Revisit law dealing with injury at work

A bank teller was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after she was handcuffed and held at gunpoint during a bank robbery in Gilby, N.D. She applied for workers’ compensation from the state to help cover expenses related to PTSD but was denied. Currently, workers’ compensation only benefits those physically injured at work.

We think the Legislature should revisit the law.

Considering violence in the workplace is more and more prevalent and post-traumatic stress disorder is recognized by medical professionals as a true illness, we feel Workforce Safety & Insurance should consider covering costs related to its treatment.

The bank teller, 56-year-old Edith Johnson, was held at gunpoint. Sure, no one can see Johnson’s wounds, but most people would agree she received the injury at work and that injury likely prevented her from continuing to work at her previous level. In fact, Johnson later quit her teller job, according to Forum Communications Co. reports.

WSI was formed to protect workers and provide safe work environments. Johnson’s work-related injury should be included so as to benefit the employees WSI aims to protect.

We hope the Legislature revisits this issue in its upcoming session.

(Editorials are the opinion of Jamestown Sun management and the newspapers editorial board)

Tags: opinion, editorials, stress