State lawmakers are calling for public hearings and passage of legislation requiring employers to make employees who clean up Ground Zero aware of their eligibility for benefits.

Thousands of civilian employees who were involved in the massive cleanup of Ground Zero are eligible for World Trade Center victims' health coverage, but have not registered for essential benefits.

"Regular citizens, regular employees, regular New Yorkers that were here during the time of 9/11 and afterwards that were exposed to toxic chemicals, said Rep. Nader Sayegh.

Sayegh says as many as 400,000 civilian employees are eligible for the World Trade Center victim's health coverage. Only 10% who are eligible though have applied for benefits.