R. Dymek v. WCAB (Harper & Row Keystone Employees FCU & Cumis Ins. Society, Inc.)

**Employee Wins Right to Attorney Fees After Employer Delays Expense Reimbursement** This case involved a dispute between an employee named R. Dymek and Harper & Row Keystone Employees Federal Credit Union over a delayed expense reimbursement. Dymek had paid $150.12 for a hotel expense that should have been reimbursed by the employer, but the credit union failed to pay it back on time as required by Pennsylvania workers' compensation law. The court upheld a penalty award of $15 (10% of the original expense) that Dymek had already received for the employer's late payment. However, the court also ruled that Dymek should be entitled to have attorney fees covered, which had previously been denied. The case was sent back to a lower court to determine exactly how much the employer must pay for Dymek's legal costs. **What this means for workers:** If your employer is required to reimburse work-related expenses and fails to do so on time, you may be entitled to penalty payments. More importantly, if you have to hire a lawyer to get what you're owed, your employer might also have to pay your attorney fees. This makes it more feasible for workers to pursue legitimate reimbursement claims without worrying about legal costs.