Penn. Injured Workers Receive Benefit Increase

Pennsylvanians off the job because of injury or illness will begin receiving larger compensation checks this month when the maximum weekly benefit rises to $745. "The benefit increase will provide much-needed dollars to help them meet rising energy and health-care costs and ease the financial strain of being out of work," said Labor & Industry Secretary Stephen M. Schmerin. Workers' compensation benefits for people injured on the job are, generally, two-thirds of a worker's wages at the time of injury, up to a weekly maximum that's set each year. The weekly maximum will increase to $745 pe...