§ 217. Notice and proof of claim. 1. Written notice and proof of
disability or proof of need for family leave shall be furnished to the
employer by or on behalf of the employee claiming benefits or, in the
case of a claimant under section two hundred seven of this article, to
the chair, within thirty days after commencement of the period of
disability. Additional proof shall be furnished thereafter from time to
time as the employer or carrier or chair may require but not more often
than once each week. Such proof shall include a statement of disability
by the employee's attending physician or attending podiatrist or
attending chiropractor or attending dentist or attending psychologist or
attending certified nurse midwife or family leave care recipient's
health care provider, or in the case of an employee who adheres to the
faith or teachings of any church or denomination, and who in accordance
with its creed, tenets or principles depends for healing upon prayer
through spiritual means alone in the practice of religion, by an
accredited practitioner, containing facts and opinions as to such
disability in compliance with regulations of the chair. Failure to
furnish notice or proof within the time and in the manner above provided
shall not invalidate the claim but no benefits shall be required to be
paid for any period more than two weeks prior to the date on which the
required proof is furnished unless it shall be shown to the satisfaction
of the chair not to have been reasonably possible to furnish such notice
or proof and that such notice or proof was furnished as soon as
possible; provided, however, that no benefits shall be paid unless the
required proof of disability is furnished within the period of actual
disability or family leave that does not exceed the statutory maximum
period permitted under section two hundred four of this article. No
limitation of time provided in this section shall run as against any
disabled employee who is mentally incompetent, or physically incapable
of providing such notice as a result of a serious medical condition, or
a minor so long as such person has no guardian of the person and/or
property.

2. An employee claiming disability benefits shall, as requested by the
employer or carrier, submit himself or herself at intervals, but not
more than once a week, for examination by a physician or podiatrist or
chiropractor or dentist or psychologist or certified nurse midwife
designated by the employer or carrier. All such examinations shall be
without cost to the employee and shall be held at a reasonable time and
place.

3. The chair or chair's designee, pursuant to section two hundred
twenty-one of this article, may direct the claimant or family leave care
recipient to submit to examination by a health care provider designated
by him or her in any case in which the claim to disability or family
leave benefits is contested and in claims arising under section two
hundred seven of this article, and in other cases as the chair or board
may require.

4. Refusal of the claimant or family leave care recipient without good
cause to submit to any such examination shall disqualify the claimant or
employee from all benefits hereunder for the period of such refusal,
except as to benefits already paid.

5. If benefits required to be paid by this article have been paid to
an employee, further payments for the same disability or family leave
shall not be barred solely because of failure to give notice or to file
proof of disability for the period or periods for which such benefits
have been paid.

6. In the event that a claim for disability benefits is rejected, the
carrier or employer shall send by first class mail written notice of
rejection to the employee within forty-five days of receipt of proof of
disability. Failure to mail such written notice of rejection within the
time provided, shall bar the employer or carrier from contesting
entitlement to benefits for any period of disability prior to such
notice but such failure may be excused by the chair if it can be shown
to the satisfaction of the chair not to have been reasonably possible to
mail such notice and that such notice was mailed as soon as possible.
Such notice shall include a statement, in a form prescribed by the
chair, to the effect that the employee may, for the purpose of review,
file notice that his or her claim has not been paid as set forth in
section two hundred twenty-one of this article.