Learning to navigate

In late September, 55 PEF members and staff and even some state managers received 12 hours of Navigator training, including three hours focusing on the PS&T Contract and state Civil Service law, in Albany and the union would like to get another 100 trained over the winter.

"The Navigator Program informs and invigorates people who can help their fellow members get through the Workers' Comp experience," said PEF Executive Board Member Bernie Kahn, who chairs the union's Workers' Compensation Committee.

"Not only will these Navigators be able to help coworkers, they will form a group of activists who understand Workers' Comp and who can respond to legislative proposals on that issue," Kahn said. "They will combine an understanding of how the system is supposed to work with the practical experience of trying to help the people affected by it."

Kahn praised the efforts of Art Wilcox and Ed Donnelly at the state AFL-CIO and PEF Health and Safety Director Jonathan Rosen in making the Navigator Program a reality.
"I can't give enough credit to Jonathan Rosen and staff in that department for all they did to pull the September training together," Kahn said.

He also stressed the value of working with the AFL-CIO and other labor and management groups.

"Networking with other unions and people is very important in our continuing efforts to help our members," Kahn said. "We pooled funds from three different areas of the union's budget to pay for this training and we opened it to certain managers who deal with Workers' Comp.
"This is really a win-win program to help get workers well and back on the job as soon as possible. It's the best thing for the workers and means management doesn't have to hire and train someone new to replace an experienced person," Kahn added.

Division 240 to the rescue

Meanwhile, PEF stewards at the state Insurance Fund are providing invaluable help to employees throughout state service.

PEF Division 240 steward Rocco Brindisi is PEF Health and Safety Chair at SIF and an associate workers compensation claims examiner in Buffalo.

"We're a resource to PEF field reps or other union representatives who are trying to help members with their claims," Brindisi said. "We identify the problems, speak to the case manager and find out if necessary information or forms are missing."

Missing documentation is often the stumbling block that prevents speedy processing of claims or requests for treatment, according to Brindisi.

"For the SIF to make payments or authorize treatment, we need written requests from the attending physician," he added.

SIF simplifying the process

Recognizing the need to improve processing, the SIF moved last year to make the process more efficient and easier for injured or ailing workers to deal with.

"Claims used to have to go through five or six people who would each be doing something different with it and all at the same time," Brindisi said. "About a year ago, SIF changed that so that a case is assigned to one person who does all of those steps and manages the case from beginning to end."

Kahn and Brindisi all stressed that no assistance from a trained Navigator or a PEF steward at SIF is meant to substitute for the advice of a workers' comp attorney or licensed hearing representative.

"In fact, the Navigator Program manual has a list of workers' comp law firms, hearing reps and occupational health clinics where workers can turn for help," Kahn said.

"A great deal needs to be done, but I'm really glad to see how much everyone is doing now to start improving this system and help people through it," he added. "Filing a Worker's Comp claim shouldn't mean adding insult to injury."

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