New York State Public Benefits Appeal and Complaint Process

If you are denied New York State Cash Assistance, SNAP, or Medicaid benefits or you disagree with the benefit amount, you can appeal the decision by requesting an informal conference and/or a more formal fair hearing.

A conference is an informal meeting with the local agency that administers those benefits. You can request a conference at any time. If you do not agree with the decision by the local agency after the conference, you can request a fair hearing. You can also request a fair hearing directly, without first having a conference.

A fair hearing is a proceeding before the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). You must request the fair hearing within 60 days of the date on the Notice of Decision or Intent regarding your benefits. Fair hearings can be requested by telephone, mail, online or in person. You have a right to access to your entire case file and receive free copies.

Recipients of Child Health Plus benefits do not have notice and fair hearing rights, but they can file grievances and request external reviews of plan decisions.

If you feel that a Human Resources Administration (HRA) worker has mistreated you, misinformed you, or refused to follow the law, you may file a complaint against that work. The complaint is also called a grievance. To file a grievance you can either call the Office of Constituent Services at 212-331-4640 or mail your complaint to:

New York City Human Resources Administration
Family Independence Administration
Office of Constituent Services
150 Greenwich Street, 38th Floor
New York, NY 10007

Legal Editor: Lisa Pearlstein, City Bar Justice Center