This bill amends existing workers' compensation law to provide presumptive benefits for public safety workers who developed illnesses or injuries as a result of their response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Specifically, it establishes that any injury, illness, or death caused by exposure to known carcinogens or cancer-causing substances during their employment will be presumed compensable, provided the worker can demonstrate exposure and that the condition manifested during their employment. The bill also allows employers to require health evaluations at their expense, but the presumption of compensability remains intact regardless of whether such evaluations are conducted. Additionally, the bill mandates that employers maintain records of public safety workers deployed to locations with known carcinogens.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that public safety workers who participated in the response to the September 11 attacks and are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program are presumed to be eligible for workers' compensation benefits without regard to when the claim is filed, as long as it is submitted within two years of the bill's effective date. It also outlines that if a worker has received benefits from other state or federal programs for the same condition, those benefits will be credited against any awards under New Jersey's workers' compensation law. The bill requires the Division of Archives and Records Management and relevant public safety entities to notify all active and retired personnel, as well as next-of-kin of deceased workers, about these presumptions and potential rights within three months of the bill's enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:15-31.7