New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez today announced the Board has launched a first-in-the-nation initiative that allows injured workers and other participants to attend workers’ compensation hearings right from their homes or offices. The Board’s virtual hearings provide injured workers a way to move the claim process forward without the need to travel many miles for a hearing that may last only minutes, which is especially beneficial depending on the extent of their injuries.
The New York State Workers’ Compensation
Board developed virtual hearings in partnership with the Office of
Information Technology Services to give all parties involved the option
of using a smart phone, tablet or computer to attend hearings. This is
the first high definition, all access system for legal hearings in the
nation, where multiple users in different locations log in once and then
move from one hearing to another.
“This state-of-the-art, secure technology
removes obstacles and stress for hard-working New Yorkers who were
injured on the job, as well as for business owners and the professionals
who participate in the system,” Board Chair Rodriquez said. “Virtual
hearings allow injured workers to remain in their homes and other
participants to attend from their workplaces. Our successful pilot and
now statewide launch demonstrate New York’s commitment to helping people
hurt on the job.”
To participate in a virtual hearing, the
party of interest needs only a smart phone, tablet or computer with a
microphone and video camera, as well as a high-speed internet
connection. All participants can see and hear each other on their
respective screens. Additionally, workers’ compensation law judges can
share claim documents with all involved parties. The system includes
security.
The Board is also developing a mobile app, for future release, that parties may download and use to attend hearings.
“Virtual hearings save injured workers the
burden of travel, which is particularly helpful for someone with
impaired mobility, especially during the harsh winter months,” Chair Rodriguez said.
“They make it easier for injured workers to receive benefits and for
other parties, such as employers and attorneys, to participate in the
workers’ compensation system.”
“The Office of Information Technology
Services is pleased to partner with the Workers’ Compensation Board to
deploy technology that makes it easier to serve injured workers across
New York State,” said New York State Chief Information Officer Robert H. Samson.
“Here in New York, we are harnessing the power of technology to deliver
innovation that matters … for all New Yorkers, and virtual hearings are
the latest example of this.”
Many workers’ compensation hearings last
less than 10 minutes, but injured workers can still lose time from work
and suffer inconvenience traveling to Board offices. Weather-related
complications can also make these trips difficult. Virtual hearings are
entirely optional though, and parties may now choose them over attending
a hearing at a Board office. They can always choose to attend in-person
if they prefer.
Virtual hearings were first tested in the
Capital District Office in Menands in November 2017, then rolled out
across the state. Since the beginning of the pilot, more than 33,000
hearings have included at least one party who appeared remotely,
successfully connecting injured workers, law judges and representatives
from all over New York and nationally. The Board has trained more than
780 participants on the system, including law judges and other staff,
attorneys and legal representatives. Feedback has been overwhelmingly
positive.
Todd L., an injured worker, said,
“Once we got connected, we had great audio and visual and everything
ran smoothly right up to the resolution. It was actually very convenient
– given that the hearing was in New York and I was in Georgia – versus
having to travel back to a central location in Albany.” (Privacy laws
protect the identities of injured workers.)
Attorney Matt Mead said,
“Virtual hearings save me travel time and as a result have saved my
clients some fees because I don’t have to bill them to get back and
forth to the locations. I think it could be really useful to out-of-town
witnesses. I deal with some employers who are out of the immediate area
and would have to take time away from their businesses to travel. If
they could appear virtually, that would be helpful to them.”
Virtual hearings are another successful
element of the Board’s Business Process Re-engineering, which has been
improving the overall health of workers’ compensation in New York since
2013.
Click here for more information on virtual hearings, including instructional
videos and other training materials.
Source: New
York State Workers’ Compensation Board
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