Notice to your employer: 30 days
You generally must give your employer written notice of a work injury within 30 days of the accident. This is the tight clock, and missing it is a common reason claims are challenged, though the Board recognizes some valid excuses.
For a condition that develops over time, the 30 days generally runs from when you knew, or should have known, the condition was work-related.
Filing your claim: two years
Filing your formal claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board is a separate step with a longer window – generally up to two years from the accident, or from when you knew an occupational condition was job-related.
Notice and filing are not the same thing, and meeting one does not satisfy the other.
Best practice
Do not wait. Report in writing right away and file your claim early, because prompt action avoids notice defenses and keeps the medical record close to the injury.
If a deadline is already close or passed, that is exactly when to talk to a licensed New York attorney about your options.