ECA Opposes Changes to Workers' Comp

Eastern Contractors Association has joined with other business leaders across the state in opposing proposed legislation that amends New York State's Workers' Compensation Laws to create an occupational disease presumption for nearly all employees who have contracted COVID-19.
 
Current legislation, S.8266 (Ramos) & A.10401 (Simotas), and similar bills, require a drastic and costly shift to current state law. The bill, giving presumption of disability to nearly all New York's private and public sector employees, shifts the cost of these worker's medical care, lost wages, and other benefits to the workers' compensation system. ECA and others are concerned that expanding workers' compensation through this mechanism would limit employees' access to federal funding and paid time off in the CARES Act, and other crucial funding likely to be offered in future stimulus packages.
 
Click here to read our opposition memo.