For a lot of injured workers, the hardest question is not about the claim. It is what comes next. A carpenter with a bad back, a warehouse worker with a damaged shoulder, a home health aide who can no longer lift: many people realize they may never go back to the job they had. New York now offers a way forward that costs nothing.
In February 2026, Governor Hochul announced a partnership between the Workers’ Compensation Board, SUNY and CUNY to connect injured workers with the SUNY Reconnect and CUNY Reconnect programs, which pay for a two-year degree in a high-demand field.
What Reconnect pays for
The Reconnect programs cover tuition, fees, books and supplies for an associate degree at a SUNY or CUNY community college. Classes are offered on campus or online, full time or part time.
Who qualifies
- adults 25 to 55 years old
- who do not already have a college degree
- studying in an eligible high-demand field, such as nursing and other health care, technology and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, advanced manufacturing, green energy, or teaching in shortage areas
You do not have to be an injured worker to use Reconnect. What the new partnership adds is that the Board is actively identifying injured workers who qualify and helping them get enrolled. The state has also proposed expanding the eligible fields further.
How the Board helps
The Board’s vocational rehabilitation counselors are the connection point. Their services are free, and include career counseling, help choosing a program, résumé writing, job search support, and contacting employers about light or alternative duty. They can also point you to shorter options, such as certificate programs, micro-credentials and apprenticeships, if a two-year degree is not the right fit. The Board also has licensed clinical social workers available to help with the personal side of an injury.
To reach a counselor, call the Board at (877) 632-4996 and ask for vocational rehabilitation, or email VocRehab@wcb.ny.gov. The Board’s Reconnect page has more, and you can review programs directly at SUNY Reconnect and CUNY Reconnect.
How school fits with your workers’ comp claim
This is where it pays to plan before you enroll.
- Labor market attachment. If you are partially disabled, the carrier may argue you must show you are looking for work. Taking part in a recognized retraining program is one of the activities the Board’s job search form, the C-258, is built to record. Whether school by itself is enough depends on your situation, so talk to us first and keep proof of enrollment and attendance. See how to show labor market attachment.
- Your benefits do not stop because you are in school. If you are still disabled from the work injury, your weekly benefits and medical care continue.
- Working while you study counts as working. A part-time or work-study job must be reported. See going back to work? You must report it.
- A new career can affect what you are owed. If you go back to work at lower pay than before the injury, you may be entitled to reduced earnings benefits.
- Think about timing around a settlement. Retraining plans can matter when you are weighing a Section 32 settlement. Ask us before you sign.
If your benefits have already stopped because you were found not attached to the labor market, retraining can be part of getting them back. See re-attaching to the labor market.
What to do
- Check the basics: are you 25 to 55, and do you not yet have a college degree?
- Call the Board’s vocational rehabilitation line at (877) 632-4996, or email VocRehab@wcb.ny.gov.
- Tell us before you enroll, so we can make sure your school attendance is documented in a way that protects your benefits.
- Keep records: your acceptance letter, schedule, attendance and grades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can injured workers in New York go to college for free?
Many can. SUNY Reconnect and CUNY Reconnect cover tuition, fees, books and supplies for an associate degree in a high-demand field for adults 25 to 55 without a college degree, and the Workers’ Compensation Board is helping eligible injured workers enroll.
Who is eligible for SUNY or CUNY Reconnect?
Adults ages 25 to 55 who do not already have a college degree and who study in an eligible high-demand field, such as health care, technology, cybersecurity, engineering, advanced manufacturing or green energy.
How do I get help from the Workers’ Compensation Board?
Call (877) 632-4996 and ask for a vocational rehabilitation counselor, or email VocRehab@wcb.ny.gov. The service is free.
Will going to school stop my workers’ comp benefits?
Not by itself. If you are still disabled from the work injury, your benefits and medical care continue. Any job you take while in school must be reported, and you should talk to your attorney about how school fits with labor market attachment.
Does a retraining program count as looking for work?
Participation in a recognized retraining program is one of the activities the Board’s job search form is designed to record, but whether it is enough depends on your circumstances. Get advice before you enroll.
Talk to a New York workers’ compensation attorney
The Law Offices of Frank J. Dito, Jr. handles workers’ compensation claims from the office on Staten Island, for injured workers throughout the five boroughs and across New York State. If you are thinking about retraining, call us first so your new start does not cost you benefits you are owed.
Call 718.701.2776 or 800.310.5520. Consultations are free. If we don’t recover money for you, we don’t get paid.
