Workplace FAQs

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is a national agency that provides oversight, inspections, education, and outreach to promote workplace safety. Learn more about OSHA and its role in workplace safety.

You have a right to see a doctor of your choice, as long as that doctor is authorized by the State Workers’ Compensation Board. You have a right to be free from any retaliation for your injury claim at work. You have a right to work with an attorney who can protect your best interests and seek compensation on your behalf.

You are required to report your injury to your employer within 30 days, or it could compromise your ability to get adequate compensation. You are also required to comply with the insurer’s investigation and administration of your claim.

If you properly reported your injury and saw an authorized physician, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer should pay your medical expenses in full. However, the details in your specific case may vary based on your employment status, the details of the accident, and who is at fault. If you have any concerns about getting compensated for medical treatment, speak with an attorney.

In some specific cases, you may be able to file a lawsuit if your employer’s negligence contributed to your accident. For example, New York Labor Law 240 allows workers who work on scaffolding and other high structures to sue negligent employers.

Yes, you can file for workers’ compensation if you are sick with COVID-19 after exposure at work, depending on the facts of the situation. While it’s not always possible to definitively pinpoint where you were exposed to COVID, you are more likely to be eligible for compensation if you work in a field with a higher risk of exposure.