Workers' Compensation Summary
Workers' Compensation
Please contact the FMLA Mailbox with questions.
Workers' Compensation
Workers’ Compensation is insurance that provides eligible employees benefits such as partial wage replacement and medical coverage for injuries or illnesses resulting from work-related incidents.
FutureComp manages and oversees RIT’s Workers’ Compensation program, including medical care through the New York State Workers’ Compensation Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). Medical management is provided by MetraComp, the PPO administrator. For the MetraComp handbook, click here.
All RIT employees, including student workers, are automatically covered by RIT’s Workers’ Compensation for work-related injuries or illnesses.
Regular employees are eligible for the Statutory Workers’ Compensation benefit and RIT supplemental pay.
Non-regular employees, including student workers and adjunct faculty, are only eligible for the Statutory Workers’ Compensation benefit.
Employees must report any work-related injury or illness to their supervisor immediately but no later than the end of their work shift on the day of the incident. The employee and supervisor must complete RIT’s Workers' Compensation Accident/Injury/Illness Report and submit to fmla@rit.edu.
Timely and accurate reporting is essential for benefit eligibility. Failure to report or misrepresent information may result in:
- Disciplinary action, up to and including termination
- Denial of Workers’ Compensation benefits
If the employee’s injury is non-life-threatening and they wish to seek medical care, they must visit a MetraComp PPO provider. For the first 30 days of treatment, all non-emergency care must be handled through the PPO.
Employees may opt out of the PPO after 30 days, but doing so will result in the loss of RIT’s supplemental Workers’ Compensation benefits.
As a first step, employees should a Well Now Urgent Care location listed below.
Well Now Urgent Care Locations |
|
|---|---|
| Location | Contact Information |
| 2232 Lyell Ave. | (585) 417-4125 |
| 2760 Monroe Ave. | (585) 397-3632 |
| 235 Winton Rd N. | (585) 625-6190 |
If an employee is unable to visit a Well Now, a complete list of other locations can be found at this link here.
If an employee's injury requires medical treatment but not immediately, contact the Nurse Case Manager at MetraComp at 860-652-1079/V.
If an employee needs immediate medical care and cannot/should not drive, contact Public Safety for assistance in getting transportation to a MetraComp location.
Contact Public Safety at 475-3333 or 911 for immediate help, including requesting an ambulance for transport and care. There is no requirement to use a specific or participating facility for emergency care.
Employees who experience a work-related injury or accident will receive communications directly from the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. They must stay actively engaged in the process to ensure they receive any compensation or medical coverage they may be entitled to. All correspondence should be read carefully and responded to promptly when required. Employees who experience a work-related injury or accident must complete a C-3 form, which can be found on the NYS File a Workers’ Compensation Claim page. This form must be submitted by the employee directly.
Workers’ Compensation settlement awards or death benefits may be issued via direct deposit or paper check. To enroll in direct deposit, access My Banking Information within Oracle's RIT Employee Self-Service options.
Additional Information
When a medical provider determines an employee may return to work with accommodations, the requested accommodations must be submitted to the FutureComp Nurse Case Manager and fmla@rit.edu. Documentation must come from a physician within the Workers’ Compensation PPO and clearly outline the restrictions. The Leave Administration team will determine whether the request must go through the formal RIT Medical/Disability Accommodation process or can be handled directly. Timely submission of accommodations is crucial as employees may not return to work until a decision is made.
Ensuring an employee returns to work safely, and within their appropriate capabilities following their injury or illness, is priority for RIT. If the restrictions cannot be safely accommodated, the employee may remain or be placed on a Workers’ Compensation absence (lost time).
New York State Workers’ Compensation provides income replacement for medically authorized time off due to work-related injuries or illnesses. After a one-week waiting period, eligible employees may receive up to two-thirds of their base wages, subject to a weekly maximum set by the state.
Lost Time Pay Schedule
Pay for an employee on an approved Workers’ Compensation absence may follow as shown below:
Week 1
Unpaid Waiting Period. The first seven (7) calendar days of a Workers’ Compensation absence constitute a mandatory unpaid elimination period. During this time, exempt and non-exempt employees may submit available Sick/Personal Leave to cover this time. If an employee has no Sick/Personal Leave available, the Waiting Period will remain unpaid unless the employee requests to use available vacation time, subject to supervisor approval.
If the absence extends beyond 14 calendar days, Workers’ Compensation benefits will be applied retroactively to the first day of leave. In such cases, any paid time off used to cover the statutory benefit portion of leave will be credited back to the employee.
Weeks 2-8
Active, regular employees classified as totally disabled and absent for more than 14 calendar days receive 100% of average base wages. RIT supplements the Statutory Workers’ Compensation benefit to reach this amount, provided the employee participates in RIT’s Workers’ Compensation PPO. Opting out of the PPO ends RIT supplemental pay benefits and only the statutory benefit will apply.
Non-regular employees receive only the Statutory Workers’ Compensation benefit as determined by the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board and medical provider. No RIT supplemental pay is provided.
Statutory Workers’ Compensation pay is non-taxable, while RIT’s supplemental pay is taxable.
Weeks 9-26
RIT supplemental payment ends and only the Statutory Workers’ Compensation benefit is paid. Pay is calculated at two-thirds (2/3) of average weekly rate up to a state maximum cap. Pay is also determined by the degree of disability set by the treating provider and the Workers’ Compensation Board.
Employees may use available sick/personal leave or vacation time, with supervisor approval, to supplement periods of reduced wages. Employees must email their request to supplement pay to the Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu.
Holidays: Employees on Workers’ Compensation leave during a university holiday or early closure are paid applicable Workers’ Compensation wages. Holiday time is not paid out or carried forward.
When an employee is absent from work due to a qualifying condition, FMLA will commence on the first day of approved absence, provided the federal eligibility requirements are met. FMLA and Workers’ Compensation leave run concurrently. Employees must apply for FMLA benefits through Prudential, RIT’s insurance company that provides FMLA absence reporting. To begin, call Prudential’s toll-free phone number 877-908-4778 or 844-778-4255/TTY. Claims should be filed within 30 days of known absence or within two (2) days after an unplanned absence.
Information to Provide Prudential
- Employer Name
- RIT Control Number – 50757
- Employee ID
- Reason for Absence
- First day absent
- Work Schedule
- Expected or known return to work date
- Treating medical provider's name and contact information
The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board determines the duration of Workers’ Compensation benefits. If leave is approved, RIT’s practice is to hold employee’s positions for up to 26 weeks on approved leave. However, after 26 weeks of absence, the department may begin recruitment to fill the role.
Around absence week 19, employees are reviewed by Prudential for Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits. Prudential’s contact information is listed within the Workers' Compensation and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) section above.
Medical, dental, and other benefits continue during Workers’ Compensation leave if required employee contributions are paid. Deductions are taken from Workers’ Compensation pay when possible; otherwise, missed payments are either billed through RIT’s third-party billing administrator or deducted from subsequent payrolls.
Vacation accrues during approved Workers’ Compensation leave. If the leave spans across a new fiscal year, accrued vacation from the new year cannot be used until the employee returns to work.