HB44 Alabama 2020 Session

Under existing law, when an employer and employee are subject to the workers' compensation laws, an employee who is disabled or killed as a result of an occupational disease is entitled to compensation.

Also under existing law, an occupational disease is not considered to include a mental disease or disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, unless a physical injury accompanies the mental disease or disorder.

This bill would provide that for purposes of workers' compensation benefits paid to an emergency responder, the term occupational disease includes a mental disease or disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, that arises out of and in the course of employment, without regard to whether there was an accompanying physical injury.

Relating to workers' compensation; to amend Section 25-5-110, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide workers' compensation benefits to emergency responders who develop a mental disease or disorder arising out of and in the course of employment.