Workers' Comp 101 with the Advocate for Injured Workers continues

The New York State Workers' Compensation Board continues its free webinar series for employees next week, and there is still time to register!

On the dates listed below, the Board’s Advocate for Injured Workers will discuss the basics of the workers’ compensation system, including employees’ rights if they become injured or ill on the job. Presentations will also cover:

• Employees’ benefits under workers’ compensation
• How to file a claim
• How to get help with your claim if needed
• Tips and best practices for injured workers

The sessions are free and there will be time at the end for questions and will be held on:

  Tuesday, July 14, 2026  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.    

Tuesday, August 4, 2026  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Register here

More information

Visit the Advocate for Injured Workers section of the Board’s website for additional resources.

You can also call the Advocate for Injured Workers at (877) 632-4996 or email advinjwkr@wcb.ny.gov.

Having trouble?

If you are having trouble registering for or attending any of these webinars, check out these Webinar FAQs.

 

Selected Internet blog posts for the week ending July 10, 2026

How Branded Communications Can Improve Government Billing Learn how consistently branded communications can increase constituent trust, improve engagement and support stronger government billing. DOWNLOAD

Fewer Births Mean Fewer Students. Now is the time for policymakers to take steps to mitigate the impact and better support schools and students. Read More

Fighting AI with AI: How State and Local Governments Can Stop Fraud This thought leadership paper covers common misconceptions about AI in identity verification and the technology components agencies need to combat to prevent AI-driven fraud. Read more to learn how your agency can enhance its approach to identity verification. DOWNLOAD 

Essential Steps to Building a Strong Grant Compliance Framework From internal controls to reporting and monitoring, this guide explores the key components of a stronger, more sustainable approach to grant compliance. DOWNLOAD

Using Existing Platforms to Meet New Political Priorities With 39 gubernatorial elections set for fall 2026, navigating change is a crucial skill for state CIOs. This paper explores how CIOs can deliver fast and visible wins that align with policy priorities of incoming administrations. DOWNLOAD

Essential Steps to Building a Strong Grant Compliance Framework From internal controls to reporting and monitoring, this guide explores the key components of a stronger, more sustainable approach to grant compliance. DOWNLOAD

The AI-Enhanced Meeting: Improving Access and Driving Better Outcomes   Discover how AI is transforming the way public sector teams meet, collaborate and deliver results. In this paper, you’ll learn how AI-powered tools are helping agencies overcome common challenges in hybrid environments. DOWNLOAD

Dangerous Heat Is Coming To More Parts Of The Country Than Ever. The Federation of American Scientists has compiled a library of remediation strategies and policies. Read More

Deferred Maintenance and Its Impact on Communities This eBook examines the problem of deferred maintenance for America's infrastructure, considers ways to identify deferred maintenance issues early and explores options for addressing them quickly. DOWNLOAD

Fighting AI with AI: How State and Local Governments Can Stop Fraud Uncover common misconceptions about AI in identity verification and the technology components agencies need to combat to prevent AI-driven fraud. DOWNLOAD

Redefining Government Efficiency State and local efficiency initiatives are going beyond cost control. While savings clearly matter, a growing number of these efforts also seek to connect spending to outcomes, increase institutional capacity, and improve the responsiveness and usability of resident services. This report examines how the concept of government efficiency is evolving and offers examples of what these trends look like in practice. DOWNLOAD

Making Sense of AI in Public Services A practical guide for public sector leaders choosing between generative AI tools, chatbots, and agentic AI. DOWNLOAD

Audits of New York State local governments and New York public schools posted on the Internet

On July 9, 2026, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the local government and public school audits listed below were issued and have been posted on the Internet.

Click on the text highlighted in COLOR to access the audit.

Village of Owego – Records and Reports (Tioga County) Village officials did not maintain complete, accurate and timely accounting records and reports. The clerk-treasurer’s accounting records contained errors and omitted transactions, and monthly bank reconciliations were not prepared. Because the clerk-treasurer also did not file the village’s annual financial report on time and the board did not perform an annual audit of the clerk-treasurer’s accounting records, officials did not comply with state laws.

Levittown Union Free School District – Financial Management (Nassau County) The board and district officials did not manage fund balance effectively. They overestimated certain appropriations, underestimated certain revenues and appropriated surplus fund balance and reserves to balance the budget when these funds were not necessary for operations. The board and district officials’ consistent practice of appropriating fund balance that is not needed to finance operations results in real property tax levies that are higher than needed.

Town of Newcomb – Town Supervisor’s Records and Reports (Essex County) The supervisor did not maintain complete and accurate accounting records and reports. As a result, the town board and town officials could not determine or manage the town’s true financial condition. This also impaired the board’s ability to make informed financial decisions and caused taxpayer inequities.

City of Yonkers – Budget Review (Westchester County) Auditors determined that the city’s adopted budget for fiscal year 2026-27 and the related justification documents were in material compliance with the requirements of the fiscal agent act. The city’s 2026-27 adopted budget totals $1.64 billion, which includes operating and debt service funding of $822.5 million for the Yonkers public schools and $813.6 million for the city. The 2026-27 budget is $87.1 million more than the city’s budget for 2025-26, an increase of 5.6%.Auditors noted certain budgetary practices continue to pose risks to the city’s long-term financial condition. Specifically, the budget relies on $147.2 million in nonrecurring funding sources, including appropriated fund balance, one-time state and federal aid and revenues from property sales to finance recurring operating expenditures. Similar concerns have been communicated to city officials in prior years; however, the city continues to rely on these funding practices to balance the city’s budget. As a result, the city may face significant budgetary and cash flow challenges in future years if these resources are unavailable.

Sayville Fire District – Claims Audit (Suffolk County) The board did not properly audit and approve all claims before payment. When the board does not perform a thorough and complete review of claims to ensure that they are supported by adequate invoices or other documentation, the district has an increased risk that it could incur unnecessary costs or pay for goods or services that are not valid district expenditures.

Copiague Union Free School District – Audit Follow-Up (Suffolk County) The purpose of the review was to assess the Copiague Union Free School District’s progress in implementing recommendations in a prior audit, Copiague Union Free School District – Information Technology (2023M-150), released in March 2024. The audit determined that district officials did not properly manage nonstudent network user accounts and financial software access controls. Of the four audit recommendations, the district’s IT director and officials fully implemented three recommendations and partially implemented one. Auditors also reviewed progress in implementing recommendations related to sensitive IT control weaknesses that were reported to officials confidentially and communicated those results confidentially to district officials.

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New York State government digital summit meeting scheduled

This complimentary event is designed for government leaders and technology professionals who are responsible for delivering secure, efficient, and citizen-focused digital services. From cybersecurity and AI to data governance and digital service delivery, sessions are built to spark insight, encourage collaboration, and support real-world implementation. New York Digital Government Summit Date: September 22, 2026 Location: Albany Capital Center

Register to reserve your seat!

For registration assistance, contact: Lee Vang / Government Technology / 916-932-1047 / lvang@govtech.com

Supplemental Military Leave Benefits

The New York State Department of Civil Service posted the following notice on the Internet on July 8, 2026.

Supplemental Military Leave Benefits 

I.D. No. CVS-14-26-00017-A Filing No. 563 Filing Date: 2026-06-23 Effective Date: 2026-07-08 

PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action: 

Action taken: Amendment of Sections 21.15 and 28-1.17 of Title 4 NYCRR. 

Statutory authority: Civil Service Law, section 6(1) 

Subject: Supplemental military leave benefits. 

Purpose: To extend the availability of supplemental military leave benefits for certain New York State employees until December 31, 2026. 

The text or summary was published in the April 8, 2026 issue of the Register, I.D. No. CVS-14-26-00017-P. 

Final rule as compared with last published rule: No changes. 

Text of rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from: 

Jennifer Paul, NYS Department of Civil Service, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, Albany, NY 12239, (518) 473-6598, email: commops@cs.ny.gov 

Assessment of Public Comment The agency received no public comment.