After a battle which has spanned more than two decades, Ohio firefighters, and police officers, have finally seen their hard work pay off. On April 6, 2017, Senate Bill 27, also known as the “Michael Louis Palumbo Jr. Act,” took effect in Ohio.
The Act makes it easier for first responders to qualify for Workers’ Compensation benefits when they are diagnosed with particular kinds of cancers. The Act creates a presumption that first responders developed these diseases in the course of and arising from their employment as firefighters or police officers, which is a prerequisite to receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits in the state of Ohio.
The Act is limited to specific types of cancers which have been causally linked to repeated exposure to highly carcinogenic material. In addition, the first responder must have been assigned to the type of hazardous duty which would produce carcinogenic exposure for six years or more in order to qualify for benefits.
Although the Act contains limitations, this is a major step in the right direction in ensuring that Ohio’s first responders will be taken care of after sacrificing so much for the communities they serve.
-Mike Myers – Clements, Taylor, Butkovich & Cohen LPA, Co.