Deadline TODAY for September 11th Victims Compensation Fund

In 2010, after years of work by the AFL-CIO, CWA, labor, public health groups and other coalition partners, U.S. Congress passed the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The Act, which provides medical treatment and compensation to responders, clean-up workers and others affected by the toxic exposures at the World Trade Center, was authorized and funded to run until 2015-2016.

However, there is an important deadline approaching for the Victims Compensation Fund program. Under the bill, any workers who had a 9/11 health problem as of October 3, 2011 must register with the VCF by October 3, 2013. If they fail to register by that date, they will not be eligible to receive compensation for their injury from the VCF. Please go to www.vcf.gov or call (toll-free) 1-855-885-1555 for application forms for this important program.

We must do everything we can to ensure that our union brothers and sisters who may be at risk for or suffering from 9/11-related illnesses know that free screening, treatment and medication is available to them.