Committee Pushes Expanded Workers’ Compensation Coverage

A legislative committee approved a bill March 12 expanding workers’ compensation coverage to include post-traumatic stress injuries for workers who witness a serious bodily injury.

HB 5279 adds “witnessing a serious physical injury to a person that does not result in the death or permanent disfigurement of such person” as a qualifying event for workers’ compensation coverage.”

It passed the Labor and Public Employees Committee on a 9-4 party-line vote.

The committee approved a similar measure last year, which was then referred to the Appropriations Committee, which did not act on it.

CBIA’s Pete Myers said the measure could increase employers’ premium costs and makes Connecticut an outlier compared with other states.

“This is a greatly different trend than we’re seeing in other states,” he said.

Broad Expansion

In recent years, state lawmakers have expanded workers’ compensation benefits for PTSI to include all employees in Connecticut who witness a narrow scope of events.

“We are concerned that expanding the scope to witnessing a serious injury could negatively impact the cost of coverage for employers,” Myers said.

In 2025, the lawmakers implemented the largest expansion of workers’ compensation coverage in more than a decade by extending eligibility for post‑traumatic stress injury benefits to all employees, beyond previously covered categories. 

“Making further changes before that change is fully understood is premature.”

CBIA’s Pete Myers

“That expansion substantially increased the scope of coverage under the system and remains relatively recent,” Myers said.

“As a result, its full impact on claims, costs, and system administration is still being evaluated.

“Making further changes to the workers’ compensation system before that change is fully realized is premature.” 

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For more information, contact CBIA’s Pete Myers (860.244.1921).