The Pennsylvania Heart and Lung Act and Act 534 is a law that provides certain benefits to local and state government employees including police officers, firefighters, enforcement officers, investigators, etc.
The Act is named for its section number, Section 534 of the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act. The Heart and Lung Act is separate from workers' compensation benefits, which provide partial wage replacement and medical benefits for employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their job
The Heart and Lung Act's purpose is to provide supplementary protection and assistance to employees who put themselves through threats to protect the public. It acknowledges the specific and perilous nature of their profession and offers a safety net to aid in their recovery from injuries acquired in the line of duty.
What Compensation is Received under this Act?
For up to a year, or until they are able to return to work, qualifying employees are entitled to their entire wage and medical expenditures under the Act. The salary is paid by the employer.
Who is covered under this act?
The following mentioned are covered under the act:
• State Police Officers
• Enforcement Officers
• Investigators employed by the PA Liquor Control Board
• Parole Agents
• Enforcement Officers
• Investigators of the PA Board of Probation and Parole
• Capitol Police Officers
• Correction Employees at the Department of Corrections
• Psychiatric Security Aides at the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections
• Drug Enforcement Officers
• Special Agents at the Attorney General Office
• Member of the Delaware River Port Authority Police
• Park Guard
• Fireman/Firefighters
• Sheriff or Deputy Sheriffs
• Enforcements Officer or Investigator of the PA Game Commission
You are entitled to a DUE PROCESS hearing if your benefits are refused or before any benefit termination, you are entitled to a due process hearing if you are covered by Act 534 or the Pennsylvania Heart and Lung Act.
Eligibility Requirements for the Act
You must be a local or state government worker in Pennsylvania and must have sustained injury while carrying out your duties in order to be eligible for benefits under the Pennsylvania Heart and Lung Act 534. The injury must be sustained while you are performing an activity that is a normal part of your job duties unlike the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation claim and must be directly related to your work.
Notice Requirements for Act 534 and Heart and Lung Act
A notice requirement is a time limit in which the employer must be informed about the situation. For a claim under the Heart and Lung and Act 534, there is neither a notice requirement nor a limitation period (a deadline for when you must submit a claim). An injured worker has three years to submit a claim in a Pennsylvania Work Comp case before it is permanently barred. The PA Work Comp Act further states that a claim is permanently prohibited if an injured worker does not notify the employer within 120 days of the injury or the date they first suspected their condition might be related to their employment.
