Bill > S00755

This bill amends the workers' compensation law to expand and clarify provisions for mental injury claims related to extraordinary work-related stress. Specifically, the bill allows claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, or major depressive disorder for certain employees, including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency dispatchers, and other emergency medical personnel. To qualify, employees must demonstrate that their mental health disorder arose from a distinct work-related event directly related to their job duties and occurring during the performance of those duties. The claim must be supported by medical evidence based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in effect on the date of the incident. The bill prevents the workers' compensation board from disallowing such claims solely on the grounds that the stress was not greater than what typically occurs in a normal work environment. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that these provisions do not apply to mental injury claims arising from work-related physical injuries. The act will take effect 180 days after becoming law, providing time for implementation and adjustment by relevant agencies and employers.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S755