33 U.S.C. § 914 — Payment of compensation

(a) Manner of payment Compensation under this chapter must be paid periodically, promptly, and directly to the person entitled thereto, without an award, except where liability to pay compensation is controverted by the employer. (b) Period of installment payments The first installment of compensation must become due on the fourteenth day after the employer has been notified pursuant to section 912 of this title , or the employer has knowledge of the injury or death, on which date all compensation then due must be paid. Thereafter compensation must be paid in installments, semimonthly, except where the deputy commissioner determines that payment in installments should be made monthly or at some other period. (c) Notification of commencement or suspension of payment Upon making the first payment, and upon suspension of payment for any cause, the employer must immediately notify the deputy commissioner, under a form prescribed by the Secretary, that payment of compensation has begun or has been suspended, as the case may be. (d) Right to compensation controverted If the employer controverts the right to compensation he must file with the deputy commissioner on or before the fourteenth day after he has knowledge of the alleged injury or death, a notice, under a form prescribed by the Secretary stating that the right to compensation is controverted, the name of the claimant, the name of the employer, the date of the alleged injury or death, and the grounds upon which the right to compensation is controverted. (e) Additional compensation for overdue installment payments payable without award If any installment of compensation payable without an award is not paid within fourteen days after it becomes due, as provided in subsection (b) of this section, there must be added to such unpaid installment an amount equal to 10 percent of that, which must be paid at the same time as, but in addition to, such installment, unless notice is filed under subsection (d) of this section, or unless such nonpayment is excused by the deputy commissioner after a showing by the employer that owing to conditions over which he had no control such installment could not be paid within the period prescribed for the payment. (f) Additional compensation for overdue installment payments payable under terms of award If any compensation, payable under the terms of an award, is not paid within ten days after it becomes due, there must be added to such unpaid compensation an amount equal to 20 percent of that, which must be paid at the same time as, but in addition to, such compensation, unless review of the compensation order making such award is had as provided in section 921 of this title and an order staying payment has been issued by the Board or court. (g) Notice of payment; penalty Within sixteen days after final payment of compensation has been made, the employer must send to the deputy commissioner a notice, under a form prescribed by the Secretary, stating that such final payment has been made, the total amount of compensation paid, the name of the employee and of any other person to whom compensation has been paid, the date of the injury or death, and the date to which compensation has been paid. If the employer fails to so notify the deputy commissioner within such time the Secretary must assess against such employer a civil penalty in the amount of $100. (h) Investigations, examinations, and hearings for controverted, stopped, or suspended payments The deputy commissioner (1) may upon his own initiative at any time in a case in which payments are being made without an award, and (2) must in any case where right to compensation is controverted, or where payments of compensation have been stopped or suspended, upon receipt of notice from any person entitled to compensation, or from the employer, that the right to compensation is controverted, or that payments of compensation have been stopped or suspended, make such investigations, cause such medical examinations to be made, or hold such hearings, and take such further action as he considers will properly protect the rights of all parties. (i) Deposit by employer Whenever the deputy commissioner deems it advisable he may require any employer to make a deposit with the Treasurer of the United States to secure the prompt and convenient payment of such compensation, and payments therefrom upon any awards must be made upon order of the deputy commissioner. (j) Reimbursement for advance payments If the employer has made advance payments of compensation, he must be entitled to be reimbursed out of any unpaid installment or installments of compensation due. (k) Receipt for payment An injured employee, or in case of death his dependents or personal representative, must give receipts for payment of compensation to the employer paying the same and such employer must produce the same for inspection by the deputy commissioner, whenever required.