AB 569

This bill makes changes to the conditions of liability for worker's compensation

benefits for a law enforcement officer or a fire fighter (public safety officer) who is

diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bill provides that if a public safety officer is diagnosed with post-traumatic

stress disorder by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist and the mental injury that

resulted in that diagnosis is not accompanied by a physical injury, that public safety

officer can bring a claim for worker's compensation benefits if the conditions of

liability are proven by a preponderance of the evidence and the mental injury is not

the result of a good-faith employment action by the person's employer. Under the

bill, such an injured public safety employee is not required to demonstrate a

diagnosis based on unusual stress of greater dimensions than the day-to-day

emotional strain and tension experienced by similarly situated employees as

required under

School District No. 1 v. DILHR

, 62 Wis. 2d 370, 215 N.W.2d 373

(1974).

The bill also limits liability for treatment for a mental injury that is

compensable under the bill's provisions to no more than 32 weeks after the injury is

first reported.