Governor Kathy Hochul signed groundbreaking legislation to extend workers’ compensation benefits to all New York workers experiencing mental health crises due to extraordinary work-related stress. The law, previously limited to certain first responders, is a step toward addressing the state’s growing mental health needs and ensuring parity between physical and mental injuries in the workplace.
“New Yorkers work hard — and those who have experienced the unthinkable while on the job deserve to be treated fairly,” Hochul said. “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.”
The legislation (S.6635/A.5745) allows any worker to file for compensation for mental injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from job-related stress. By removing barriers to benefits, the law aims to provide relief to employees in various industries who were previously excluded.
Labor leaders and advocates praised the move. New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento called the law “an important step toward helping workers suffering from mental illness as a result of their employment,” while Assemblymember Karines Reyes emphasized the need for “safety and security of the mind, equal to that of the body.”
The legislation aligns with Hochul’s broader commitment to mental health care. Her $1 billion plan to overhaul the mental health continuum includes expanded school-based mental health clinics, support for justice-involved individuals with mental illnesses, and increased inpatient psychiatric care. The FY 2025 budget allocated significant resources, including $55 million to add 200 inpatient psychiatric beds and $19 million to provide care for young people outside school settings.
State Senator Jessica Ramos, a co-sponsor of the bill, highlighted the importance of recognizing non-physical injuries in workers’ compensation law. “Together, we are consistently enacting the change and ushering through the investments needed to take care of New Yorkers’ mental health,” Ramos said.
With the new law in place, New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board will review claims for mental health conditions caused by extreme workplace stress. Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez applauded the expansion, saying, “Workers’ compensation is here for workers who have been injured or made ill on the job, whether their injury is one you can see or not.”
Advocates say the legislation represents a critical step toward modernizing workplace protections and addressing mental health challenges in the 21st-century economy.
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