Senators want to qualify addiction as a condition subject to social insurance

At a press conference earlier this week, several Democratic senators from across the state of Connecticut announced their intention to pass legislation that would classify substance use disorders as an occupational disease, thereby making those affected eligible for compensation.

As a result, a worker in Connecticut struggling with an addiction or a range of related problems could be eligible for workers’ compensation. Senators Saud Anwar of South Windsor and Jan Hochadel of Meriden, who made the announcement, pointed to cases in which workers developed an opioid addiction after being prescribed medications due to workplace injuries, which ultimately led to the workers’ deaths.

“They take painkillers so they can continue their shift and the work ahead of them. It’s a vicious cycle and before you know it, they’re addicted to these drugs, highly addictive chemicals, and then they’re looking for heroin and other things,” Anwar said. “It’s an occupational disease and it’s preventable.”

“Classifying substance use disorders as occupational diseases would make employers responsible for treatment because the condition would be viewed as a result of employment. While it is easy to link opioid addiction to a prescription for work-related pain, expanding this classification to include all substance use disorders, including alcohol and drugs such as cocaine, presents a more complex challenge,” said Zachary Pottle, an author with the Addiction Center, in his coverage of the event.

“It costs labor, it costs management a lot of money in lost time, insurance costs, replacing people who are either disabled or – God forbid – have had fatal accidents on the job site, which has happened,” said Kyle Zimmer, health and safety officer and member assistance program manager for International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478. “I’m sick of burying my fellow tradesmen.”

Anwar and Hochadel plan to introduce the bill during the 2025 legislative session.