Workers' compensation presumption for emergency medical services providers

(1) An emergency medical services provider who claims to have contracted a disease, as defined by Section 78B-8-401, as a result of a significant exposure in the performance of his duties as an emergency medical services provider, is presumed to have contracted the disease by accident during the course of his duties as an emergency medical services provider if: (a) his employment or service as an emergency medical services provider in this state commenced prior to July 1, 1988, and he tests positive for a disease during the tenure of his employment or service, or within three months after termination of his employment or service; or (b) the individual's employment or service as an emergency medical services provider in this state commenced on or after July 1, 1988, and he tests negative for any disease at the time his employment or service commenced, and again three months later, and he subsequently tests positive during the tenure of his employment or service, or within three months after termination of his employment or service. (2) Each emergency medical services agency shall inform the emergency medical services providers that it employs or utilizes of the provisions and benefits of this section at commencement of and termination of employment or service.