What are line-of-duty benefits? NYC aims to help relatives of some killed by COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, infecting more than 4 million people worldwide, some politicians in the U.S. are pushing for line-of-duty benefits.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging the state to approve line-of-duty benefits, CNBC reported. Family members of employees who died during the COVID-19 outbreak, including police, transit, and other city workers, would get a portion of wages after they died.

“We’ll work with all of our partners in Albany to get this done,” de Blasio said at a press briefing, according to CNBC. “We’ll work the city council, we need to take this weight off the shoulders of the families of these valiant New Yorkers.”

More than 270 public workers in New York City have died during the pandemic, according to de Blasio, CNBC reported.

Unions have also supported ruling COVID-19 frontline worker deaths as “in the line of duty.”

“There is no difference between being shot in the line of duty and dying from this coronavirus,” said Paul DiGiacomo, president of the NYC detectives union, according to Politico.

The union is recommending that any union member who tests positive for COVID-19 antibodies record his or her exposure, according to a memo.

“We do not know what the future holds, and whether those who test positive for antibodies may suffer harm down the road,” the union wrote in a memo.

‘In the line of duty’ deaths

The death of Israel “Izzy” Tolentino Jr., a New Jersey firefighter, was declared “in the line of duty” after he died from COVID-19, according to NJ.com. His widow Maria Vazquez and two children are eligible for pension and health benefits, according to Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost.

The state pension board’s decision gives Vazquez more than 60% of Tolentino’s salary and health insurance for his children until they are 26, according to NJ.com.

A correctional officer, Berisford Anthony Morse, died from COVID-19 on May 17 and his death is being honored by the Washington State Department of Corrections as a line-of-duty death, KBKW reported.

Two Chicago firefighters will receive line-of-duty benefits after they died of COVID-19, the Chicago Fire Department announced in April, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.

The families of Mario Araujo and Edward Singleton will get a year’s salary and compensation for funeral expenses, CFD spokesman Larry Langford said in a statement, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Heroes Compensation Fund

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in April that he’s working to create a Heroes Compensation Fund for frontline and health care workers infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Congressional lawmakers also introduced the Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act on Thursday to give compensation for essential workers and their families if they’ve gotten sick or died from COVID-19.

Protecting America’s First Responders Act was also passed by the Senate and introduced by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY,and Chuck Grassley, R-IA. The act expands upon and gives disability benefits for officers who are killed or are permanently injured in the line of duty.

This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 2:04 PM with the headline "What are line-of-duty benefits? NYC aims to help relatives of some killed by COVID-19."