Hostilities in Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, and most recently Iraq and other countries in the Middle East have caused many employers concern and uncertainty over workers’ compensation exposures to employees working in those parts of the world. This commentary, written by Roger A. Levy, who is Of Counsel to Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi, San Francisco , and specializes in the defense of cases brought under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, examines the War Hazards Compensation Act one of the primary federal statutes that addresses these matters. Levy provides a synopsis of the WHCA, and discusses coverage, exclusions, benefits and administration and various aspects of detention claims under the WHCA. Levy concludes that the handling of detention benefits under the WHCA, while arcane, provides needed compensation for loss of earnings of employees held captive by hostile forces.

The full text of this Expert Commentary may be accessed here.