NYS Assembly Extends Death Benefits for Pandemic's Front-Line Workers

Speaker Heastie Went to Bat for Rank and File Transit Workers
Speaker Heastie Went to Bat for Rank and File Transit Workers

BY NICK REISMAN, NY1 --

The Democratic-led state Assembly on Wednesday approved a measure meant to extend enhanced death benefits for the families of municipal workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The measure extends the benefits for families based on legislation approved last year, said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. 

“Throughout the course of this pandemic, our brave frontline workers have gotten up and gone to work every day despite the tremendous risks to their health,” Heastie said. “Tragically, many of these heroic public servants lost their lives to COVID-19. This legislation will ensure that the line of duty death benefits we put in place last year will remain available as we continue to battle this pandemic.”

Accidental death benefits for municipal workers provide more coverage for families than ordinary benefits. The measure extends those benefit provisions from December 31 of last year to December 31, 2022. For Transit Workers, the measure means that the spouse of a member who fell to the virus can claim a 50% pension (based on what the worker would have qualified for) for the rest of his or her life.

“Although many workers have been fortunate enough to work from home during this global pandemic, our frontline workers are not afforded that luxury,” said Assemblyman Peter Abbate.

“Day after day, emergency medical personnel, firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers, transit workers, state and municipal employees, and many others continue to put their health at risk to ensure that we can stay home and stay safe. These public employees who lost their lives to COVID-19 deserve all of our gratitude, and their families deserve the critical benefits afforded in this legislation.”