Supporting Workers Facing Job-Related Stress

Governor Kathy Hochul signed new legislation to support working people who are facing job-related mental health crises. This law will allow any worker to file for workers' compensation for specific types of mental injury premised on extraordinary work-related stress. Signing this law continues Governor Hochul's commitment to addressing the mental health crisis in New York, including by investing $1 billion to transform the continuum of care.

“New Yorkers work hard — and those who have experienced the unthinkable while on the job deserve to be treated fairly,” Governor Hochul said. “The mental health crisis our country has experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented, and we need to do everything in our power to lend a hand to those in need. I'll never stop fighting for the working people of New York.”

Through an agreement with the Legislature, Legislation S.6635/A.5745 will allow any worker to file for workers' compensation for specific types of mental injury premised on extraordinary work-related stress. This expands coverage to all workers in the State of New York; previously, only certain first responders were eligible for such benefits.

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento said, “We applaud Governor Hochul for taking an important step toward helping workers suffering from mental illness as a result of their employment. This law removes significant hurdles workers face when accessing care and benefits for workplace mental health claims. Thank you to Senator Ramos and Assemblymember Reyes for recognizing the need for parity for mental and physical workplace illness/injury.”

State Senator Jessica Ramos said, “Not all injuries are physical, but all workers should get support for injuries sustained on the job. I am so grateful for the Governor’s support of this legislation. Together, we are consistently enacting the change and ushering through the investments needed to take care of New Yorkers’ mental health.”

Assemblymember Karines Reyes said, “I thank Governor Hochul for signing my vital legislation into law today. For far too long, New York’s workers have been denied the basic access of having their claims of work-related mental distress from being reviewed by the Workers’ Compensation Board. Claims of post-traumatic stress disorder and other forms of mental injury, which are becoming more common in workplaces and industries, are more than deserving of study and potential consideration for disability benefits. It is time for our state to recognize that productivity requires the safety and security of the mind, equal to that of the body. This new law will ensure that our state’s social safety net addresses the challenges that employees face in the 21st Century economy. I thank the advocates in organized labor and others for their years of advocacy in getting this bill across the finish line.”

This legislation builds on the Governor’s commitment to strengthening the state’s mental health care system and improving access for all New Yorkers. The Governor’s FY 2025 Enacted Budget included $20 million to continue expanding school-based mental health clinic satellites, $19 million to provide critical care to young people outside of school environments, $33 million to build supports for individuals living with a mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system, and $55 million to add 200 inpatient beds at state-operated psychiatric centers.