What's happening
This bill expands workers' compensation coverage for mental injury claims due to extraordinary work-related stress to all workers, not just emergency personnel.
Why it matters
Expands protections for all workers. By replacing specific references to police, firefighters, EMTs, and dispatchers with the broader term "worker," the bill ensures that any employee experiencing extraordinary work-related stress—not just emergency responders—can file a mental injury claim.
Lowers barriers to mental injury claims. The bill prevents the Workers' Compensation Board from denying claims solely because the reported stress is considered typical for the job, making it easier for workers to get support for severe mental health impacts caused by extraordinary circumstances at work.
Acknowledges mental health risks across all professions. This legislation recognizes that extraordinary work-related stress leading to mental injury can occur in any occupation, not just high-risk emergency services, and aims to provide equitable access to compensation for affected workers.
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Expand Mental Injury Protections
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Mental Injury Protections
In Senate Committee · Labor · Sponsor Marisol Alcantara
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8240
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 2, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ABBATE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to claims for mental injury premised upon extraordinary work-related stress
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 10 of the workers' compensation law, as added by section 1 of subpart I of part NNN of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
(b) Where a [police officer or firefighter subject to section thirty of this article, or emergency medical technician, paramedic, or other person certified to provide medical care in emergencies, or emergency dispatcher] worker files a claim for mental injury premised upon extraordinary work-related stress incurred [in a work-related emergency] at work, the board may not disallow the claim, upon a factual finding that the stress was not greater than that which usually occurs in the normal work environment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11828-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.