Bill > S06376

This bill amends the workers' compensation law to prohibit insurance carriers and employers from withholding, diminishing, or conditioning benefits based on an injured worker's attachment to the labor market. Specifically, the bill removes language that previously required workers to demonstrate ongoing attachment to the labor market to receive benefits for permanent partial disability. Under the new provision, workers cannot have their benefits reduced or denied simply because they are not actively seeking alternative employment that their injury might not prevent them from performing. The bill maintains existing provisions about calculating benefits based on wage-earning capacity loss, which ranges from 225 to 525 weeks depending on the percentage of capacity lost. Additionally, the bill preserves protections for workers, such as continued medical services even after maximum benefit weeks are exhausted, and requires an independent review process for discontinuing medical services. The changes aim to provide more consistent and supportive benefits for workers who have sustained workplace injuries, ensuring they are not penalized for their inability to work or seek alternative employment.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6376