Overview
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that provides wage replacement benefits and lifetime medical care for work-related injuries and illnesses. All for-profit employers and most not-for-profit employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover all their employees.
What does workers’ compensation insurance cover?
- All health care related to your injury
- Cash benefits of two-thirds your average weekly wage, up to a maximum
- Travel expenses to and from health care appointments
Are there any fees?
Your employer cannot charge you for workers’ compensation insurance. There are no copayments for medical care, either.
If you use an attorney, that attorney is compensated from your replacement wage awards. You do not have to pay your attorney directly or pay a retainer in an accepted claim. Attorney fees are generally around 15% of the award and should be discussed with the attorney or licensed representative.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- All employees in a for-profit business
- Employees of most not-for-profit employers - see who is covered for on-the-job injuries.
- Employees working in New York state are covered
- There is no residency requirement
What do I do if I’m injured at work?
- Get medical treatment right away
- Tell your employer about the injury and how it happened as soon as possible
- You must notify your employer within 30 days
- If you do not notify your employer within 30 days, you may lose your right to workers’ compensation benefits
- File a C-3 form with the Workers’ Compensation Board (filing online is the fastest way)
How To
Refer to this step by step process to file your claim.
File a C-3 employee claim form online, complete as many fields with as much detail as you can and submit. No other documents are necessary to file a C-3 and you don’t need to establish an account with the Workers’ Compensation Board.
- Gather all necessary information
- Complete as many fields with as much detail as you can
- Submit
Ready? Have with you:
- Your contact information
- Basic employment information such as employer name and address, your job title and duties, and your gross pay rate
- How the injury happened, where you were and what you were doing when it occurred (with as much detail as possible), and if you reported it to your employer
- The nature of the injury/illness, the parts of the body affected, whether you received treatment and if you lost time from work
File
Or
Call: 866-396-8314. A Board representative will take your information and complete the C-3 form.
Submit a paper C-3 form. You can get a paper form from your employer or from the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board.
Connect
Contact a Workers’ Compensation Board bureau or office
Hours of operation:
Monday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.