an employee's workplace injury to the employer through an insurance company. Employees are promised rapid access to funds to pay for their medical expenses and their lost wages while they recover. In exchange, employers were shielded from additional liability for the injuries incurred by employees.

Workers' compensation is mandatory for most employers in Pennsylvania. The law does exempt a handful of workers and employers:

• Agricultural workers that are employed less than 30 days or earn less than $1,200 annually.
• Employees who are covered by other plans (railroad, longshoremen, and other similar jobs).
• Domestic servants, however, they may seek insurance.
• Employees who are granted an exemption due to their religion or because they are an executive.

Employers who fail to obtain insurance are subject to civil suit for their employees and criminal prosecution. Employers can obtain insurance through the state and from private insurers.

Employees are protected by insurance for the entire duration of their employment, start to end. Any injury or disease that is incurred due to their employment is covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Any injury is covered from repetitive stress injuries to occupational diseases. Even injuries that allow you to work but with pain or restrictions are still subject to compensation. If you believe you suffered an injury, even a minor one, you may want to seek the advice of a lawyer. An attorney can go over the requirements to get your compensation.