PA. HIKES WEEKLY COMP BENEFIT:

Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor & Industry Stephen M. Schmerin announced increases in the maximum weekly benefits for new unemployment compensation beneficiaries and new workers’ compensation claimants, effective the first full week of January. Unemployment compensation payments, for workers who lose jobs through no fault of their own, are generally one half of a worker’s former salary up to a weekly maximum. The weekly unemployment compensation maximum will increase from $461 a week to $478 a week for claimants qualifying after Jan. 1, 2005. Workers’ compensation benefits for those injured on the job, are generally two-thirds of a worker’s pre-injury wages, up to a weekly maximum, which will increase $26, to $716 per week from $690 per week for workers injured on or after Jan. 1, 2005. Schmerin also reminded the public that a series of legislatively mandated unemployment compensation solvency taxes will go into effect Jan. 1, which is projected to add $601 million to the UC Trust Fund, which supports unemployment compensation payments.

Topics Workers' Compensation Pennsylvania