An Act relative to occupational presumption and COVID-19

This bill establishes an occupational presumption for frontline healthcare workers in Massachusetts who contracted COVID-19 on or before June 15, 2021, allowing them to receive workers' compensation benefits without needing to prove their illness was work-related. The law mandates that these workers do not have to use accrued paid time off, such as sick leave or vacation, during periods of hospitalization, quarantine, or self-quarantine resulting from their infection. Employers are required to reinstate these workers to their previous positions once they have recovered or completed their quarantine, provided the employer followed all relevant safety orders and advisories regarding personal protective equipment and social distancing. Additionally, the bill allows healthcare workers who refuse to return to an essential employer due to a good-faith fear of exposure to be treated as constructively discharged for the purpose of receiving unemployment benefits.