Claim of Turdo v. Dellicato Vineyards
The case addresses whether the New York State Insurance Department Liquidation Bureau is required to make a mandatory deposit into the Aggregate Trust Fund (ATF) for workers' compensation death benefits. The Workers' Compensation Board had ruled that the deposit was mandatory, reversing its previous stance. However, the appellate court found that the plain language of Workers' Compensation Law § 27 does not mandate such deposits for the Liquidation Bureau, as it is not a 'stock corporation or mutual association'. While the Board possesses discretionary power to require deposits from 'insurance carriers', the court noted that the Board's decision was solely based on the mandatory provision. Therefore, the matter was remitted to the Board to consider if a discretionary deposit would be appropriate.