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
Executive Order 2020-125: For purposes of the WDCA and subject to rebuttal by specific facts to the contrary, a first-response employee who is confirmed as COVID-19 positive on or after March 18, 2020, either by physician or by test, shall be presumed to have suffered a “personal injury,” as that term is defined by section 401(2)(b) of the WDCA, MCL 418.401(2)(b), the laws addressing Occupational Diseases and Worker Disability.
Contact:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Workers’ Compensation Agency
2501 Woodlake Circle
Okemos, MI, 48864
Phone: (888) 396-5041
Website: www.michigan.gov/wca
ONE-TIME DEATH BENEFITS
A one-time payment of $25,000 shall be given to the firefighter’s spouse, dependents, or estate. This includes both paid and volunteer firefighters, Up to $3,000 of this payment shall be made available as an interim benefit payment to the spouse, dependents, or estate if a showing of need is made.
Contact:
Public Safety Officer Benefit Program
Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards
927 Centennial Way
Lansing, MI, 48917
Phone: (517) 636-7864
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.michigan.gov/mcoles/
Resource: Public Safety Officer Benefits Program
COMPENSATION FOR DEATH OR DISABILITY OF FIREFIGHTERS FROM OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
For full-time, paid firefighters that have worked for 5 years or more for the department and were exposed to the hazards incidental to fire suppression, rescue, or emergency medical services in the performance of their work-related duties, the following conditions are covered under the presumed coverage fund: respiratory and heart diseases, or illnesses resulting therefrom, or any respiratory tract, bladder, skin, brain, kidney, blood, thyroid, testicular, prostate, or lymphatic cancer.
Claims for such conditions must be submitted within 2 years after the date the employee or dependents of the deceased had knowledge, or a reasonable belief, or through ordinary diligence could have discovered that the occupational disease or death was work related.
The presumption may be rebutted by scientific evidence that the firefighter was a substantial and consistent user of cigarettes or other tobacco products within the 10 years immediately preceding the date of injury, and that this use was a significant factor in the cause, aggravation, or progression of the cancer.
Contact:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Workers’ Compensation Agency
431 South Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI, 48933
Phone: (888) 396-5041/(517) 712-4899
Website: www.michigan.gov/wca/
E-mail: [email protected]
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Sections 418.405, 418.415, 418.441
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
The state of Michigan requires all employers to provide weekly payments to the deceased’s dependents for 500 weeks (9 years, 8 months) from the date of death, or injury if the firefighter was injured on the job and later succumbed to said injuries. If at the expiration of the 500-week period any wholly or partially dependent person is less than 21 years of age, a worker’s compensation magistrate may order the employer to continue to pay part or all of the weekly compensation until the dependent reaches the age of 21. Payments to a spouse, but not dependent children, cease upon remarriage.
The amount paid shall be equal to 80% of the employee’s after-tax average weekly wage. This amount cannot be less than 50% of the state average weekly wage nor greater than 90% of the state average weekly wage.
Note: if a spouse was only partially dependent on the spouse benefits may be decreased.
Contact:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Workers’ Compensation Agency
431 South Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI, 48933
Phone: (888) 396-5041/(517) 712-4899
Website: www.michigan.gov/wca/
E-mail: [email protected]
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Sections 418.301, 418.321, 418.335, 418.355, 418.356, 418.375
FUNERAL BENEFIT
The state of Michigan requires all employers to pay the reasonable expense of the employee’s funeral and burial, up to $6,000.
Contact:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Workers’ Compensation Agency
431 South Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI, 48933
Phone: (888) 396-5041/(517) 712-4899
Website: www.michigan.gov/wca/
E-mail: [email protected]
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Section 418.345
RETIREMENT/PENSION PLAN
Career Firefighters:
A weekly pension equivalent to the amount paid by worker’s compensation (see above) shall be paid to the deceased’s spouse and any dependents starting upon termination of the worker’s compensation benefits. A spouse continues to receive this benefit until death whether or not the spouse remarries. Children continue to receive this benefit until age 18 or marriage, whichever comes first. Any other dependents continue to receive this benefit the time the retirement board determines that the need for a pension no longer exists.
The total amount of the deceased’s salary contributions to the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System will be paid to the person(s) designated as beneficiaries.
Contact:
Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Michigan
1134 Municipal Way
Lansing, MI, 48917
Phone: (800) 767-6377
Website: www.mersofmich.com
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Sections 38.556, 38.556b, 38.558
EDUCATION BENEFIT - CHILDREN
Children, both natural and adopted, of fallen firefighters are eligible for the “Police and Fire Fighter’s Survivor Tuition Grant”. To be eligible, the child must be a full time resident of Michigan for at least 12 months before applying. They must have been accepted as a full-time, part-time, or summer school student at a state institution of higher learning. The child must apply for this grant for the first time while under the age of 26, and have been under the age of 21 at the time of the firefighter’s death. The child cannot have previously earned a Bachelor’s degree. This grant covers costs for the amount of the student’s eligible tuition in that academic year that is not covered or paid by any scholarship, trust fund, statutory benefit, or any other source of tuition coverage available to the eligible student.
Contact:
Michigan Student Aid
Michigan Department of Treasury
P.O Box 30462
Lansing, MI, 48909-7962
Phone: (888) 447-2687
Fax: (517) 241-5835
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Sections 390.1242, 390.1243
EDUCATION BENEFIT - SPOUSE
Contact: Michigan Student Aid Michigan Department of Treasury P.O Box 30462 Lansing, MI, 48909-7962 Phone: (888) 447-2687 Fax: (517) 241-5835 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/
Reference: Michigan Compiled Laws, Sections 390.1242, 390.1243NON-PROFIT OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
Kids’ Chance of Michigan
3001 West Big Beaver Rd., Ste. 210
Troy, MI 48084
E-mail: Contact Us
Website: www.kidschanceofmi.org
Mission is to support those in Michigan who need assistance for college or vocational education because a parent has been killed or catastrophically injured in a work-related accident.
Michigan State Firemen’s Association
9001 Miller Rd. Suite 10
Swartz Creek, MI, 48473
Phone: (810) 635-9513
Fax: (810) 635-2858
Website: www.msfassoc.org
E-mail: [email protected]
If the Firefighter is a member of the Michigan State Firemen’s Association, their family is eligible for a $1,500 Life Insurance benefit, as well as either a $4,650 or $9,300 AD&D benefit, depending on coverage elected.
The Hundred Club of Greater Lansing
3315 S. MLK Jr. Blvd., Suite 346
Lansing, MI, 48910
Phone: (517) 204-3687
E-mail: Contact Us
Website: www.100clubofgreaterlansing.org
Survivor Support includes financial aid and scholarships for qualified survivors, among other benefits.
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.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Contact: Public Safety Officer Benefit Program Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards 927 Centennial Way Lansing, MI, 48917 Phone: (517) 636-7864 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.michigan.gov/mcoles/
Resource: Michigan Public Safety Officer Benefit ProgramFUNERAL & 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.
