No Workers’ Comp for Emergency Worker Mental Stress in North Dakota

A proposal to give workers’ compensation insurance coverage to emergency workers for mental stress has been defeated in the North Dakota House.

North Dakota’s workers’ compensation law normally doesn’t cover a work incident that causes mental trauma Ñ unless the affected person also suffers a physical injury.

Fargo Rep. Ron Guggisberg said the insurance should cover stress counseling for law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical workers.

Bismarck Rep. George Keiser said North Dakota workers’ compensation insurance shouldn’t offer mental stress treatment benefits only to a select group of workers.

Representatives voted 63-29 on Feb. 7 to defeat the insurance proposal.

The Senate has already approved a resolution to study the issue of providing workers’ compensation benefits for mental stress injuries.