Public Employee Press

September deadline for Ground Zero Workers' Comp

The long-awaited legislation to provide health care and compensation for first responders, recovery workers and other victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack recently moved two steps forward.

On May 25, a key House of Representatives committee approved the $5 billion program by a 33-to-12 vote. The bill - sponsored by U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney and named for Detective James Zadroga, who died in 2006 of a Ground Zero-connected lung disease - will now go to the full House.

On June 18, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, accompanied by union representatives and other legislators, stood at Ground Zero and announced that the Senate Health Committee would hold a hearing on the bill June 29.

"This is a crucial step in passing this legislation," Gillibrand said.

DC 37 Safety Director Lee Clarke spoke at the news conference and introduced Laborers Local 376 member Ken George, a DOT employee and 9/11 recovery worker, who will testify June 29 about the health problems that forced him to retire.

"It's extremely frustrating," said his wife, Cindy, "We've been going through this for so many years."

September 11 deadline

If you did rescue, recovery or cleanup work, paid or volunteer, in the year after Sept. 11, 2001, your WTC-12 Form must be received by Sept. 10, 2010, and your NYCERS Form 622 by Sept. 11 to protect your right to Workers' Comp benefits and a disability pension.

For more information, go to www.wtc-exams.org.