Injured Workers Fight Back: Oppose the Business Council's Anti-Worker Agenda!

Workers' compensation benefits are a right. Workers' Comp Law was created to specifically provide injured workers with wage benefits and medical care for their work related injury. The new campaign from the Business Council of New York State is an attempt to uproot the New York State Workers’ Compensation System itself and should be vigorously opposed.

I oppose the Business Council of New York State's campaign to slash workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers. Costs for employers are near historic lows, and profits for insurance companies are near record highs. Meanwhile, injured workers are increasingly being left behind. Workers’ compensation benefits replace a small and shrinking part of an injured worker’s lost wages, with low wage and immigrant workers among the hardest hit.

The Business Council is inhumanely lobbying to reduce or eliminate compensation for workers with broken arms or legs, amputated fingers or hands, major joint replacement surgery, and other permanent injuries, claiming that compensation should only be provided for “lost wages.” Workers who lose body parts, suffer work place injury or are permanently disabled from workplace-related accidents should without debate be entitled to medical care, lost wages, and reasonable compensation for their injuries. Lobbying by the Business Council to further reduce payment for permanent disability from work – which is already artificially capped by law – to only a few years seeks to line the pockets of insurance companies and does nothing to protect workers.

The Business Council’s appalling attempt to take benefits away from injured workers to increase profits for insurance companies is a disgrace and must be opposed.

I join together with thousands of injured New Yorkers and their advocates in opposing the Business Council’s latest assault on workers.

* The Workers' Protection Coalition unites unions, injured workers, workers' centers, law firms, and community-based organizations to advocate for a Workers' Compensation system that works for injured workers and that is governed by principles of equity and justice.