New York State Workers Compensation Board
10/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2024 08:48
10/08/2024 NYS Workers' Compensation Board Offers In Person Hearings and Other Services by Appointment
October 8, 2024
Starting today, injured workers and other stakeholders may request in-person hearings and appointments for other Board services
The NYS Workers' Compensation Board (Board) is pleased to announce that multiple offices statewide are now open to the public for in-person hearings and services by appointment. Board offices have been closed to the public since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, but the Board was never closed. Thanks to the 2018 implementation of virtual hearings, the Board was able to immediately shift all hearings online, enabling continued operations and ensuring critical benefits continued to flow to injured workers.
While the Board's highly successful virtual hearings remain the standard statewide for all hearing locations, as of today, stakeholders who wish to have an in-person hearing, or to visit a Board office for free support from the Board's vocational rehabilitation counselors or licensed clinical social workers, may request an appointment to do so. Stakeholders can also request appointments to get help filing a claim, or to use Board resources for case-related activities or to complete forms.
Board Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez said, "We are thrilled to once again welcome injured workers and other stakeholders in person to conduct business with the Board and get the assistance and support they need. Whether in-person or virtual, we take great pride in serving our fellow New Yorkers, ensuring the proper delivery of benefits and compliance with the law."
Any party attending a virtual hearing on or after October 8, 2024, can request to have their next workers' compensation hearing in person at a Board location. In-person hearings bring the injured worker, their legal representative (if applicable), and other parties (if they so choose) together at a physical Board location for their hearing. Requests for in-person hearings should be made directly to the Workers' Compensation Law Judge during a scheduled virtual hearing. Otherwise, the next hearing will remain virtual.
Stakeholders seeking support services and other Board resources can also request in-person appointments at a Board office. These in-person appointments can be requested by calling the Board's Customer Service line at (844) 337-6301 or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] for the relevant support.
Information on which Board locations are now open by appointment is available on the Locations page of the Board's website, wcb.ny.gov/locations.