NY A04742

Requires the Workers' Compensation Board to index a claim immediately upon receiving a medical report along with either a worker's claim or an employer's report of injury/illness

Mandates the board hold an initial hearing within 60 days after a claim is indexed for cases involving lost wages or lost time due to injury

Guarantees either party or their attorney can request a hearing before a referee, which must occur within 45 calendar days of the application, without limitations, prerequisites, or penalties imposed by the board

Requires all decisions to be issued to injured workers in their native language

Imposes a $25 penalty to a state fund plus a $75 award to the injured worker when carriers or employers engage in dilatory tactics or show unjustified lack of preparedness at hearings