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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Introduction

    The State Workers' Insurance Fund (SWIF) and the State Workers' Insurance Board were established by statute in 1915. The Board consists of the Secretary of Labor & Industry, who acts as the Chairperson, the Insurance Commissioner, and the State Treasurer. SWIF operates as an enterprise fund within the Department of Labor & Industry and is managed by the Director. SWIF provides an assured source of workers' compensation insurance for the employers and workers of Pennsylvania. For over 85 years SWIF has fulfilled this mission and continues to do so. Our first policy was issued on December 31, 1915.

    Because of SWIF, thousands of Pennsylvania companies that might otherwise not have been able to obtain workers' compensation insurance coverage are in business today; meeting payrolls, providing important products and services, and contributing to the stability of the communities they serve. SWIF is here to guarantee coverage, enabling employers to stay in business and keeping people working.

    SWIF has eight district offices throughout the Commonwealth. These offices are linked to the home office by a state of the art integrated computer system that processes all aspects of SWIF's operation, from underwriting to claims processing and payments, to accounting, legal and statistics. This system handles thousands of transactions daily, with a response time of less than half a second.

    Workers’ Compensation and Benefits

    It is mandatory under the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation and Occupational Disease Acts that an employer carry workers' compensation insurance. Failure to comply with these laws subjects employers to lawsuits by employees and criminal prosecution. Such prosecutions could result in substantial fines, imprisonment or both.

    Coverage begins, for the employer, the day after SWIF receives a properly completed Workers' Compensation application accompanied by the premium check.

    Workers' compensation insurance provides wage-loss and medical benefits to compensate employees who are injured, contract a disease, or have a condition worsen as a result of employment, regardless of the employee's previous medical or physical condition and without regard to the employee's fault, in most cases. If you are an employee of an insured and suffer from a work related injury SWIF will pay for reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to the injury.

    Legislation

    The Pennsylvania Legislature amended the Workers' Compensation Act during 1996. The law took effect on June 24, 1996 and provided for cost savings that will make Pennsylvania more job friendly and economically competitive.

    Potential cost savings is only one of the advantages. The new law also improves the efficiency of the workers' compensation litigation system and provides for faster, more equitable payment of benefits, facilitates medical care and returns injured workers to the workforce quicker, consistent with their abilities. It also expanded safety measures/programs and provides for stronger anti-fraud enforcement.

    Resources

    Contact Information

    State Workers' Insurance Fund
    100 Lackawanna Avenue
    P.O. Box 5100
    Scranton, PA 18505-5100

    Phone: (570) 963-4635
    Fax: (570) 963-4261