As employee was moving the rub rail on a 14CM15 Continuous Miner he felt a pulling sensation in the lower left abdominal area. Employee was diagnosed at Med Express with a hernia on 5-17-11. Employee returned to work on restricted duty from 5-18 to 5-24. The hernia was repaired on 7-27-11 which the Safety Department was not notified of his surgery until 8-3-11.