According to an annually published schedule, the WCAB hears arguments electronically and in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Scranton, and Erie. The WCAB reviews a WCJ's decision to ensure that it is supported by substantial and competent evidence and is legally in accordance with the Workers' Compensation Act (Act), regulations, and case law. Per that Act, WCAB decisions and orders must be concurred in by a majority of all Commissioners.
In addition to its appellate work, the WCAB has original jurisdiction over the appointment of fiduciary guardianships, commutation petitions, trustee payments, attorney fee petitions, total disability conversion determinations per instances of dual specific loss claims, rehearing petitions, and supersedeas petitions (requests for a stay of the WCJ's decision pending appeal) both before the WCAB and Commonwealth Court. Most of this work can be decided on the petition and answer alone, without argument, although some cases do require a hearing before the WCAB or referral to a WCJ for the purpose of making findings of fact.
In a typical year, the WCAB will receive between 900-1000 appeals and cross-appeals, issue more than 800 appellate opinions and more than 100 dispositive orders, and rule on hundreds of petitions (including those for supersedeases and counsel fees). WCAB opinions are published commercially and compiled in the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Law Reporter.
How to File a Request
Appeals and petitions can be filed with the WCAB electronically using WCAIS. Appeals can also be filed on paper using the LICB-2526 form and mailed to the WCAB Central Office in Harrisburg. The WCAB continues to make assessments and adjustments to WCAIS in order to improve public service and maintain the integrity of the administrative appellate process.
Hearing Schedules
The WCAB may add hearing dates to those specified below. For your convenience, you may also access a printable version of the 2024 WCAB Hearing Dates.
| Electronic/Virtual Using Microsoft Teams | Jan 10 | Feb 7 | Mar 6 | Apr 10 | May 7 and/or May 22 | June 5 |
| July 10 July 24 | Aug 7 | Sept 4 Sept 5 | Oct 16 Oct 29 and/or Oct 30 | Nov 13 Nov 26 | Dec 11 |
| Erie 3400 Lovell Place 13th and Holland Streets Erie, PA 16503 | Apr 23 | Oct 9 | |
| Harrisburg Eastgate Center 3rd Floor 1010 North Seventh Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 | Jan 3 | Mar 26 | May 29 | Sept 11 | ||
| Philadelphia 110 N. 8th Street 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Feb 28 | Apr 30 | June 12 | Aug 28 | Dec 4 |
| Pittsburgh Piatt Place, 301 Fifth Ave. Room 2015 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 |
Feb 14
|
May 15
|
July 31
|
Nov 7
|
| Scranton 321 Biden Street Suite 310 Scranton, PA 18503 | Mar 13 | June 26 | Sept 25 | Dec 18 |
Electronic/Virtual | Jan 8 | Feb 12 | Mar 5 | Apr 2 | May 6 | June 4 |
| | July 9 July 23 | Sept 3 Sept 17 | Oct 8 Oct 28 and/or Oct 29 | Nov 13 Nov 25 | Dec 10 |
Erie | Apr 16 | Oct 15 | |
Harrisburg | Jan 15 | Mar 26 | May 28 | Sept 10 | ||
Philadelphia | Feb 19 | Apr 9 | June 11 | Aug 6 | Oct 22 | Dec 3 |
Pittsburgh |
Feb 5
| Apr 30 |
July 16
|
Nov 5
|
Scranton | Mar 12 | June 25 | Sept 30 | Dec 17 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Board is composed of Commissioners, appointed by the Governor. Presently, there are nine Commissioners, one of whom serves as Chairman.
Department of Labor & Industry
Workers' Compensation Appeal Board
651 Boas Street, Room 832
Harrisburg, PA 17121
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
An aggrieved party has 20 calendar days (not business days) from the circulation date of the Workers' Compensation Judge's decision to file an appeal. If the 20th day falls on a holiday or Sunday, you have until the next business day to file the appeal.
Whether filing electronically or by paper, follow these instructions. Appeals cannot be faxed or emailed to the Board.
(A) a statement of the date of service; (B) the names of parties and Judge served; and (C) the mailing address, the applicable zip code, and the manner of service on the parties and Judge served.
NOTE: If the appeal is filed through WCAIS, service upon the Judge will be deemed to have been made electronically upon the acceptance of the appeal in WCAIS; no separate service upon the Judge is required.
Documents, correspondences, etc. can be electronically filed using WCAIS or mailed to the Board. If choosing to use mail, all materials should be addressed to the Board Secretary at the Central Office of the Board.
The petitioner (the party that files the appeal) must file its brief with the Board within 30 days of the date the Board acknowledges receipt of its appeal, and the respondent must file its brief within 30 days after being served with petitioner's brief. Should petitioner fail to file or fail to timely file a brief, respondent must file its brief within 30 days of the last day petitioner's brief could have been timely filed. The timely filing of subsequent appeals or cross-appeals restarts the 30-day filing clock for petitioners. [See 34 Pa. Code § 111.16. Briefs: content and form and time for filing.]
A request for an extension of time to file a brief must be made prior to the last day the brief can be timely filed, and must indicate the position of the other parties in the appeal to the request. A party can make the request using WCAIS. A party can also make such a request by mail or fax to the Board Secretary at the Central Office, copying all parties of record. Initial 30-day extensions are generally granted, while subsequent extensions are granted or denied at the discretion of the Board. You will receive notification from the Board, through WCAIS or by mail, about the granting or denial of an extension.
Please see WCAIS Brief Information for information about briefs on WCAIS.
A party can choose to not file a brief in the appeal by selecting “Not Being Submitted” in the Briefs tab in WCAIS. A party may also inform the Board by mail or fax to the Board Secretary at the Central Office, copying all parties of record, that it is not submitting a brief in the appeal.
When filing your brief, you must submit a one-page Summary of the Argument. [See 34 Pa.Code § 111.16.]
When you file your brief or specify “Brief Not Being Submitted” you select your hearing preference: in-person, electronic, or waive hearing (no hearing).
After the briefing period for all parties has closed, a party can request the hearing be continued to a later date; or be changed from: in-person to electronic, electronic to in-person, waive hearing to in-person or electronic, or in-person or electronic to waive hearing. On WCAIS such a request can be made on the Requests tab of the Appeal Summary. A party may also inform the Board by mail or fax to the Board Secretary at the Central Office, copying all parties of record, that it wants a hearing continued or changed. Whether made on WCAIS, by mail, or by fax, the party must specify the position of the other parties to the request. Where a party cannot be reached for its position, the number of attempts to reach that party must be specified. Note however, that when a party wishes to waive its hearing, the party does not need to specify the position of the other parties to its waiver request. You will receive notification from the Board, through WCAIS or by mail, about the granting or denial of the request.
Yes, our hearings are open to the public.
The hearing is held before one or more Commissioners. The petitioner argues first, and then the respondent argues. Commissioners may allow follow-up argument by the parties. Hearings generally last approximately 15 minutes.
An appeal can be withdrawn using WCAIS, or can be withdrawn by mailing or faxing a letter to the Board Secretary at the Central Office and copying all parties, including the Workers' Compensation Judge who issued the decision, indicating that you wish to withdraw the appeal pending before the Board. An appeal can only be withdrawn by the petitioner.
Initially, the time period for all parties to submit briefs can last 60 days; even longer if a party asks for a brief extension. Oral argument is scheduled only after the close of the briefing period (unless all parties waive their right to oral argument), and following argument the appeal is assigned to a Commissioner for review. The record (testimony, depositions, and exhibits) from the Workers' Compensation Judge must be verified for completeness. The record, briefs, and notes from oral argument are then reviewed by the Commissioner, who drafts an opinion and order. This opinion and order are then circulated to the other Commissioners for their concurrence (agreement) or dissent (disagreement). Once the opinion and order receive enough Commissioner concurrences to be approved by a majority of the Board Commissioners, the opinion and order are published and mailed to the parties.
Yes, you can. If you are not in agreement with the Board's decision, any aggrieved party has 30 days from the date of our decision to appeal to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. If you have any questions regarding the procedure to file a Petition for Review, please contact the Commonwealth Court at (717) 255-1650.