The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-24
ACCIDENT COMPENSATION
FOR uncle SAM employees
Total Number Of Claims Filed During
Five Years Federal Law Has Been
in Existence Was 14,063-Claims
Paid Over 81 100000

Washington, D. c., Nov. 24.-The
operations of the law of May 80, 1908,
providing compensation for accidents to
certain employees of the Federal Govern
ment, form the subject of Bulletin No.
155 just published by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics of the United States
Department of Labor. The report COW
ers the period from August /, 1908,
when the law went into effect, to June
30, 1913, or practically the first FIVE
years of it's existence. This law was
the pioneer general accident compensa-
tion law in this country, but since its
enactment "a States have made provis-
ION for compensation in some form, all
OF them, however, on more liberal ba-
sis.
As enacted the law covered artisans
and laborers in manufacturing estab-
llshments, arsenals, and navy yards, riv-
er and harbor and fortifcation work,
and hazardous employment in the
Reclamation Service and under the
Isthmian Canal Commission. Later it
was extended to include all Isthmian
Canal Commission employees and persons
engaged in hazardous work in the Bu-
reau of Mines, the Lighthouse Service,
and the Forestry Service. 1t is esti-
mated that $4,000 persons are covered
by the provisions of the law, somewhat
less than one-fourth of the civilian en-
ployes of the Federal Government. The
act is administered by the Secretary
of Labor except as it affects employees
of the Isthmian Canal Commission, for
whom an act of March 4, 1911, pro-
vided that the law should be admin
istered by the chairman of that com
mission.
The law allows compensation only
for accidents sustained in the course
of employment without negligence or
misconduct, causing disability exceed
ing IS days or resulting in death. Com
pensation is on the basis of full wages,
but payment is limited to one year even
in cases Of death and total permanent
disability.
The total number of claims filed dur
ing the first five years of the law was
14,969, of which 14,046 were allowed,
Oil disallowed, and were still under
consideration at the end of that period.
Of the cases allowed 437 were for fatal
accidents. The total compensation paid
for all accidents during the five years
amounted to over $1,S00,O00. Of this
more than s732,0 was paid to 6,315
employees of the Isthman Canal Com
mission.
In the fiscal year 1928 the aver
age compensation reported for 1920
nonfatal and Sc fatal cases was
$106.96 and $661.12, respectively. Of
the nonfatal cases 996 were Isthmian
Canal Commission employees, who are
largely unskilled and are exposed to
great hazard, and 2,324 were employees
of other departments the two groups re.
ceiving an average of $93.64 and
$112.66 respectively. OF the fatal
cases IL were Isthmian Canal and As
other employees, the compensation aver
aging $410.77 and s722.31, respective
ly. The failure to recognize permanent
partial disability on different basis
from disability from which there is
complete recovery results in very made
quate compensation in many eases,
Thus, fractures of an arm or leg led
to compensation payments of less than
$50. the loss of an eye between $25
and $50, and in case of the loss of a
right arm the injured workman re
eeived less than $50, while in three
cases of the loss of both legs, occurring
during the third year, the average com
pensation was $377.40.
The small amounts of compensation
under this act, when compared with
compensation under the various State
workmen compensation laws. are due
to the fact that under the Federal law
compensation payments limited to usual
wages must cease when the injured EN-.
ploye is able to resume work, and in
any ease can not continue beyond IL
months. Under the more recently enact
ed State laws compensation, usually on
the basis of one-half or two thirds the
average wages, is paid in case of TEN.
porary disability during disability, OIL
in case of death or permanent disabil
ity for period extending to six years
and an several States to eight years.