NY S02537

Expands the definition of permanent total disability under workers' compensation to include inability to perform the full range of sedentary work or approval for federal Social Security disability benefits resulting from a work-related accident or occupational disease

Defines inability to perform sedentary work as the inability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (up to one-third of the workday) or negligible force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects

Specifies that inability to sit for at least 6 hours in an 8-hour day or inability to occasionally walk or stand for no more than 2 hours qualifies as inability to perform sedentary work

Requires consideration of non-exertional activities such as seeing, hand-manipulation, and understanding/remembering/carrying out simple instructions when evaluating inability to perform unskilled sedentary work

Applies to injuries arising on or after the effective date of the act