Death & Disability Benefits Information

1. Death & Disability Benefits Information Interactive presentation developed by Fort Lauderdale Professional Firefighters-Local 765 Research & Compilation by FF Dan Moran

2. Table of Contents • Fort Lauderdale Police & Fire Pension • Social Security • State of Florida • Florida State Statutes • Veterans Benefits • Public Safety Officers Benefit Act • Broward County Council of Professional Firefighters • Deferred Compensation • Supplemental Insurance • Important Information • Contact Information • Special Consideration

3. Fort Lauderdale Police & Fire Pension • http://www.ftlaudpfpension.com/ • This website has all the information on our pension and DROP plan. There are two beneficiary forms that each member must fill out: • Non-Service Incurred Death Benefit  • Service Incurred Death Benefit

4. Fort Lauderdale Police & Fire Pension • 175 Monies • A letter was sent to each member dated 2/15/06 stating the reality of the 175 monies • This money is available as a benefit after 10 years of service and is only accessible after separation from the Fire Department by whatever means • Along with the letter there was an attached form that shows the Individual Share Account Statement • A beneficiary form must be filled out for this as well. It is from the City of Ft. Lauderdale Police and Fire Retirement System entitled Designation of Beneficiary Share Plan (175 Fund) • These three documents need to be kept on file: the letter, the statement, and beneficiary form

5. Fort Lauderdale Police & Fire Pension • Ft. Lauderdale Firefighter's Insurance Trust • The Information for the Trust can be found on the Local 765 website under the Good & Welfare section at: • http://www.iafflocal765.com/index.cfm?section=1 • The Death Beneficiary Form is the most critical form in terms of the Insurance Trust

6. Social Security • www.ssa.gov • The phone number for Social Security is 1-800-772-1213 • All applications and instructions for benefit forms can be downloaded on line as well • Some publications that are important to know about are on Disability Benefits, Death Benefits (a lump sum of $255 paid to surviving spouse or child), Survivor Benefits, Understanding the Benefits, Benefits for Children with Disabilities, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Retirement Benefits, and Benefits for Children

7. State of Florida • www.firehero.org • This is the website for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Here a member can check out the benefits available from the State of Florida. Click on Benefits, then click on Find Your State, select Florida and you will be rerouted to the appropriate page

8. State of Florida • Highlights from here are: A one-time death benefit of $50,000 for accidental death in performance of duties. An additional $50,000 if death occurs for what is believed to be an emergency involving the protection of life or property. An additional $50,000 if a firefighter engaged in duties is unlawfully and intentionally killed as a result of fire determined to be arson, or subsequently dies as a result of injuries sustained in either of these types of incidents, the total benefit can be up to $150,000

9. State of Florida • Contact: Florida State Fire Marshal, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0340 --- (850) 922-3170 • www.fldfs.com/sfm/

10. State of Florida • Workman’s Compensation • Benefit is 50% of average weekly wage to spouse 16 2/3% additional if there are dependent children. Spouse receives lump sum compensation equal to 26 weeks upon remarriage and weekly benefits cease. Children receive benefit longer if disabled and incapable of self-support and until age 22 if full-time student. If there is no spouse, each child receives 33 1/3%.

11. State of Florida • Workman’s Compensation cont. • Under certain conditions, off-duty firefighters or firefighters outside their employer's jurisdiction or area of responsibility may be covered under the state's workers' compensation. This coverage may be applicable if a firefighter is engaged in extinguishing a fire or protecting and saving life or property due to a fire during an emergency, and such activities would be considered to be within the course of his or her employment as a firefighter and covered by workers' compensation. Similar coverage applies to fulltime emergency medical technicians and paramedics who provide basic life support or advanced life support services. This would not apply to a firefighter performing activities for which he or she is paid by another employer or contractor.

12. State of Florida • Workman’s Compensation cont. • Contact: Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers' Compensation, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-4228 --- (800) 742-2214 or (850) 413-1601 

13. State of Florida • Funeral Expenses • Maximum of up to $7,500 for burial expenses. • Contact: Division of Workers' Compensation, as listed in previous slide.  

14. State of Florida • Children’s Educational Benefit • Education fees waived for dependent children of firefighters killed in emergency response or in arson fire. Children seeking an undergraduate education, vocational-technical certificate, or a post-graduate degree will have the cost of tuition, matriculation and other statutorily authorized fees waived. May attend a state community college, state university, or a vocational-technical school, full- or part-time for up to 120 credit hours. Children eligible until age 25 for undergraduate or vocational study and up to age 29 for post-graduate programs

15. State of Florida • Children’s Educational Benefit • Contact: Florida Department of Education, Office of the Commissioner, Turlington Building, Suite 1514, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee FL 32399 --- (850) 245-0505 --- www.fldoe.org

16. State of Florida • Spousal Educational Benefit • Same as listed above for children except no age cap. However, spouse must start education benefits within seven years after the firefighter's death. 

17. Florida State Statutes • 112.18---provisions relative to disability. It states how TB, heart disease and hypertension are considered line of duty • 112.181---provisions relative to certain communicable diseases. This one includes Hepatitis and Meningitis as line of duty unless proven otherwise. It also states that all of these diseases and conditions are not to be considered line of duty for people employed elsewhere by a hospital or any facility that operates in the same capacity. That means all these members that have side jobs in ERs or Dr offices would not be covered by the state

18. Florida State Statutes • 112.191---death benefits. This just talks more about the payouts listed above, the $50,000, and additional $50,000, and the $150,000 for unlawful and intentional deaths

19. Florida State Statutes • 440.15 Compensation for Disability: • Permanent Total Disability--66 2/3 % of average weekly wages for duration of disability • Temporary Total Disability--66 2/3 % of average weekly wages not to exceed 104 weeks • Once you reach the maximum amount of weeks allowed or the date of maximum medical improvement, the temporary disability benefits cease and the injured worker's permanent impairment is to be determined by a three member panel and payment rates are set in accordance with a uniform permanent impairment rating

20. Florida State Statutes • Temporary Partial Disability--read the statute for all the information, but it basically says the same as the others, 66 2/3 %

21. Florida State Statutes • 440.16 Compensation for Death: • funeral expenses not to exceed $7,500 • payment to spouse with no child--50% of average weekly wages until a total of $150,000 is received • if the spouse dies, 33 1/3 % goes to each child until a total of $150,000 is received

22. Florida State Statutes • 440.16 Compensation for Death cont. • if the spouse remarries, a lump sum equal to 26 weeks of compensation at a rate of 50% of average weekly wages, unless $150,000 would be exceeded, in that case a lump sum equal to the remaining benefits is paid • the acceptance of a lump sum by a surviving spouse does not affect the payment of benefits to remaining dependents

23. Florida State Statutes • 440.16 Compensation for Death cont. • payment to the parents is 25% if worker is a dependent, and payment is made for continuance of dependency • the brother, sister, or grandchild the payment is 15% to each one • there's also an education benefit for the surviving spouse in the amount of 1800 classroom hours or 80 semesters at certain career centers, check out the full statute for more info

24. Florida State Statutes • We suggest checking out the whole worker's compensation statute for complete information. It can be found under Title XXXI-Labor at www.leg.state.fl.us along with all other state statutes

25. Veterans Benefits • There are also VA benefits for surviving spouses and children. www.va.gov has all the information. Just look for the benefits link on the left side of the page. There are extensive benefits available to veterans including education, insurances, compensation, survivor benefits and burial benefits

26. Public Safety Officers Benefit Act • The PSOBA provides a death benefit in the form of a one-time financial payment to the eligible survivors of public safety officers (firefighters) whose deaths are the direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty • http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/psob/psob_main.html

27. PSOBA • The PSOBA was then amended in 2003 by the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act to include heart attacks and stokes that occur while on duty or no later than 24 hours after duty to be considered as a line of duty death • As of 10/1/05, the benefit amount is $283,385. Since 1988, the benefit amount has been adjusted each year to reflect the percentage of change in the Consumer Price Index

28. PSOBA • The PSOBA also provides disability benefits for members who become permanently and totally disabled by a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty • This program also provides educational assistance for the spouses and children of public safety officers who become disabled or killed in the line of duty

29. PSOBA • More information on this legislature can be found at www.iaff.org. Click on Stay Safe link, then Line of Duty Deaths • The PSOBA fact sheet link is at the bottom of the page • President Bush signed the Fallen Hero Survivor Benefits Act of 2001. This is a Federal Tax Exemption for Line of Duty Death Annuities. It is (public law) P.L. 107-15

30. PSOBA • There are four other educational assistance programs in conjunction with the PSOBA • 1) W.H. "Howie" McClennan Scholarship: For children/step-children of firefighters who die in the line of duty. The scholarship is for $2,500/year. Members can check out www.iaff.org for more information. Click on Virtual Academy, then Scholarships and you will see the McClennan Scholarship link

31. PSOBA • 2) Sarbanes Scholarship: For spouses, children, step-children of fallen firefighters. Members can check out www.nvfc.org/news/hn_sarbanes_scholarship.html for more information • 3) Broward County Hundred Club Scholarship: This club is made up of a group of people who care about law enforcement officers and firefighters. They are a non profit organization. They have scholarships available to UF, FSU, and BCC. They also provide an initial payment to an affected family immediately following a catastrophic injury or death. Then, the case is reviewed by the board for possible future financial assistance. This site can be reached at: http://www.geocities.com/broward100club/

32. PSOBA • 4) State of Florida: See the section highlighted Benefits from the State of Florida

33. Broward County Council of Professional Firefighters • No-Cost Accidental Death and Dismemberment Policy available to all members providing a benefit of $2,000 • For a member needing a new form, they can call the BCCPFF office, 954-797-6767 and ask for it, or go to www.ailife.com/benefits/SGHIQ and fill it out online • County Council Website: http://www.bccpff.org/index.cfm?section=1

34. Deferred Compensation • ICMA or Nationwide. The members should be encouraged, if they haven't already, to switch into Nationwide. The basic reason without getting too involved is that Nationwide is a pro-union organization and is supported by the IAFF • Contact info: Al Pinzon @ 954-424-9220 • Nationwide's website is www.nrsforu.com

35. Supplemental Insurance • There are two offered through the City of Ft. Lauderdale: Colonial and Hartford • Information can be obtained from the Employee Benefits Office, 954-828-5160.

36. Supplemental Insurance • www.iaff.org : Catastrophe Major Medical Insurance- this plan can help where your basic major medical, hospitalization policy and medicare cannot. Benefits include convalescent care, home health care and various services. Call Marsh & Company at 1-800-323-2106. Ask about the IAFF Group Insurance Plan. Request them to send you a brochure and an application. There is a fee for this coverage. If the member should decide to purchase coverage, there are two forms to keep on file: the Summary of Benefits that will be received with the application, and a copy of the Beneficiary Designation Form. • Accidental Death and Dismemberment- this policy covers loss of life and loss of body parts. Call Marsh & Company at the same number above, and ask for the same information on this policy. This is a No-Cost $1,000 coverage. Members also have the option to add to the coverage amount for a fee. Again, the forms to keep on file are the Summary of Benefits that is received with the application, and a copy of the Beneficiary Designation Form.

37. Important Information • In case of emergency, members should be very familiar with and have a copy of this on file. Specifically, Article 18 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for Firefighters deals with sick leave, including unused sick leave. Members should be aware that they can buy back unused sick leave from the city on termination from the City in good standing and also at retirement. The member will be paid a higher percentage of the unused sick leave at retirement as opposed to leaving in good standing. Another part of the contract that members should be aware of is Article 34. This article deals with how much the City contributes to the Hospitalization Insurance Plan.

38. Important Information • We recommend to place this information in a fireproof safe along with any other important documents that your spouse may need in case of emergency, i.e. other supplemental insurance information, auto insurance or personal article insurance, a list of the monthly bills that have to be paid, credit card statements, homeowner's insurance policy, flood insurance policy, original warranty deed on the house, owner's title insurance policy, living wills, DNRs, marriage certificates, divorce records, birth certificates, military certificates, social security cards, and anything else that can be considered something important to hold onto.

39. Important Contact Information Fort Lauderdale Professional Firefighters, Local 765 309 ½ Southwest 26th Street Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33315 Phone: (954) 764-6665 Fax: (954) 522-3499 Website: www.iafflocal765.comFort Lauderdale Police & Fire Pension 888 South Andrews Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33301, Suite 202 Phone: (954) 828-5896 Website: www.ftlaudpfpension.com

40. Important Contact Information Fort Lauderdale Firefighters Insurance Trust Fund 309 ½ Southwest 26th Street Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33315 Phone: (954) 764-6665 Fax: (954) 522-3499

41. Important Contact Information Insurance Consultant: Barry Capretta Phone: (954) 815-5859 Fax: (561) 627-7416 E-Mail: inscap@aol.com Dental: Guardian Phone: (800) 890-4774 http://www.guardiandental.com.au/index.html Medical: Beechstreet: (800) 937-2277 http://www.beechstreet.com/ AVMED: (800) 368-9189 http://www.avmed.com/

42. Special Consideration The Professional Firefighters of Fort Lauderdale, Local 765 wish to thank Firefighter Dan Moran for his tireless effort in compiling this valuable information.