News
October 19, 2017A Deal is a Deal
As you know, for the past several years, the Chamber has advocated for Workers’ Comp reforms that would improve the business climate in New York State while ensuring injured workers maintain their protections. The Chamber worked with Senator Amedore, Senator Marchione, Assemblyman John McDonald and Assemblywoman Woerner during this session to pass these reforms. Thankfully, we successfully got reforms into the final state budget that will save employers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. One of these reforms requires the Workers’ Compensation Board to release and implement updated impairment guidelines reflective of advances in modern medicine. Sadly, now as the Workers’ Compensation Board works to implement the guidelines required by the adopted state budget, organized labor, comp lawyers, the Senate Minority, and some members of the Assembly Majority, are engaging in a massive campaign to discredit and destroy this agreed upon reform. This specific reform is the cornerstone of the cost-savings negotiated during the budget process and must be protected.
We cannot allow opponents to jeopardize the implementation of these new guidelines and their associated cost-savings. The business community negotiated in good faith and we are keeping our promise. We now call upon the Governor, the Majority Leader, the Assembly Speaker and our entire Capital Region Legislative Delegation to ensure that organized labor and the State Legislature keep their end of the bargain. These reforms are too important to allow special interests to walk away from their commitment. To that end, Chamber CEO Mark Eagan has urged the Workers’ Compensation Board to implement the reform. Because of you, the Chamber can ensure that Albany keeps its promise.
