Workers Compensation Board

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/22/08.

Mission

To protect the well-being of New York's labor force, most private and public sector employers in New York are required to carry workers' compensation and disability benefits insurance for their employees or demonstrate their ability to self-insure. The Workers' Compensation Board reviews claims for workers' compensation payments and assists in resolving disputed claims. In performing these responsibilities, the Board administers provisions of the following laws: the Workers' Compensation Law; the Disability Benefits Law; the Civil Defense Volunteers' Law; the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law; and the Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends $202 million All Funds for the Workers Compensation Board, all of which is funded from assessments on businesses. This is a decrease of $11 million from the 2007-08 budget. This net change primarily reflects a change in the anticipated response by the Board to defaults in group self-insured trusts. While previously, the State expected to assess self-insured employers for amounts sufficient to cover unpaid claims by defaulted groups, the 2008-09 Executive Budget relies on new legislation to be proposed by the Governor which is expected to offer the Board a variety of approaches to respond to the defaults in a manner which minimizes disruptive impacts on businesses. The budget, therefore, does not include appropriation authority to assess and pay costs associated with maintaining self insured benefits for injured workers of entities that have ceased operation. The Board will continue to have a workforce of 1,539 positions in 2008-09, which is unchanged from 2007-08.

2008-09 Executive Budget — Agency Presentation
Workers Compensation Board (PDF)