Bill > S1470

This bill establishes a presumption of compensability under New Jersey's workers' compensation law for public safety workers who developed illnesses or injuries as a result of their participation in the response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, provided they are being treated or monitored through the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal program managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means their claims for workers' compensation benefits will be presumed valid, regardless of when the claim is filed, as long as it is submitted within two years of the bill's effective date or within two years of when the worker reasonably should have known their condition was permanently related to their exposure. However, workers are ineligible if they are already receiving benefits for the same condition from another state's or the federal government's workers' compensation programs, though any benefits received from such programs will be credited against any award under this bill. The bill also mandates that state and local agencies responsible for public safety personnel records, including the Division of Archives and Records Management, must notify all active and retired personnel, and the next-of-kin of deceased personnel, about this presumption and their potential rights within three months of the bill's enactment.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S1470