'Tis the Season for Holiday Part-Time Work

Every year, retailers of every kind get busy for the upcoming Christmas season. With this mad rush to sell as much as possible, stores and online retailers hire seasonal employees for selling, fulfillment and processing of orders, shipping, and customer support, to name a few. When these employees are hired, Pennsylvania employers have to provide workers’ compensation insurance in case of accidents and injuries, even though the workers are just seasonal.

Restaurants also have special holiday meals and parties that need to be catered and/or delivered. Injuries can come in all forms — and let’s not forget about the weather, which can be tricky with snow and ice. Health and safety departments in larger corporations that have “in-house” shipping, handling, and warehousing require their workers to take mandatory breaks and exercise because of the long hours, strenuous work, and potential for injury. Some of these companies include FedEx, Amazon, Overstock.com, eBay, Babies R Us, and The Home Depot. Whatever the injury — whether physical or psychological — it is especially important to give the employer “Notice” of the work injury as soon as possible, particularly if you or a loved one is a seasonal worker, as the time employed will be short-lived. Keep in mind that Pennsylvania employers are also required to have panel providers on a list posted in a prominent place at the job site. Employees are required to treat with a provider on the list for the first 90 days after the work injury in order to have their medical bills paid by the workers’ compensation carrier.

If you or a loved one suffers a work injury while seasonally employed, contact Robinson Law LLC for a free initial consultation to learn about your rights as an injured worker.