Are All Employees Injured in Pennsylvania Covered by the Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Act?
No. Some categories of workers are not covered exclusively by the PA Workers’ Compensation Act. These workers, such as federal employees, military personnel, maritime workers and railroad workers, are covered by alternative legislation, such as the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act, Jones Act, Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. In some cases, the injured worker could be covered by more than one Act. Other categories of employees, such as casual employees, home workers, domestic service workers, agricultural workers, real estate salespersons and brokers, and insurance agents may also be excluded from coverage under the PA Workers’ Compensation Act. Finally, independent contractors, since they are not “employees,” may not fall under the PA Workers’ Compensation Act. Whether or not an injured employee is covered by the PA Workers’ Compensation Act often depends on the specific facts of each case, and should be reviewed by an atto
