Bill > S0306

This bill formally recognizes public safety and emergency services dispatchers as "first responders in communications," a term now defined to include individuals certified by the Vermont Enhanced 911 Board as 911 call takers, public safety dispatchers, telecommunicators, or emergency operators, as well as those employed as emergency communications dispatchers for emergency provider organizations who administer or supervise lifesaving communication services. The bill aims to provide these individuals with access to benefits traditionally given to other first responders, such as training opportunities and mental health support, and crucially, it amends workers' compensation laws to presume that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in these individuals is incurred in the line of duty and therefore compensable, unless proven otherwise by a preponderance of the evidence, and makes them eligible for these benefits if diagnosed within three years of their last active employment.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/S.306