September 12 marks the deadline for any first responders and volunteers that worked on 9/11 recovery efforts to register for future workers’ compensation benefits.
Tell Us You Were There Campaign
The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board reopened the World Trade Center Registry to allow those that were a part of the recovery, rescue, and cleanup of the World Trade Center in the year following September 11, 2001 to apply for worker’s compensation.
The WTC-12 form allows for individuals to receive worker’s compensation benefits for future health problems they may face as a result of their work. These people could have been volunteer or employed, and injured or uninjured.
Future health conditions that can arise later in life and are linked to the World Trade Center collapse and cleanup efforts are:
- Lower respiratory tract
- Upper respiratory tract and mucosae
- Psychological axis
- Gastroesophageal tract
- Any new diseases that arise due to exposure
The last filing requirements ended in 2010. New York State Governor Cuomo opened this to expand the deadline to 2013 and included an expanded list of the conditions that would be covered by worker’s compensation.
With a recent report putting 2,500 Ground Zero workers with a cancer diagnosis, the expanded workers’ compensation claims for first responders and volunteers is a good move for New York State to take care of their employees.
