Public Employee Press

Urgent message:
9/11 rescue and recovery workers

If you are reading this on July 4, you have only 40 days left to register for a benefit you might need for the rest of your life.

People who register by the Aug. 14 deadline will be eligible to claim Workers’ Compensation benefits if a 9/11-related illness strikes at any time in the future.

Those who do not register in time and later develop an illness resulting from their rescue, recovery or cleanup work will not be able to receive the free care and partial wage replacement that Workers’ Comp provides.

Registering preserves lifetime eligibility, but as PEP goes to press, only 15,880 people have registered out of an estimated 40,000 who are eligible.

Don’t throw away your rights. Register now. The form is available on the DC 37 Web site at www. dc37.net. The registration form must be filled out, notarized and mailed to the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board.