In this video, Chartwell Law Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys Lee Fiederer and Jason Hanford discuss how a Pennsylvania employer might respond to a report from an employee who was diagnosed with COVID-19 and believes it may be a work-related injury. The discussion reviews how to interview the employee about where he or she may have been exposed to the virus both at the workplace and outside of work. Lee and Jason also discuss the many other benefits currently available to Pennsylvania workers and how those benefits compare with the prospects of the employee pursuing workers' compensation benefits.
1. As an employer, what’s the initial conversation you should have with your employee when you are informed that the employee was diagnosed with COVID-19?
2. When referring to any type of workplace exposure to COVID-19 the employee could have, what kind of general topics should the employer cover?
3. Why is it important to ask your employee about potential exposure to COVID-19 outside of the workplace?
4. Should employers be wary about other employees when one employee contracts COVID-19?
5. What would the conversation be around other streams of benefits and why would you have it?
6. Should employers inform their employees about other streams of benefits and options?
7. What are examples of other streams of benefits?
8. If you have an employee who is now obligated to work from home, but thinks he or she is being exposed to COVID-19 because he or she lives with a healthcare worker, is that a compensable workers’ compensation claim?
If you have any additional questions about this topic, please contact the Chartwell Law attorney with whom you are already familiar.