Industry-Specific Profile of COVID-19-Related Workers' Compensation Claims in New York State.

Laskaris, Zoey; Markowitz, Steven B · J Occup Environ Med · 2023

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the distribution and award status of COVID-19-related workers' compensation (WC) claims in New York State (NYS) for 2020 and 2021. Characteristics and filing rates of COVID-19 claims were described by industry, time of illness, and award status. Nursing care facilities' claims were compared with the recorded nursing home staff COVID-19 infections and deaths reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during the same period. Of 29,814 COVID-19 claims, 21.9% were awarded benefits, although 86.8% of the claimants worked in essential industries. Of the 46,505 CMS-recorded COVID-19 infections, 1.4% resulted in a claim and 7.2% of the 111 CMS-recorded deaths received death benefits. The NYS WC program has provided very modest support to essential workers for the likely work-related burden of the pandemic in NYS.

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