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
Workers’ compensation and its benefits will be reviewed on a case by case basic regarding compensability.
Contact:
Worker’s Compensation Board of Indiana
402 W. Washington Street, Room W-196
Indianapolis, IN 48204
Phone: (317) 233-3009
Toll-Free: (800) 824-2667
Website: www.in.gov/wcb
ONE-TIME DEATH BENEFITS
$225,000 line-of-duty death benefit to surviving spouse or, if no surviving spouse, to surviving children. Death must have occurred as a direct result of personal injury or illness resulting from any action public safety officer is obligated or authorized to perform. An additional death benefit of $12,000 is paid to the heirs or estate of Public Employees’ Retirement Fund. Supplemental Group Life Insurance may also apply if purchased previous to the fatality.
Contact:
Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (PERF)
143 North Market Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 233-4152
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.in.gov/inprs/
Reference: Indiana Code 36-8-8-16; 36-8-8-20
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Workers’ compensation is compulsory for employees in Indiana. .
Spouse, or spouse with children, of firefighter covered by workers compensation receives 66 2/3% of average weekly wage for a maximum of 500 weeks. Spousal benefit terminates upon remarriage at which time spouse receives lump sum of 104 weeks or remainder of payments, whichever is less. Children are eligible if unmarried, under age 21, or if dependent for specified reasons.
Volunteer firefighters: Those persons working in a voluntary capacity for a volunteer fire department or ambulance company must be covered by the medical treatment and burial expense provisions of the Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Disease Laws. Lost wages and impairment not covered.
Contact:
Worker’s Compensation Board of Indiana
402 W. Washington Street, Room W-196
Indianapolis, IN 48204
Phone: (317) 232-3811
Toll-Free: (800) 824-2667
Website: www.in.gov/wcb
Reference: Indiana Code § 22 3-3-17, § 22 3-3-18, § 22 3-3-19, § 22 3-3-20
FUNERAL BENEFIT
Maximum of $7,500 for burial expenses.
Contact:
Worker’s Compensation Board of Indiana
402 W. Washington Street, Room W-196
Indianapolis, IN 48204
Phone: (317) 232-3811
Toll-Free: (800) 824-2667
Website: www.in.gov/wcb
Reference: Indiana Code § 22 3-3-17, § 22 3-3-18, § 22 3-3-19, § 22 3-3-20
RETIREMENT/PENSION PLAN
Benefits are entitled to active members who die in the line of duty after August 31, 1982.
Spouses may remarry without losing benefits. Benefit adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
Surviving spouse is entitled to a monthly benefit equal to 100% of monthly retirement benefit payable for the spouse’s lifetime. Spouse receives benefit that member would have been entitled to at time of death or that of a member with 20 years’ service at age 52. Each surviving child entitled to a monthly benefit equal to 20% of the member’s benefit until the child reaches age 18, age 23 if a full-time student, or longer if incapable of self-support.
If there is no surviving spouse or eligible children, wholly dependent parent or parents may be entitled to receive 50% of monthly benefit during their lifetime(s).
Contact:
Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (PERF)
One North Capital, Suite 001
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (844) 464-6777
Fax: (866) 591-9441
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.in.gov/inprs
Reference: Indiana Code 36-8-8-14.1
EDUCATION BENEFIT - CHILDREN
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education offers a supplement to other state grants by guaranteeing 100% of tuition and regularly assessed fees for children of career and volunteer firefighters at state educational institutions. The child must be under 24 (or 23 for 1977 Fund members) on the date of the firefighter’s death, the biological or legally adopted child, and a full-time undergraduate or graduate student seeking an undergraduate degree.
For a child of a firefighter killed in the line of duty, the benefit is limited to 8 semesters. If the child first applied and became eligible for the benefit before June 30, 2011, there is no time limit to use the allotted 8 semesters. If the child first applied and became eligible for the benefit after June 30, 2011, the allotted 8 semesters must be used with 8 years after the date the child first applied.
Contact:
CVO Fee Remission Program
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 West Ohio Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 464-4400
Website: secure.in.gov/che/
Reference: Indiana Code 21-14-6-1; 21-14-6-2; 21-14-6-4
EDUCATION BENEFIT - SPOUSE
Requirements the same as for children, except for age restriction and that the benefit is limited to 124 credit hours. Must have been married to the public safety officer at the time of death.
Contact:
CVO Fee Remission Program
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 West Ohio Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 464-4400
Website: secure.in.gov/che/
Reference: Indiana Code 21-14-6-1; 21-14-6-2; 21-14-6-4
NON-PROFIT OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
Kids’ Chance of Indiana
3905 Vincennes Rd., Suite 203
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Phone: (812)375-9800 362-7553
Website: www.kidschancein.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Kids’ Chance of Indiana. Scholarships for children, up to $6,000 per year, whose families have sustained an economic loss. The loss must have been a result of a serious injury or death caused by an accident or injury which has been found to be compensable under Indiana Workers Compensation Law. May be applied to graduate degrees.
Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association
P.O. Box 4797
Evansville, IN 47724
Phone: (877) 606-4832
Fax: (812) 867-3471
Website: www.ivfa.org
American Income Life Insurance Company (AIL)
provides a $3,500 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefit at NO COST to all members of the IVFA.
Bridgeport Scholarship Program provides for a $3,000 line of duty death benefit.
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.
