The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6954, aims to expand the criteria for qualifying events that allow certain employees to receive workers' compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress injuries. Specifically, the bill introduces the witnessing of a serious physical injury as a qualifying event, effective October 1, 2025. This addition is significant as it allows employees who witness serious physical injuries—defined as injuries that do not result in death or permanent disfigurement—to be eligible for compensation related to post-traumatic stress injuries.

In the current law, the definition of qualifying events includes witnessing the death of a person or traumatic injuries resulting in the loss of vital body parts or functions. The bill modifies this by deleting the previous language that excluded serious physical injuries and inserting new language that includes them as qualifying events. Additionally, the bill clarifies the definition of "serious physical injury" by referencing existing legal definitions, thereby ensuring consistency in the application of the law. Overall, this legislation seeks to provide broader support for employees who experience trauma in the line of duty.