Pennsylvania SB 1053: An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in additional coverages, further providing for the definition of "employe."

Bill Text

HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1230 PRINTER'S NO. 1648
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1053
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, KEARNEY, TARTAGLIONE, PICOZZI,
J. WARD, BROWN, STEFANO, VOGEL, SCHWANK, CULVER, BROOKS AND
FARRY, OCTOBER 15, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 28, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), entitled "An
act defining the liability of an employer to pay damages for
injuries received by an employe in the course of employment;
establishing an elective schedule of compensation; providing
procedure for the determination of liability and compensation
thereunder; and prescribing penalties," in additional
coverages, further providing for the definition of "employe."
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 601(a)(1), (2) and (3), (f)(4) and (g)(3)
of the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the
Workers' Compensation Act, are amended to read:
Section 601. (a) In addition to those persons included
within the definition of the word "employe" as defined in
section 104, "employe" shall also include:
(1) members of volunteer fire departments or volunteer fire
companies, including any paid fireman who is a member of a
volunteer fire company and performs the services of a volunteer
fireman during off-duty hours, who shall be entitled to receive
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compensation in case of injuries received while actively engaged
as firemen or while going to or returning from a fire which the
fire company or fire department attended including travel from
and the direct return to a fireman's home, place of business or
other place where he shall have been when he received the call
or alarm or while participating in instruction fire drills in
which the fire department or fire company shall have
participated or while repairing or doing other work about or on
the fire apparatus or buildings and grounds of the fire company
or fire department upon the authorization of the chief of the
fire company or fire department or other person in charge or
while answering any emergency calls for any purpose or while
riding upon the fire apparatus which is owned or used by the
fire company or fire department or while engaged in an organized
fundraising activity OR WHILE ORGANIZING OR CARRYING OUT A
FUNDRAISING ACTIVITY or while performing any other duties of
such fire company or fire department as authorized by the
municipality or while performing duties imposed by section 15,
act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), referred to as the Fire
and Panic Act;
(2) all members of volunteer ambulance corps of the various
municipalities who shall be and are hereby declared to be
employes of such municipality for the purposes of this act who
shall be entitled to receive compensation in the case of
injuries received while actually engaged as ambulance corpsmen
or while going to or returning from any fire, accident, or other
emergency which such volunteer ambulance corps shall attend
including travel from and the direct return to a corpsman's
home, place of business or other place where he shall have been
when he received the call or alarm; or while participating in
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ambulance corps of which they are members; or while repairing or
doing other work about or on the ambulance apparatus or
buildings and grounds of such ambulance corps upon the
authorization of the corps president or other person in charge;
or while answering any emergency call for any purpose or while
riding in or upon the ambulance apparatus owned by the ambulance
corps of which they are members at any time or while engaged in
an organized fundraising activity ; OR WHILE ORGANIZING OR
CARRYING OUT A FUNDRAISING ACTIVITY; or while performing any
other duties of such ambulance corps as are authorized by the
municipality;
(3) officers, directors, rescue and lifesaving squad members
or any other members of volunteer rescue and lifesaving squads
of the various municipalities who shall be and are hereby
declared to be employes of such municipalities for the purposes
of this act and who shall be entitled to receive compensation in
the case of injuries received while actually engaged as a rescue
and lifesaving squad member attending to any emergency to which
that squad has been called or responded including travel from
and the direct return to a squad person's home, place of
business or other place where he shall have been when he
received the call or alarm or while participating in rescue and
lifesaving drills in which the squad is participating; while
repairing or doing other work about or on the apparatus,
buildings and grounds of such rescue and lifesaving squad upon
the authorization of the chief or other person in charge; or
while riding in or