The U.S. Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act is administered by the Department of Labor's Employment Standards Administration.
It requires compensation and medical care for employees injured on the navigable waters of the United States, or in adjoining areas used in loading, unloading, repairing or building a vessel.
The Longshore Act also provides dependent benefits. The benefits can be paid by an insurer or employers authorized by the Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs to self-insure.
Under the act, an employee may obtain medical treatment from a physician of his or her choice, unlike many state workers comp systems. The term "physician" includes medical doctors, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, clinical psychologists, optometrists and osteopathic practitioners.
According to the Labor Department, the Longshore Act excludes coverage for: