Updated July 2021 (COVID-19 related benefits updated April 2021)
COVID-19 BENEFITS
COVID-19-related first responder deaths are considered line-of-duty deaths under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program. Legislation passed in August 2020 established a statutory presumption for first responders who die from, or are disabled by complications related to, COVID-19. Prior to August, suspected cases were required to have proof that exposure occurred during their work duties.
(Legislation: S.3607 – Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act of 2020)
Contact:
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program
Phone: (888) 744-6513
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: bja.ojp.gov/program/psob
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide up to $9,000 per funeral and up to $35,500 per applicant to help with expenses related to coronavirus deaths that occurred after January 20, 2020.
Contact:
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Information
(Applications accepted starting April 12, 2021)
Phone: (844) 684-6333
TTY: 800-462-7585
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm CST
Website: www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance#eligible
Idaho has Compensation for death or disability of firefighters from occupational diseases (Idaho Code, Occupational Diseases, Title 72, Ch 4, Section 72). COVID-19 has not been specifically listed, however a memo was issued with the following including: “When an employer believes it possible that its employee was infected at work, or when its employee claims to have incurred COVID-19 at work, a notice of injury or occupational disease must be filed in accordance with I.C. 72-602. The claims administrator may then investigate and determine compensability as with any other claim.”
Contact:
Idaho State Industrial Commission
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0041
Phone: (208) 334-8000
Toll-Free: (800) 950-2110
Website: iic.idaho.gov
ONE-TIME DEATH BENEFITS
Career firefighters: A death benefit of $100,000 is payable to the surviving spouse of a public safety officer who dies as a direct and proximate cause of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty.
If there is no surviving spouse, the benefit will be divided among the dependent children under the age of 21 at the time of the death.
This benefit is not subject to state income tax.
Only public safety officers whose primary occupation is that of preventing and extinguishing fires are covered under this law.
Contact:
Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI)
607 N. 8th St.
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0078
Phone: (208) 334-3365
Toll-Free: (800) 451-8228
Website: persi.idaho.gov
Reference: Title 59, Ch 13, Section 59-1361A Idaho Code, Public Safety Officer Death Benefits
COMPENSATION FOR DEATH OR DISABILITY OF FIREFIGHTERS FROM OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
If a firefighter is diagnosed with one (1) or more of the following diseases after a period of employment, and the disease was not revealed during an initial employment medical screening examination that was performed according to such standards and conditions as may be established at the sole discretion of the governing board having authority over a given fire district, fire department, or fire brigade, then the disease shall be presumed to be proximately caused by the firefighter’s employment as a firefighter: (i) Brain cancer after ten (10) years; (ii) Bladder cancer after twelve (12) years; (iii) Kidney cancer after fifteen (15) years; (iv) Colorectal cancer after ten (10) years; (v) Non-Hodgkin lymphoma after fifteen (15) years; (vi) Leukemia after five (5) years; (vii) Mesothelioma after ten (10) years; (viii) Testicular cancer after five (5) years if diagnosed before the age of forty (40) years with no evidence of anabolic steroids or human growth hormone use; (ix) Breast cancer after five (5) years if diagnosed before the age of forty (40) years without a breast cancer 1 or breast cancer 2 genetic predisposition to breast cancer; (x) Esophageal cancer after ten (10) years; and (xi) Multiple myeloma after fifteen (15) years.
Contact:
Idaho State Industrial Commission (Workers’ Compensation)
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0041
Phone: (208) 334-2100
Toll-Free: (800) 334-2370
Fax: (208) 334-2321
Website: www.idahosif.org
Reference: Title 72, Ch 4, Section 72-438 Idaho Code, Occupational Diseases
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Spousal benefit is 45% of the average weekly state wage, not to exceed 500 weeks. Spouse with dependent children receives an additional 5% per child, not to exceed 60% of total average weekly state wage.
If spouse remarries, he or she receives a lump sum in an amount equal to the lesser of 180 weeks or the total benefit for the balance of the 500 weeks at 45% of the current average weekly state wage.
Volunteer firefighters: Income benefits are based upon the average weekly wages in their regular employment.
Contact:
Idaho State Industrial Commission
Workers’ Compensation
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0041
Phone: (208) 332-2100
Toll-Free: (800) 334-2370
Fax: (208) 334-2321
Website: www.idahosif.org
Reference: Title 72, Ch 1, Section 72-102 Idaho Code, Definitions
FUNERAL BENEFIT
Maximum of $6,000 for burial expenses.
Contact:
Idaho State Industrial Commission
Workers’ Compensation
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0041
Phone: (208) 332-2100
Fax: (208) 334-2321
Website: www.iic.idaho.gov
Reference: Title 72, Ch 1, Section 72-102 Idaho Code, Definitions
RETIREMENT/PENSION PLAN
The death benefit of a vested member who, at the time of death is either active, inactive, or a disability retiree, shall equal the excess, if any, of two hundred percent (200%) of the member’s accumulated contributions at the time of death over the aggregate of all benefit payments ever made to the member and the optional death benefit recipient, if any. The death benefit will be paid to the member’s designated beneficiary who is surviving the member at the time the benefit becomes payable. If no beneficiary has been designated or the designated beneficiary has predeceased the member, the death benefit will be paid to the surviving spouse.
Contact:
Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI)
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0078
Phone: (208) 334-3365
Toll-Free: (800) 451-8228
Website: persi.idaho.gov
Reference: Title 59, Ch 13, Section 59-1361 Idaho Code, Computation of Death Benefits
Resource: PERSI Member Handbook (2019)
Applicable to paid firefighters employed prior to October 1, 1980: Spousal benefit is 65% of the average weekly state wage. Should surviving spouse die, the full retirement pay shall be paid to surviving child(ren) until the age of 18 or until the child marries.
Volunteer firefighters: Income benefits are based upon the average weekly wages in their regular employment.
Contact:
Idaho Industrial Commission
Workers’ Compensation
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0041
Phone: (208) 332-2100
Toll-Free: (800) 334-2370
Fax: (208) 334-2321
Website: iic.idaho.gov
EDUCATION BENEFIT - CHILDREN
For dependents of full-time or part-time firefighters, including volunteers, killed or disabled in the line of duty. The state waives all tuition and fees at Idaho public institutions of higher learning or public professional-technical colleges. Eligible survivors may also receive on-campus housing and a meal plan for each month s/he is enrolled full-time and resides on-campus. Additionally, a maximum book, equipment, and supplies allowance of $500 per semester, quarter, or other educational period is provided.
Limit is 36 months or four 9-month periods. Benefits shall not exceed 10 years past the date the dependent receives a high school diploma, or equivalency, or 10 years after the event giving rise to the eligibility for the scholarship, whichever is longer.
Public safety officer must have been resident of Idaho at the time of his or her death or disability.
Contact:
Public Safety Officers Dependent Scholarship
Idaho State Board of Education
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
Phone: (208) 334-2270
Fax: (208) 334-2632
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.boardofed.idaho.gov
Also See: Armed Forces / Public Safety Officer Dependent Scholarship
Reference: Title 33, Ch 43, Section 33-4302 Idaho Code, Armed Forces and Public Safety Officer Scholarships
EDUCATION BENEFIT - SPOUSE
None.
NON-PROFIT OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
Idaho Volunteer Fire & Emergency Services Association
372 S. Eagle Rd. #303
Eagle, ID 83616
Phone: (800) Fireline (Idaho-restricted)
Phone: (208) 939-3473 (National)
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.idahofireline.org
All Idaho Volunteer Fire & Emergency Services Association (IVFESA) members are covered by a $10,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Policy. In 2015, this policy was changed to double the coverage in the event of a Line of Duty accident.
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
P.O. Box 498
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Phone: (301) 4471-1365
FAX: (301) 4471-1645
Website: www.firehero.org
The Sarbanes Scholarship Program
Spouses, life partners, children, and stepchildren of firefighters honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial are eligible to apply for the NFFF Sarbanes Scholarship Program along with other partner programs. The NFFF Sarbanes Scholarships are awarded for undergraduate and graduate studies, vocational-technical training, and certification and job training programs. They may be used for study at in-state or out-of-state public and private schools.
The International Association of Fire Fighters
1750 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Website: client.prod.iaff.org/#contentid=1743
The W. H. “Howie” McClennan scholarship provides financial assistance for sons, daughters or legally adopted children of IAFF Union Members killed in the line of duty planning to attend a university, accredited college or other institution of higher learning. Scholarship amount is $2,500 per year, renewable up to 4 consecutive years.
FUNERAL & CREMATION BENEFITS
Dignity Memorial
Phone: (800) 343-4464Website: www.dignitymemorial.com
Dignity Memorial is a consortium of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers across the United States and Canada. They have a Public Servants Program for first responders and emergency services workers. Dignity provides these services, at no cost, for career and volunteer firefighters who are killed in the line of duty. Also provides “extended counseling” to the grieving family. There is a location finder per state on the website, and funeral directors are encouraged to contact Dignity regarding the first responder program.
Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.
2913 Gardner RoadBroadview, IL 50155
Phone: (708) 681-7040 (Terry Whitlock)
Website: www.wilbert.com
Wilbert provides complimentary burial vaults (including urns vaults) for fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters through 193 licensee locations. Funeral directors should contact Wilbert for information on obtaining vaults.
