Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-01-06
Compensation Act
Fair To Worker,
.MauTer Declares
Warns Labor People That
Employer Has No Legal
Right for Taking Insnr
ance Out Of Wages. Y

Jdu0S II MduF0F, pT0SlueUL IN ltAcJ
Pennsylvania State Federation of La
Dor, issued the following statement to
the Reading QPa.) Telegram:
.'Rumor reached me to the effect
that certain employers in Reading are
compelling their employees to pay
workmen's compensation insurance.
'This is in conflict with the law and
my advice to the workers is that I'M
der no circumstances shall they allow
their employers to extract any money
from their earnings, either directly or
indirectly. If the employers do SO, and
the worker is helpless to resist, then
inform me, or the Workmen's Com
pensation bureau of Harrisburg, &C.
cordingly, and action against such en-
ployers will he taken.
Compensation Is Optional.
The Pennsylvania workmen's COM
pensation plan is optional with both
the worker and with the employer.
IF the employer is willing to have
the compensation law apply in case a
worke{ais injured. but the worker has
given notice that he will not accept
compensation under the terms of the
law, the compensation plan will not
apply in case an injury occurs This is
true even though the worker is en-
Ployed by the state, or by a county,
city, borough, township or other gov
ernmental agency.
The only thing necessary for the
worekr to do in order to come under
the provisions of the workmen's COM
pensation law is to do nothing. His
silence will be regarded as his agree
ment to abide by the compensation
plan if injured.
What has been said with reference
to the worker applies also to the EN-.
ployer. If he does nothing, he will be
presumed to agree to the compensa.
ton plan. II, however, he desires to
reject it, he must definitely express
his intention in writing.
Employer Must Act.
THE worker nay be willing to &C.
cept the compensation plan, but his
employer, nevertheless, may reject it
In such case the worker can not en-.
joy the advantages of compensation
ITO reject the compensation plan,
the employer is required to give the
individual worker notice, similar to
the notice that the worker must give
the employer If the worker desires to
reject the compensation plan. The
employer must file with the Work
mems Compensation bureau at Harris
burg copy Of the notice and an aft
davit showing the time, place and
manner of it's service on the worker.
'Tf, therefore, the worker has not
been served with notice that the en-
ployer will not accept the compensa-
ton plan, the employer must abide by
the compensation plan if it has not
been rejected by the worker.
'If the worker is not of age, the
employer is required to notify the
.worekr's parents or guardian that, the
compensation plan will not apply to
| the worker if injured. ~
IF any worker wishes to reject the
compensation plan, my advice to such
| is that great care be exercised, be
cause if not done properly they will
/ forfeit their right to recover damages
at law under the employers liability
act.
Il can see no reason why any
worker should reject the compensa-
ton plan, unless some one inveigles
him or her into doing SO.
III the employer rejects the com
pensation plan. then his employees, or
their heirs, can recover damages I'M
der the employers liability act, which,
as enacted this year, is one Of the best
liability acts for the workers in the
United States.
There is no doubt that some peo-
pie may take a hostile attitude toward
its provisions or discredit it It is,
i therefore. important that all good cit
liens stand by the law and see to it
that its every provision is obeyed.
~And. again. wish to warn the
workers not to allow their employers
| to extract a single cent from their
!, earnings for the Payment of compen-
satlon."