Compensation Programs
Members of the WTC Health Program may also be eligible for benefits through the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. Each program has its own guidelines. We encourage members to visit the websites below to learn more.
Please note: The WTC Health Program is separate from these programs and is not a financial compensation program. We provide medical monitoring and treatment to eligible members.
Enrollment in the WTC Health Program does not automatically enroll you in these other programs. Individuals must apply for these compensation programs separately.
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) is administered by the Department of Justice and is a separate Federal program under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010.
The VCF provides financial compensation to individuals (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who were present at the World Trade Center or in the VCF’s NYC Exposure Zone ; the Pentagon crash site; or the Shanksville, Pennsylvania, crash site, at some point between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002, and who have been diagnosed with a 9/11-related physical illness. The VCF does not compensate for mental health conditions and does not distinguish between responders and survivors.
In order to file a VCF claim, you must first register with the VCF. Registration deadlines vary based on claim type and individual circumstances, including when you were certified with a WTC-related physical health condition by the WTC Health Program. The VCF encourages you to register now. The deadline to file a VCF claim (and any supporting documents) is October 1, 2090. Learn more on the VCF’s Registration and Claim Filing Deadlines page.
For more VCF information or for questions, visit the VCF website or call the VCF directly at 1-855-885-1555. You can also get the facts about common VCF myths on the VCF Just the Facts factsheet [PDF, 4 pages, 717 KB] .
New York State Workers’ Compensation Law
Workers and volunteers who performed rescue, recovery and clean-up of the World Trade Center and other impacted sites can register with the New York State Workers' Compensation Board . This registration preserves the right to file for workers' compensation benefits through the State of New York should you need them in the future.
New York State passed legislation (Senate Bill S9294A ) on September 9, 2022, extending the deadline until September 11, 2026 for filing the Registration of Participation in World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery and/or Clean-up Operations form (Form WTC-12 [PDF, 4 pages, 261 KB] ).
For information on eligibility, how to download Form WTC-12, how to file a claim with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, and for any other questions about this program, please visit the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board World Trade Center Assistance website or call 1-877-632-4996. The Workers’ Compensation Board also provides a World Trade Center fact sheet [PDF, 2 pages, 5.3 MB] for download.
Workers can also pick up Form WTC-12 in-person from any New York State Workers' Compensation Board office.