Ohio § 5502.75

§ 5502.75.

(A) As used in this section, “ public safety officer ” includes all the following, whether paid or volunteer: (1) A peace officer, as defined in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code ; (2) A firefighter of a lawfully constituted fire department; (3) A first responder, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate,

or emergency medical technician-paramedic certified under Chapter 4765. of the Revised

Code. (B) The state post-traumatic stress fund is created in the state treasury.  The director of public safety shall be the trustee of the fund. (C) The state post-traumatic stress fund shall be used for the following purposes: (1) Payment of compensation for lost wages that result from a public safety officer being

disabled by post-traumatic stress disorder received in the course of, and arising

out of, employment as a public safety officer but without an accompanying physical

injury; (2) Payment of medical, nurse, therapy, and hospital services and medicines required

to treat a public safety officer diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder received

in the course of, and arising out of, employment as a public safety officer but without

an accompanying physical injury; (3) Payment of administrative costs incurred in providing the compensation and benefits

described in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section. (D) No employer shall discharge, demote, reassign, or take any punitive action against

any public safety officer because the officer filed a claim or instituted, pursued,

or testified in any proceedings related to compensation or benefits paid from the

state post traumatic stress fund as a result of a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress

disorder received in the course of, and arising out of, employment as a public safety

officer but without an accompanying physical injury.  Any such officer may file an action in the common pleas court of the county of the

officer's employment in which the relief which may be granted shall be limited to

reasonable attorney fees and reinstatement with back pay, if the action is based on

discharge, or an award for wages lost if based upon demotion, reassignment, or punitive

action taken, offset by earnings subsequent to discharge, demotion, reassignment,

or punitive action taken.  The action shall be forever barred unless filed within one hundred eighty days immediately

following the discharge, demotion, reassignment, or punitive action taken, and no

action may be instituted or maintained unless the employer has received written notice

of a claimed violation of this section within the ninety days immediately following

the discharge, demotion, reassignment, or punitive action taken. (E) There shall be no payments made from the state post-traumatic stress fund pursuant

to division (C) of this section and no person is eligible for any claims and no liability

shall accrue to any state party under this section.