Permanent scarring or disfigurement from a workplace injury is devastating, regardless of whether the injury is visible to others or not. Yet, under current law, workers’ compensation benefits for serious and permanent disfigurement are limited to injuries to the head, neck, or face.

As such, I plan on introducing a Senate companion to Representatives Dawkins and Brennan’s HB 183, which passed the House with bipartisan support in April. This bill will ensure that workers who are seriously or permanently disfigured are eligible for workers’ compensation. Additionally, it will extend existing workers’ compensation eligibility for permanent disfigurement from 275 weeks to 400 weeks and clarify that claimants are not precluded from collecting both total or partial disability and disfigurement benefits simultaneously.

Permanent scarring and disfigurement should be covered under workers compensation regardless of where it occurs on the body. Please join me in fixing this loophole in Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system.