Bill > S04824

This bill amends the general municipal law to create a legal presumption for sanitation department employees in certain cities who contract leptospirosis, a bacterial disease. Specifically, the bill establishes that if a paid, full-time sanitation worker who successfully passed an initial physical examination develops a health impairment due to leptospirosis resulting in partial or total disability or death, it will be presumed that the condition was acquired while performing job duties, unless contrary evidence is presented. This means that such employees (or their families) would have an easier path to receiving disability or death benefits, as the burden of proof would shift to the employer to demonstrate that the illness was not work-related. The bill applies only to sanitation workers from competitive civil service lists who had no evidence of the condition during their initial employment screening. The legislation is designed to provide additional protection and support for sanitation workers who may be exposed to health risks in the course of their employment, with potential financial implications for the New York City Employees' Retirement System.

Government Affairs, Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4824