S 295: Relates to permitting certain claims for compensation based on a COVID-19 diagnosis which were denied or not timely filed.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 295 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. RHOADS, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to certain claims for compensation based on a COVID-19 diagnosis; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The workers' compensation law is amended by adding a new 2 section 3-a to read as follows: 3 § 3-a. Reopening of claims for disability caused by COVID-19. 1. A 4 claim for compensation for disability based on a diagnosis of COVID-19 5 shall not be disallowed as barred by section eighteen or section twen- 6 ty-eight of this chapter if such claim is filed within one year of the 7 effective date of this section. Any subsequent claims may be filed after 8 such period in accordance with sections eighteen and twenty-eight of 9 this chapter. 10 2. The board shall permit the filing of claims for disability due to 11 COVID-19 which were previously denied due to section eighteen or twen- 12 ty-eight of this chapter prior to the effective date of this section, 13 and shall, upon application, re-hear and determine such claims. 14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 15 deemed repealed two years after such date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01198-01-5