LRB-4545/1
MIM:cjs&wlj
2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
October 25, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives Horlacher, Emerson, Allen,
Anderson, Ballweg, Brandtjen, Brostoff, Considine, Dittrich, Doyle,
Edming, Kerkman, Krug, Kulp, Mursau, Novak, Ott, Petryk, Pope,
Shankland, Sinicki, Skowronski, Sortwell, Spiros, Spreitzer, Stubbs,
Stuck, Subeck, C. Taylor and Vruwink, cosponsored by Senators Jacque,
Bewley, Wanggaard, Erpenbach, Johnson, Marklein, Nass, Schachtner and
Wirch. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
AB569,1,4 1An Act to amend 102.42 (1); and to create 102.17 (9), 102.42 (1p) and 102.44
2(7) of the statutes; relating to: claims for compensation for post-traumatic
3stress disorder by police officers and fire fighters under the worker's
4compensation law.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes changes to the conditions of liability for worker's compensation
benefits for a law enforcement officer or a fire fighter (public safety officer) who is
diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The bill provides that if a public safety officer is diagnosed with post-traumatic
stress disorder by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist and the mental injury that
resulted in that diagnosis is not accompanied by a physical injury, that public safety
officer can bring a claim for worker's compensation benefits if the conditions of
liability are proven by a preponderance of the evidence and the mental injury is not
the result of a good-faith employment action by the person's employer. Under the
bill, such an injured public safety employee is not required to demonstrate a
diagnosis based on unusual stress of greater dimensions than the day-to-day
emotional strain and tension experienced by similarly situated employees as
required under School District No. 1 v. DILHR, 62 Wis. 2d 370, 215 N.W.2d 373
(1974).
The bill also limits liability for treatment for a mental injury that is
compensable under the bill's provisions to no more than 32 weeks after the injury is
first reported.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB569,1 1Section 1. 102.17 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
AB569,2,22 102.17 (9) (a) In this subsection:
AB569,2,53 1. “Fire fighter" means any person employed on a full-time basis by the state
4or any political subdivision as a member or officer of a fire department, including the
5first class cities and state fire marshal and deputies.
AB569,2,86 2. “Post-traumatic stress disorder” means that condition, as described in the
75th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the
8American Psychiatric Association.
AB569,2,139 (b) In the case of a mental injury that is not accompanied by a physical injury
10and that results in a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder in a law enforcement
11officer, as defined in s. 23.33 (1) (ig), or a fire fighter, the claim for compensation for
12the mental injury, in order to be compensable under this chapter, is subject to all of
13the following:
AB569,2,1414 1. The mental injury must satisfy all of the following conditions:
AB569,2,1615 a. The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is made by a licensed
16psychiatrist or psychologist.
AB569,2,1817 b. The conditions of liability under s. 102.03 (1) are proven by the
18preponderance of the evidence.
AB569,2,2019 2. The mental injury may not be a result of any of the following actions taken
20in good faith by the employer:
AB569,2,2121 a. A disciplinary action.
AB569,3,1
1b. A work evaluation.
AB569,3,22 c. A job transfer.
AB569,3,33 d. A layoff.
AB569,3,44 e. A demotion.
AB569,3,55 f. A termination.
AB569,3,86 3. The diagnosis does not need to be based on unusual stress of greater
7dimensions than the day-to-day emotional strain and tension experienced by
8similarly situated employees.
AB569,2 9Section 2. 102.42 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB569,4,610 102.42 (1) Treatment of employee. The Subject to the limitations under sub.
11(1p), the
employer shall supply such medical, surgical, chiropractic, psychological,
12podiatric, dental, and hospital treatment, medicines, medical and surgical supplies,
13crutches, artificial members, appliances, and training in the use of artificial
14members and appliances, or, at the option of the employee, Christian Science
15treatment in lieu of medical treatment, medicines, and medical supplies, as may be
16reasonably required to cure and relieve from the effects of the injury, and to attain
17efficient use of artificial members and appliances, and in case of the employer's
18neglect or refusal seasonably to do so, or in emergency until it is practicable for the
19employee to give notice of injury, the employer shall be liable for the reasonable
20expense incurred by or on behalf of the employee in providing such treatment,
21medicines, supplies, and training. When the employer has knowledge of the injury
22and the necessity for treatment, the employer's failure to tender the necessary
23treatment, medicines, supplies, and training constitutes such neglect or refusal. The
24employer shall also be liable for reasonable expense incurred by the employee for
25necessary treatment to cure and relieve the employee from the effects of occupational

1disease prior to the time that the employee knew or should have known the nature
2of his or her disability and its relation to employment, and as to such treatment subs.
3(2) and (3) shall not apply. The obligation to furnish such treatment and appliances
4shall continue as required to prevent further deterioration in the condition of the
5employee or to maintain the existing status of such condition whether or not healing
6is completed.
AB569,3 7Section 3. 102.42 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
AB569,4,118 102.42 (1p) Liability for treatment of certain mental injuries. The employer
9of an employee whose injury is a mental injury that is compensable under s. 102.17
10(9) is liable for the employee's treatment of the mental injury for no more than 32
11weeks after the injury is first reported.
AB569,4 12Section 4. 102.44 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
AB569,4,1513 102.44 (7) In the case of an employee whose injury is a mental injury that is
14compensable under s. 102.17 (9), the period of disability may not exceed 32 weeks
15after the injury is first reported.
AB569,5 16Section 5 . Nonstatutory provisions.
AB569,4,2117 (1) Worker's compensation insurance; rate approval; notice. The
18commissioner of insurance shall submit to the legislative reference bureau for
19publication in the Wisconsin Administrative Register a notice of the effective date
20of new rates for worker's compensation insurance first approved by the
21commissioner after the effective date of this subsection.
AB569,6 22Section 6. Initial applicability.
AB569,5,3
1(1) This act first applies to injuries reported on the effective date of rate changes
2for worker's compensation insurance approved by the commissioner of insurance
3under s. 626.13 after the effective date of this subsection.
AB569,5,44 (End)
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