On Thursday, the Assembly Labor Committee favorably reported A-2145 from committee. The legislation provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) under certain conditions.
The League, along with the Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund, believe A-2145 is unnecessary because the existing workers’ compensation and pension systems already provide first responders with extensive benefits and protections for PTSD. These benefits are provided on a no-fault basis, and existing law includes extensive safeguards against retaliation.
Further, A-2145 will exacerbate workers' compensation cost at a time that municipalities, counties, and the State can ill afford any additional financial burden. Municipalities are already facing the difficult task of crafting a budget in a time of record increases in workers’ compensation costs because of a long series of recent legislative actions and administrative decisions; increases in property insurance because of natural disasters; increasing cyberattacks; erosion of Title 59 by the courts; and lack of summary judgements in favor of public entities.
S-2373, the Senate companion, has yet to be considered by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.
Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.