If you are injured on the job, or made ill from a workplace exposure, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including medical care, prescription drug coverage, medical equipment, and partial wage replacement. NYSNA recommends you take the following steps if you become injured or ill due to work:
- Seek medical attention immediately. Your initial treatment can be from a non-NYS Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) authorized medical provider. However, any subsequent care must be from a NYS WCB authorized provider. Please note that most hospital emergency departments are NYS WCB approved providers. NYS WCB approved medical providers can also be found through the New York State Worker’s Compensation Board website or by contacting the NYS Occupational Health Clinic Network. Additional assistance can be provided by the NYS WCB Advocate for Injured Workers.
- Contact your NYSNA representative. Your representative may be able to provide information that will help you file appropriate notification with your employer. Your NYSNA representative can also reach out to the NYSNA Occupational Health and Safety Representatives to improve the conditions that caused your injury or illness to prevent future incidents.
- Notify your employer regarding your injury or illness. You have up to 30 days to notify your employer of a work-related injury or illness. However, NYSNA recommends that you do so as soon as possible.
- File a C-3 form directly with the NYS WCB. The form can be found here. You have up to two years to file a C-3 form. However, NYSNA recommends that you do so as soon as possible.
- Contact the NYSNA Occupational Health and Safety Representatives at healthandsafety@nysna.org for further assistance.
- If you need the assistance of an attorney regarding a workers’ compensation claim, you can find a list of law firms here.
Workers' Compensation for COVID-19 Illness
RNs who contract COVID-19 on the job are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. These resources may help answer questions regarding filing a COVID-19 workers’ compensation claim:
- Q&A on workers’ compensation that the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board specifically created for nurses suffering from COVID-19
- Step-by-step Guide for filing for Workers’ Compensation
NYS & NJ Workers’ Compensation Boards
Each state in the U.S. has a different workers’ compensation system. The New York State and New Jersey workers’ compensation boards can be reached by using the links below:
