WORKERS’
COMPENSATION
John Sweeney, Chief
Mindy Roller, Deputy
The Workers’ Compensation Division represents the City and related entities at all hearings, trials and appeals
before the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Additionally, the Division administers all aspects of
claims by covered employees who are injured on the job or incur an occupational disease. Claims involve nearly
every conceivable medical condition, including work-related psychiatric diagnoses, respiratory ailments, heart
conditions, and orthopedic conditions. The Division strives to provide employees with all the medical and wage
replacement bene?ts to which they are entitled, while objecting to and, if necessary, litigating unwarranted claims.
New York enacted its workers’ compensation statute
to address the inequities historically existing among
employers and employees with regard to workplace
injuries. The New York statute operates on the premise
of a tradeoff. Employers assume all liability for injuries
arising out of, and in the course, of employment –
regardless of fault. Workers receive limited wage
replacement bene?ts for lost earning capacity, and
are entitled to have all related and necessary medical
costs paid. In exchange, employees are prohibited
from suing employers for personal injuries.
New York City is a self-insurer of its workers’ compensation
obligations pertaining to all covered City employees.
Employees not covered under this statute, but by union
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contracts, include uniformed police of?cers, ?re?ghters
and uniformed sanitation workers.
Signi?cant Matters from 2009 Include:
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Receiving and indexing over 14,500 new claims
Representing the City at over 15,000 hearings,
trials and appeals before the N.Y. State Workers’
Compensation Board
Paying over $165 million in wage replacement
bene?ts and medical costs to injured employees
Processing over 220,000 medical bills
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