A bill to establish a presumption that certain firefighters who are Federal employees and have COVID-19 contracted that disease while in the performance of their official duties, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · June 8, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
COVID-19 as a Presumptive Disease in Wildland Firefighters Act
This bill entitles federal wildland firefighters who contract COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) to federal workers' compensation benefits and also establishes certain testing and screening requirements for such firefighters during the wildfire season (May 15-November 15, 2020).
Specifically, the bill provides that if a federal wildland firefighter exhibits specified symptoms, tests positive, or is otherwise determined by a physician as likely having COVID-19 during the wildfire season or during a specific wildfire (or in the following 28 days), the firefighter is presumed to have incurred an injury while on duty that qualifies for workers' compensation benefits.
Additionally, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture must ensure that all of their firefighters are tested for COVID-19 or related symptoms, or self-quarantine for at least 14 days with no symptoms, before the wildfire season or before responding to a wildfire.
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