What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ Compensation is a form of insurance. Most employers must carry this insurance for workers who are injured or become ill because of their jobs. It provides for medical care, and wages lost due to illness or injury caused by your work. Employers pay for this insurance and may not ask you to pay anything toward the cost. The benefits are paid by an insurance carrier, or by the employer if it insures itself. Benefits are paid according to the law, and the Workers’ Compensation Board ensures they are correctly provided.
The Workers’ Compensation Board is a state agency that oversees how employers and insurers handle the claims of injured workers. A claim is paid if the insurer agrees the incident is work-related, or if the board orders it. An employer or its insurer can dispute the claim. If that happens, the board will try to resolve the dispute within 90 days. For example, the insurer may believe the incident didn’t occur at work. It may not even agree that your employer was covered by Workers’ Compensation when you were hurt. Other issues may also arise. Whatever the reason, the board will try to resolve it as quickly as possible.
You don’t need to lose time from work to file a claim. No one needs to be found at fault for you to receive benefits. Claimants don’t receive less if they were careless, nor do they receive more if the employer is at fault. However, a worker loses the right to benefits if the injury results solely from using drugs or alcohol, or from trying to injure herself or someone else.
Who to contact about Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ Compensation — NYPD-School Safety Division
Human Resources:
1-718-730-8500
Contact:
Yvette Perkins (ext. 8731)
NYPD Employee Benefits Unit
1 Police Plaza
1-646-610-6820
Contact:
Wanda Garcia or Shelia Cramer (ext. 4749)
New York City Law Department — (Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier)
Contact:
Kim Torres 1-718-222-2194
For reasonable accommodations, contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):
EEOC New York District Office
33 Whitehall Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004Phone:
1-800-669-4000
Fax:
212-336-3790
TTY:
1-800-669-6820