The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-07
THE RTcHMoNp vIRaINIAN-sUNpAY gEPTEMBER n 1919

tion-rthat fs. from January l. 1sfs'
August 81. 19is---4.sl2 employers, rep
, resenting approximately 225,oVo en-
ployes. filed notice of their compliance
: with the provisions of the act. TINS
does not include several hundred state
depa rtmeuts and political DIVISIONS
which are also within the operation OF
the law. or the accidents or al xmas
reported to the industrial commission
I2i resulted in death and e.lsA caused
disability or seven days or longer In
: Goa reported cases. disability con-
tinued for more than fourteen days
Hence there were 2,l24 cases involving
claims for compensation. These claims
! were disposed of by the commission as
follows. -
/ Approved agreements, 1863; modified
agreements and informal awards, 31s:
hearings, 81: disallowed. and pending
August 81. 2s2.
| Employers and employees have shown
Il commenda BILE spirit of cooperation,
and these claims carrying more than
! $3.50, 900 in compensation. and medical
| benefits have been settled TN the main,
without friction or. delay. They have
/ also been handled at cost which
/ SEEING small when compared with the
/ costs under the system which the work
/ mems compensation act replaced.
When we remember that the fore
/ going represents the operation OF the
/ law only In tho preliminary stages OF
/ its development, and that, mt the pres
ent rate of increase all these figures
! will be doubled before the end OF the
calendar year, the act becomes very
| significant and impressive piece of So
| cial legislation.
/ How the Act Works
! The general administration OF the
act Is vested in com mission OF three
members. The provisions of the act
apply automatically to the state and
its political divisions. regar dless of the
number of employees. and to all private
employers having eleven or more per
sons regularly in service, excepting
farm laborers and domestic servants
and employees of common carriers
whose motive power Is steam.
Within ten days after the occurrence
OF an accident to an employe causing
his absence from work for more than
{ seven days, the employer must notlfy
the industrial commission on the
blanks provided for this purpose. The
employe must also give notice within
thirty days following the accident
Promptly upon the receipt of either or
these reports, form letters are mailed
to employer and employe. explaining
great majority of cases, these letters
are sufficient to bring memorandum
of agreement as to compensation.
signed by employer and ernploye and
accom- panied by physician's report
on the injury.
These papers are then checked care
fully against the reports previously
received, and If the agreement con-
forms to the conditions of the law as
to amount. and time and manner OF
payment, 1t Is approved promptly ana
compensation payments begin iorth-
with. If there is an error In the form
of agreement, correction is maze
through informal award, thus saving
time and correspondence. When dis
ability ceases. and final settlement
receipt is fled by the employer or MS
insurance carrier, the case Is closed
All approved agreements, however,
and all awards of the Commission, are
subject to re-opening upon application
of either party in interest
Should the commission, within
thirty days following the accident TAIL,
to receive a memorandum of agree
ment or q report showing that the in
jured employee returned to work with
in the fourteen day period, foliow-up
letters are sent, and In case these
bring no response the employe is pro-
vided with IA application for hear
ing. AS soon as possible after the
receipt of this application. date Is set
for hearing. at which the case Is de-
termincd as the facts may warrant.
When n hearing is held before a
single commissioner or a deputy, APP
| peal may be taken. in seven days to
the full commission. Awards OF the
full commission are conclusive ana
binding as to all questions of fact, but
either party may, within thirty days
appeal to the courts on matters of law,
SO far, only fifty-one cases have re-
quired formal hearing. and only one
appeal has been made from the decis
ions of the commission This case is
now pending in the law and equity
court OF the city of Richmond.
All awards, orders and decisions of
the commission are enforceable in the
circuit or corporation court OF the
county or city in which the accident
occurred.
Organization.
The settlement of claims for COM
pensation represents. of course. only
"A par. of the duties OF the commits
sion. The commission is charged with
the active administration of the law.
1t must, among other things. pass
force the general insurance provisions
of the act: provide all necessary
forms: examine and approve applica-
lions of employers desiring to carry
their own risks. check and record no.
tees of insurance and cancellation,
collect and analyZe accidents Stats
tics; and adopt such rules and regu
lations as may be required to carry
out the provisions Of the law. IT also
undertakes to act In an advisory ca
pacity, reconciling, SO far as possible,
the conflicting interests OF employers.
employees and insurance carriers.
Since the act became effective on Jan
uary ]. the commission has handled
hundreds OF papers and special re-
ports each day. and received and an
swered an average OF 4.5o0 letters a
month. 1t has also sent out 81 900
general letters OF instruction. and
| printed and distributed $4,000 ex-
| planatory bulletins