Law Office of Kathryn M. Kirsch

December 4, 2020 NYCOSH Take Action Send comments to the NYS Workers' Compensation Board in support of injured workers!... Please send the WCB an email BY DECEMBER 21st: The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board has recently proposed problematic medical treatment guidelines for PTSD and depression. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, where many New Yorkers are in need of equitable, quality mental health care. Meanwhile, the NYS Workers' Compensation Board is proposing potential changes to the current Medical Treatment Guidelines that would further restrict services to injured workers. The dangerous assumption made by the NYS Workers' Compensation Board in these newly proposed guidelines is that injured workers’ health would be sufficiently improved after just 12-16 mental health sessions. This would restrict the ability of injured workers to receive longer term care. Ongoing care is essential to the health workers struggling with their mental health, particularly in the middle of this pandemic. We believe that people living with chronic pain and severe disabilities deserve the support they need to ensure that they can function in a healthy and supported matter; and in order to do so, they need access to services. We urge you to join us and let the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board know that these proposed guidelines should be abandoned because New Yorkers deserve quality mental health care. Send your comments to: [email protected] Thank you for your support, Charlene Obernauer NYCOSH Executive Director

We are here and continue to provide the very best service to our valued clients during this pandemic. Call us with your questions and concerns. We are happy to help.

Do you think you contracted COVID at work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE_XgQOmFcs

Worker’s Compensation in New York by the numbers...

COVID-19 and New York State Workers' Compensation...a system built for workers' continues to disappoint them... https://theintercept.com//coronavirus-workers-compensatio/

The Workers' Compensation Board, created to ensure that injured workers' obtain the benefits they are entitled to, is not only filing an appeal of an award to the injured worker's family, but is also permitting the carrier to withhold benefits pending the Court of Appeals decision. Please go to the landing page at the top of this page, click the link and SEND A LETTER TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. It takes only a minute and is super easy!

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK and the let the Governor and your State representatives know!

COVID and workers' compensation.

Is the NYSWCB unbiased in their oversight of injured workers' benefits or are they working with the business sector?

Sometimes a slacker sneaks through the hiring process and joins our hardworking team at the office . In this case, our Pawalegal seems very comfortable letting everyone else work while she takes liberty with the rest breaks...

Information on filing a COVID claim... http://www.wcb.ny.gov/covid-19/

Today's update from the Board for employees with COVID 19 symptoms... COVID-19 Bulletin from the Medical Director's Office This bulletin addresses the current knowledge, assessment and treatment of COVID-19 for affected workers in New York State. This bulletin provides information for injured workers, providers and carriers....Continue reading

The Board has updated information should you find yourself being diagnosed with COVID due to a work exposure...

Keeping the employees that return to work safe should be the priority.

Frontline workers in NYC face uphill battle for workers comp after contracting COVID-19: Like her late colleague, paramedic Paul Cary, Julie has transported numerous coronavirus patients for the private Ambulance company to Jamaica Hospital throughout the pandemic. Cary died of the illness, and Julie wound up contracting COVID-19 as well; fortunately, she survived a two-week ordeal. But her employer said that she didn’t qualify for workers compensation, even though she was re...Continue reading

Our organization, The New York Workers' Compensation Alliance, continuing to work for positive change for our injured workers'.