Paterson wants to expand 9/11 disability benefits

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ne...0,269189.story

The Associated Press
June 13, 2008

Gov. David Paterson wants to expand disability benefits for more workers who helped in the rescue and recovery efforts after Sept. 11.

Paterson plans to introduce a bill that would extend disability retirement benefits to more first responders who worked at Ground Zero in the months after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The bill would eliminate a requirement that workers have had a physical before they were hired, as long as they offer some pre-9/11 medical records.

It would extend the disability benefit to workers such as state and county corrections officers, any first responder who worked in the first 48 hours after Sept. 11, and 911 operators.

The proposal follows recommendations issued by a state Department of Labor task force.