Senator Golden Reminds New Yorkers That 9/11 Responders Must Register With Workers' Compensation Board By August 14, 2007

Brooklyn- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) today is reminding all those who aided in the rescue, recovery or cleanup efforts of the World Trade Center ruins to register by August 14, 2007, with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. By registering, 9/11 responders will preserve the right to file a workers’ compensation claim in case of sickness in the future.

Without a second thought, tens of thousands of people rushed to help after the terrorist attacks. Thousands of others worked at the site in the year after 9/11-and now five years later, many of those responders are become sick and some are dying and some are dying. Under New York State’s Workers’ Compensation Law, most workers would be barred from filing a claim, two years after an injury, however, New York State Legislators, including Senator Marty Golden, adopted legislation to extend the deadline for filing a claim before August 14, 2007.

Senator Marty Golden stated, "Extending the deadline for filing claims for those brave men and women, for the heroes of New York and for America, who responded to Ground Zero and who helped New York City rise to it’s feet again, was the right thing to do. We must insure that for all of those people who have, or may become, ill due to the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero, are allowed the opportunity to file their claim. I encourage all to take the necessary steps to file this claim by August 14, 2007 and not miss this opportunity to obtain benefits."

Senator Golden is encouraging claims to be filed by anyone who worked or volunteered:

-anywhere in Manhattan south of Canal or Pike Streets;
-on the barge operation between Lower Manhattan & Staten Island;
-at the Staten Island landfill, or
-at the New York City morgue

Information on this important program and the necessary forms are available at www.nycosh.org. Residents can call the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health hotline at 1-866-WTC-2556 to find out about the new law and eligibility requirements.