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
Act 17 of 2020 extended COVID-19 benefits to law enforcement officers, fire fighters and other individuals covered under Pennsylvania’s Heart and Lung Act, 53 P.S. §637, as a result of a COVID-19 infection or exposure resulting in quarantine. Act 17 of 2020 eliminates this requirement and provides benefits to law enforcement officers, fire fighters or other covered individuals who contract COVID-19, are diagnosed with it, or a COVID-19 exposure that results in quarantine. The Act provides their full salary and benefits for up to sixty days, if temporarily incapacitated from preforming their duties.
Act 17 of 2020 (Pennsylvania Heart and lung Act, 53 P.S. §637)
Contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Bureau of Workers Compensation
1171 S. Cameron Street, Room 324
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2501
Phone: (717) 783-5421
Website: www.dli.pa.gov
ONE-TIME DEATH BENEFITS
Contact: Pennsylvania Department of General Services Bureau of Risk and Insurance Management 406 North Office Building Harrisburg, PA 17125 Phone: (717) 787-2492 Fax: (717) 772-3846 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.dgs.pa.gov
Reference: PA Act 1976 P.L.424, No.101/1976
COMPENSATION FOR DEATH OR DISABILITY OF FIREFIGHTERS FROM OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
After 4 or more years as a firefighter, the following are presumed to be occupational diseases for firefighters: Hepatitis C, diseases of the heart and lungs, tuberculosis of the respiratory system, or any cancer which is caused by exposure to a known carcinogen which is recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Bureau of Workers Compensation
1171 S. Cameron Street, Room 324
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2501
Phone: (717) 783-5421
E-mail: Contact Us
Website: www.dli.pa.gov
Reference: PA Act 1915, P.L. 736, No. 338, Section 106
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Dependents of workers who die due to their employment as a paid or volunteer firefighter are entitled to regular payments at the same interval as the deceased received their wages, based on the amount deceased’s wages and limited by the state average weekly wage.
A spouse with no dependent children is entitled to 51% of the deceased’s wages. With one dependent child, this increases to 60%, and with two or more dependent children, 66-2/3%.
If the spouse is not the guardian of any surviving children, these payments shall be split equally between the spouse and all dependent children.
If there is no surviving spouse but there is a surviving dependent child, that child shall receive 32% of the wages. 2 children shall receive 42%, 3 children receive 52, 4 children receive 62, 5 children receive 64%, and 6 or more children receive 66-2/3%.
If there is neither a surviving spouse nor dependent child, dependent parents or siblings are eligible to receive a benefit: 32% for a partially dependent parent, 52% for a totally dependent parent, and 22% for a dependent sibling plus 5% for each additional sibling up to 32%.
This benefit shall continue for any dependent child or sibling until that dependent reaches the age of 18, or 23 if a full-time student, or as long as the dependent is disabled.
For a spouse, this benefit continues until remarriage, at which time they shall receive a lump sum equal to 104 weeks (2 years) worth of payments at 51% of the deceased’s wages.
For volunteer firefighters, their wages shall be assumed to be at lease the full state average weekly wage. If the deceased’s wages are less than 50% of the state average weekly wage, the above shall be computed using 50% of the state average weekly wage instead.
The maximum amount payable for this benefit is the state average weekly wage. The statewide average weekly wage for Pennsylvania in 2018 is $1,025.00 per week.
Contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Bureau of Workers Compensation
1171 S. Cameron Street, Room 324
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2501
Phone: (717) 783-5421
E-mail: Contact Us
Website: www.dli.pa.gov
Reference: PA Act 1915, P.L. 736, No. 338, Sections 307, 308, 601
FUNERAL BENEFIT
Contact: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Bureau of Workers Compensation 1171 S. Cameron Street, Room 324 Harrisburg, PA 17104-2501 Phone: (717) 783-5421 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.dli.pa.gov
Resource: PA Workers’ Compensation Act
RETIREMENT/PENSION PLAN
The Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System administers pension plans for local governments which cover many career firefighters. Details of the plans are tailored to the municipality. In general, these plans pay out 50% of the firefighter’s expected pension to the firefighters’ survivors. Contact your local retirement system, or the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System, for more information.
Under state law, a spouse or dependent child of a paid firefighter killed in the line of duty shall receive a monthly pension equal to the monthly salary of the firefighter, less any workers’ compensation, other pension, or retirement benefits paid to such survivors. Spouses are eligible for this benefit for life. Children are eligible for this benefit for as long as they are considered dependent. This benefit shall continue and pass among dependents until there is no eligible beneficiary to receive them.
Contact:
Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System
1721 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102-2315
Phone: (800) 622-7968
Fax: (717) 783-2065
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pmrs.state.pa.us
Resource: The individual county retirement plans for emergency responders are on the website.
EDUCATION BENEFIT - CHILDREN
Contact: Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program State Grant and Special Programs 1200 North 7th Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 Phone: (800) 692-7392 Fax: (717) 720-3786 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.pheaa.org
Resource: PA Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program (PEGP)
EDUCATION BENEFIT - SPOUSE
Contact: Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program State Grant and Special Programs 1200 North 7th Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 Phone: (800) 692-7392 Fax: (717) 720-3786 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.pheaa.org
Resource: PA Postsecondary Educational Gratuity Program (PEGP)
NON-PROFIT OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
Firemen’s Association State of Pennsylvania
484 Allegheny Avenue
Suite 2D
Franklin, PA 16323
Phone: (814) 437-6098
Fax: (814) 432-5087
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pafirefighters.org
Members of the FASP are eligible for a $500 death benefit after 1 year of membership. Scholarships are available for children & grandchildren of deceased or living firefighters that were a member of the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania. Scholarship amounts are $500 toward an associate’s degree or $1,000 toward a bachelor’s degree.
Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania
1231 Highland Avenue
Ft. Washington, PA 19034
Phone: (215) 302-3598
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.kidschanceofpa.org
Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania offers scholarships to students with a parent who has been seriously or fatally injured in a workplace accident in the state of Pennsylvania. The applicant must be under the age of 25. Applicant must be entering to study or already studying toward receiving an undergraduate bachelor or associates degree. Applicants are eligible for 4 years or 8 semesters of scholarship award. The scholarships vary in amount based on demonstrated need and available funds.
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
Pennsylvania has enacted a “mini-COBRA” law to supplement the federal COBRA law. This law allows employees and their survivors to continue health care coverage offered by an employer with between 2 and 19 employees for up to 9 months after employment ends with premiums not to exceed 105% the group rate. Additional health insurance continuation, benefits, and cost vary by municipality and in some cases pension plan.
Contact your fire department for more information.
TAX ABATEMENT
Pennsylvania state law allows any municipality to establish a program to abate all or a portion of the property taxes due on real property owned and occupied as the principal residence of the surviving spouse of a firefighter who dies while in performance of their duties. Contact your local municipal government to see if this has been enacted for your benefit.
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.
