Policy 618 - Worker’s Compensation

Section: Benefits
Policy Number: 618
Responsible Office: HR/Benefits and Business Affairs
Effective Date: 4/1/01
Revised: 6/1/01; 7/1/08; 4/16/09; 7/1/10; 12/20/11; 4/22/15; 7/1/16; 7/24/17; 5/25/22

Scope

All full-time, part-time, and temporary staff, student workers, and graduate assistants are covered by this benefit.

Summary

Worker’s compensation is insurance paid for by the University that provides weekly cash benefits and/or medical care for employees who are injured or become ill as a direct result of their job.  The University’s insurance carrier pays the benefits, as directed by the Worker’s Compensation Board.  Employees do not contribute to the cost of this insurance.

Cash benefits are not paid for the first seven (7) days of the disability, unless the duration of disability exceeds 14 days.  In this case, the employee may receive cash benefits from the first work day off the job.  Necessary medical care is provided no matter how short or long the length of the disability.

Claimants who are totally or partially disabled and unable to work for more than seven (7) days receive cash benefits.  A claim is paid if the University or insurance carrier agrees that the injury or illness is work-related.  The amount that an employee receives is based on his or her average weekly wage for the previous year, but cannot exceed $864.32 per week.  The following formula is used to calculate benefits:

2/3 x average weekly wage x % of disability = weekly benefit

The injured or ill employee who is eligible for worker’s compensation will receive necessary medical care directly related to the original injury or illness and the recovery from his or her disability.

An employee cannot receive Worker’s Compensation and short-term disability benefits simultaneously.  If Worker’s Compensation denies a claim, then the covered employee can file for short-term disability with the University’s insurance carrier (see Short-Term Disability, policy #603).

An employee may choose to use accrued sick time (see policy #402) during the time he or she is unable to work.  The University would replace the portion of the employee’s sick time for which reimbursement is received from the insurance carrier.

Death Benefits:  If an employee dies from a comprehensive injury, the surviving spouse and/or minor children and lacking such, other dependents as defined by law, are entitled to weekly cash benefits.

Social Security Benefits:  An employee who is seriously and permanently disabled may be entitled to the payment of monthly Social Security benefits.  The Social Security Administration can provide more information about these Federal Disability Insurance Benefits.

For more on work-related injury or illness, see policy #807 in the Work Environment section.  Employees may obtain a booklet from the Employee Benefits Office that explains worker’s compensation benefits and outlines claims procedures. For information related to environmental health and safety, refer to policy #1010.

Procedures

  1. Employees who are injured or become ill on the job are instructed to notify their supervisor immediately and report the incident to the Department of Public Safety. 
  2. A Public Safety officer will complete an incident report and forward it to the Employee Benefits Office for processing and follow-up with the employee.
  3. The Employee Benefits Office will complete a C-2 worker’s compensation report and file it with our worker’s compensation insurance carrier.
  4. Student workers and graduate assistants who are injured or become ill may report to either the Department of Public Safety or Student Health Services.

Area Hospital Listing

In an emergency, treatment may be obtained from any emergency facility.  Included below is a partial listing of area hospitals for each campus.  In non-emergency situations, the employee will be advised by Public Safety to seek medical care through normal medical channels, such as the employee’s doctor.

Queens Campus Area

Queens Hospital Center
82-68 164th Street, Jamaica, NY
Tel: (718) 883-3090 Emergency
Tel: (718) 883-3000

NY-Presbyterian Hospital
56-45 Main Street
Flushing, NY 11355
Tel: (718) 670-2000

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
8900 Van Wyck Expressway, Jamaica, NY
Tel: (718) 206-6000

Staten Island Campus Area

North Shore LIJ Staten Island University Hospital
475 Seaview Ave
Staten Island, NY 10305
Tel: (718) 226-9000

Richmond University Medical Center
355 Bard Ave
Staten Island, NY 10310
Tel: (718) 818-1234

Manhattan Campus Area

NYU Langone Tisch Hospital
550 First Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 263-5800

Mount Sinai Beth Israel
10 Nathan D. Perlman Place
New York, NY 10003
Tel: (800) 420-4004

St. John's University, New York
Human Resources Policy Manual