This week, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and the Industry Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced that they are sentencing five employers for workers’ compensation violations.  The five employers were from T&T Contracting, D&A Lawn and Landscape Services, LLC and three businesses that had already closed by the time they were issued citations.

The five employers were sentenced to time in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.  The program is for first-time workers’ compensation offenders.  The T&T owner was also sentenced to 2 years of probation, 15 hours of community service and a $14,604 fine.  The owner of D&A in Bernville was fined $6,500 after pleading guilty to the violations.

If you or someone you know is not receiving the workers’ compensation they deserve, contact the Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 today.

Earlier this month, a tragic construction accident took the life of 20-year old Pennsylvania construction worker Jory Raber III.  The accident occurred at a construction site in Newberry Township, Pennsylvania on Old Trail Road on December 14th.

Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration are investigating this fatal construction accident to determine what went wrong.  According to witness reports, a trench collapsed on two workers at the site.  Raber was buried in a hole between 15 and 20 feet deep for 12 hours before rescue crews could get to him.  Another worker was trapped in the collapsed trench up to his waist in dirt.

When paramedics were able to free Raber he had already passed away.  After being freed, the other worker was transported via helicopter to Hersey Medical Center for unspecified injuries.

Our thoughts and prayers are with to Raber’s family and friends.

Last month, Governor Rendell vetoed a bill that would allow firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancer to receive workers’ compensation benefits.  The bill had been fought for by firefighters and The Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association.

Rendell said that he vetoed the bill because he felt that it could lead to any firefighter with cancer to claim workers’ compensation.  In addition, Rendell said that the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors also opposed the bill and that it would be extremely costly for state municipalities.

Also, the governor said he feared that the cost of giving workers’ compensation to firefighters would actually reduce safety because it would mean municipalities cutting costs from other areas.

To discuss filing for workers’ compensation with an experienced attorney, contact the Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 today.

On Monday, New York became the first state in the country to require workers’ compensation and disability benefits to domestic workers.  The state defines a domestic worker as one that works in the home doing housekeeping, caring for a child, elderly or sick person or providing another domestic service.  Domestic workers cannot be employed by an agency other than the family of the home and cannot be a relative through blood, marriage or adoption.

The Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights was approved by Governor David Paterson on August 31st and took effect this Monday, November 29th.  Under the law, employers of domestic workers are required to provide employees with workers’ compensation and disability insurance.  In addition, domestic workers in New York are now subject to the state’s labor laws including a $7.25 minimum wage and 8-hour work day.

If you have been injured on the job and would like to discuss filing for workers’ compensation  benefits with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney, contact the Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 today.

Ziamatic Corp., a fire prevention product supplier out of Bucks County, was recently awarded SHARP status by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  SHARP stands for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program and recognizes small private businesses that have shown exceptional safety and health standards in OSHA inspections.

Only 43 Pennsylvania businesses have SHARP status and Ziamatic is the first out of Bucks County.  The award allows Ziamatic to be exempt from OSHA inspections for two years.  Company President Michael P. Ziaylek stated, “Having a safe work environment creates a better morale among our employees.  They know that we as a company have their safety as one of our top priorities”.

It is an employer’s responsibility to make sure that their employees have a safe and healthy work environment.  Contact the Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130 if you have suffered from medical complications due to unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.