HB1274--OCCUPATIONALDISEASESDIAGNOSEDINFIRSTRESPONDERS
SPONSOR: Ealy
Thebilldefinescertaintermssuchas"Firstresponder","Mental
impairment",and"Posttraumatic stressdisorder",alongwith
specificjobclassifications including"Emergencymedical
technician","Emergencyservicestelecommunicator", and
"Paramedic".
Thisbillprovidesthatif,precedingthedateofinjuryordeath,
anemployeewhowasemployedonactivedutyasafirstresponderis
diagnosedwithamentalimpairmentandsuchpersonwasnot
previouslydiagnosedwithsuchanimpairment,theimpairmentshall
presumptivelybeconsideredanoccupationaldiseaseandshallbe
presumedtohavearisenoutofandinthecourseofemployment.
Thispresumptionmayberebuttedbytheemployerorinsurer.
Oneormorecompensablementalimpairmentclaimsarisingoutofa
singleaccidentshallconstituteasingleinjury.Amental
impairmentarisingoutofandinthecourseofemploymentcausedby
asingleaccidentorcumulativetraumashallalsoconstitutea
compensablementalimpairmentclaim.
Furthermore,amentalimpairmentshallnotbeconsideredan
occupationaldiseaseifitresultsfromadisciplinaryaction,work
evaluation,jobtransfer,layoff,demotion,promotion,termination,
retirement,orsimilaractiontakeningoodfaithbytheemployer.
ThisbillisthesameasHB223(2023)andHB1965(2020).