Workers' Compensation

Broome County pays Workers' Compensation benefits through a self-insured Workers' Compensation pool, established in 1956 to pay claims and judgements for Workers' Compensation. Any municipal corporation within Broome County may participate in the pool. Currently, all Broome municipalities except the Towns of Dickinson, Kirkwood, Union & Vestal; the Villages of Deposit, Johnson City & Windsor and the City of Binghamton participate in the pool. Pool contributions (premiums) are established by the Broome County Office of Risk & Insurance for all pool participants, including Broome County, in accordance with local law 8-1996. Local law 8-1996 calculates pool contribution by a weighted formula: 65% from five year paid claims average and 35% from assessed valuation. A third party administrator, RMSCO, Inc. of Liverpool, New York, processes and pays Workers' Compensation claims on behalf of the pool under the supervision of the Office of Risk & Insurance. Claims that do not incur indemnity payments are adjusted and paid directly by the county.

In August 2000, the Workers' Compensation injury reporting requirements were significantly streamlined, reducing duplication and time waste. The "injury packet" now consists of seven sequentially numbered single-sided forms. (Forms)