Mazzarella v. Cutting
The employer, Charles Cutting, and his workers' compensation carrier appealed a decision by the Workers’ Compensation Board. The Board had denied the carrier's request for reimbursement from the Special Disability Fund, citing the carrier's failure to file the prescribed form C-251.3 prior to the award of compensation. The carrier argued that neither Workers’ Compensation Law § 14 (6) nor § 15 (8) (Z) explicitly required this specific form and that their timely filing of form C-251.2 provided notice to the Fund. The appellate court affirmed the Board's decision, emphasizing that 12 NYCRR 300.5 (e) mandates claims for reimbursement under Workers’ Compensation Law § 15 (8) to be filed on a chair-prescribed form, which was C-251.3. The court reiterated the Board Chair’s authority to issue regulations and forms, and the Board’s right to insist on strict adherence to these requirements, deeming the argument regarding lack of prejudice to the Fund irrelevant.