NEW YORK (WKBW) — Have you ever experienced "extraordinary work-related stress?" Did it lead to mental health problems?
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new law on Monday that she says will support workers facing post-traumatic stress.
The law would allow you to file for worker's compensation for specific types of mental injury.
"New Yorkers work hard — and those who have experienced the unthinkable while on the job deserve to be treated fairly," said Governor Hochul. "The mental health crisis our country has experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented, and we need to do everything in our power to lend a hand to those in need. I'll never stop fighting for the working people of New York."
Attorney John Federice of Gielowski, Federice & Caligiuri, LLP handles cases involving mental injury on the job. He tells me while this is an amendment to an existing law, it may be tough to prove work-related post-traumatic stress in some cases.
"With the way the statute is written, the way I'm seeing it's going to be published, it may still leave room for argument," said Federice. "A compensation law judge will generally be the determiner, but having practiced this for more than 26 years, I'd be a bit surprised if insurance companies and those representing them don't use this language to their advantage."
