House File 2065 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2065 BY SHERMAN A BILL FOR An Act relating to workers’ compensation claims for mental 1 injuries. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5058YH (6) 90 je/js

H.F. 2065 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 85.17 Mental injury. 1 1. In order for an injury of a purely mental nature that is 2 not associated with any physical injury to be compensable under 3 this chapter, the employee claiming the injury must establish 4 that the injury was caused by workplace stress of greater 5 magnitude than the day-to-day mental stresses experienced 6 by other employees employed in the same or similar jobs, 7 regardless of whether such employees are employed by the same 8 employer. 9 2. Subsection 1 applies in addition to all other 10 requirements of this chapter. Subsection 1 does not apply 11 to an employee who is an emergency medical care provider 12 as defined in section 147A.1, a fire fighter, or a peace 13 officer as defined in section 801.4 if a court determines 14 that the employee’s workplace stress was due to extreme 15 circumstances related to the employee’s employment in one of 16 these occupations. 17 EXPLANATION 18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 19 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 20 This bill establishes a requirement for an employee claiming 21 workers’ compensation for an injury of a purely mental nature 22 that is not associated with any physical injury. In order for 23 such an injury to be compensable, the employee claiming the 24 injury must establish that the injury was caused by workplace 25 stress of greater magnitude than the day-to-day mental stresses 26 experienced by other employees employed in the same or similar 27 jobs, regardless of whether such employees are employed by the 28 same employer. 29 This requirement applies in addition to all other 30 requirements for workers’ compensation claims under Code 31 chapter 85. The requirement does not apply to an employee 32 who is an emergency medical care provider, a fire fighter, 33 or a peace officer if a court determines that the employee’s 34 workplace stress was due to extreme circumstances related to 35 -1- LSB 5058YH (6) 90 je/js 1/ 2

H.F. 2065 the employee’s employment in one of these occupations. 1 -2- LSB 5058YH (6) 90 je/js 2/ 2