Bill > S1645

This bill aims to provide benefits for public service employees, such as police, firefighters, and corrections officers, who develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their duties. The key provisions of the bill are: 1. It establishes a presumption that PTSD diagnosed by a mental health professional is caused by the employee's line of work, unless it is shown that the PTSD was caused by non-service-related factors. This presumption applies to full-time uniformed members of paid police, fire, and emergency medical departments, as well as certain airport and military personnel. 2. It allows employees diagnosed with PTSD within 5 years of their last day of active service to apply for PTSD-related benefits, which would be payable from the date the employee last received regular compensation. 3. It excludes PTSD caused by disciplinary actions, work evaluations, job transfers, layoffs, demotions, terminations, resignations, or retirements from the presumption that the PTSD was caused by the employee's line of work. The bill aims to provide support and benefits to public service employees who develop PTSD as a result of their challenging and often traumatic jobs.