|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
State
Rep. Ken Smith |
|
Smith introduces bill to limit additional physical examinations for fully disabled employees seeking workers' compensation benefits
HARRISBURG, March 11 – State Rep. Ken Smith, D-Lackawanna, has introduced legislation that would exempt fully disabled individuals from having to submit to repeated physical examination reports and expert interviews when applying for workers' compensation benefits in Pennsylvania.
Smith's legislation (H.B. 2305) would allow people with full disabilities to petition a state court judge to not require repeated physical examinations or expert testimony, once they have submitted the information to their employers.
"As someone who is a small-business owner, I certainly understand the need to ensure that individuals receiving workers' compensation are entitled to it," Smith said. "My bill would stop the need for employees to keep submitting the same workers' compensation information to employers."
Current law requires fully disabled employees who are applying for benefits because they have suffered injuries at work to submit the results of additional physical examinations and expert interviews to their employers.
Smith's bill has been referred to the House Labor Relations Committee for consideration.
###rrc/2008/agh
l:\print\releases\workerscomp.112