# Workers' Disability Benefits Parity Act of 2025

Right now, many workers who become disabled due to mental health conditions or substance abuse face stricter limits on their disability benefits compared to workers with physical disabilities. This bill aims to change that by requiring disability benefit plans to treat mental health and behavioral health conditions the same way they treat physical health conditions.

Here's what that means in practical terms: If your employer's disability plan pays someone with a broken leg for two years while they recover, it would have to pay someone with severe depression or anxiety for the same length of time under the same conditions. Currently, many plans have shorter benefit periods for mental health disabilities or exclude them entirely. The bill also says that if a physical health problem develops because of a mental health condition—like someone developing heart problems from untreated anxiety—that physical problem counts as part of the original disability and gets covered the same way.

The law applies to most employer-sponsored disability plans and insurance companies that sell disability coverage. It gives the Department of Labor power to enforce these rules and fine companies that don't comply. States can also enforce the rules for insurance companies operating within their borders. If a worker believes their plan is unfairly denying them benefits because of a mental health condition, they can sue in court. The bill gives companies about 18 months after it becomes law to update their plans, though union plans get extra time if they're covered by collective bargaining agreements.