Markhoff & Mittman Blog

New Head for Troubled NY Workers’ Comp System

The outgoing head of the New York Compensation System will be replaced by a longtime workers’ compensation judge recently appointed by Governor David Paterson.  Last month Zachary S. Weiss announced that he was stepping down as chairman of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board to accept a position as a judge in the Social Security system.

The new chairman, Robert E. Beloten, 56, has a long history with the NY workers’ comp board.  He was a judge in the system from 1988 to 1996 and again from 2000 until he was named as one of the board’s twelve commissioners this past May.  Over the years Mr. Beloten has lectured extensively on workers’ compensation and medical law.

Since Beloten is already a member of the workers’ comp board he does not need Senate confirmation.  He took office on July 15.  According to Beloten his first priority in taking over the $5.5 billion per year system – one of the largest in the country – is to reduce the amount of time it takes for claimants to receive benefits.  Beloten will receive a salary of $120,800 as chairman.

Beloten faces some tough issues as head of the NY workers’ comp board.  In addition to excessive wait times, recent investigations have uncovered fraud by doctors working for insurers, retaliation by companies against employees who file for workers’ comp benefits, and employers cheating on their insurance premiums – all which has created an adversarial and paralyzed system.

Former Chairman Weiss was only at the helm for about two years and attempted to make some changes, however critics contend that he did not go far enough.  There is still much left to do, and Beloten has his work cut out for him.