More than 100 Wisconsin firefighters and emergency responders lobbied for a bill Wednesday that they say will save lives.
The bill would remove barriers for public safety officers to get worker’s compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Because of a 1974 Supreme Court decision, to get worker’s compensation, public safety officers must demonstrate a PTSD diagnosis based on extraordinary stress above what is usually experienced by others on the job. With a job where stress is normal, that’s a hard standard to meet.
“I had to tell (a) firefighter, you’re going to get push back,” attorney Dan Schoshinksi said to firefighters gathered at Cooper’s Tavern prior to their meetings with legislators at the Capitol. “The employer or the insurance company, they’re going to conclude this is just part of your job, so it’s not extraordinary stress, sorry.”