H.B. 571 Summary

• Amends Ohio workers' compensation law to add COVID-19 contracted by peace officers, firefighters, or emergency medical workers as an occupational disease under specific conditions.

• Creates a rebuttable presumption that COVID-19 contracted during Executive Order 2020-01D (declared March 9, 2020) was contracted in the course of employment, allowing affirmative evidence to refute the presumption.

• Applies only to claims arising during the COVID-19 emergency period and the fourteen-day period after the emergency ends.

• Defines "peace officer" and "emergency medical worker" using the same meanings as in section 4123.026 of the Revised Code.

• Declares the act an emergency measure with immediate effect to protect public health during the COVID-19 outbreak.