Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act Expands COVID-19 PSOB Benefits
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, federal law enforcement officers have been faithfully serving the public throughout. As FEDS Protection has detailed previously, COVID-19 has increased pressures and expanded the already long list of challenges that federal law enforcement officers face on a daily basis.
In August, Congress and the president acknowledged this increased hardship in the federal law enforcement community with the passage and signing of the “Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act,” sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ). The law establishes that all law enforcement officers and first responders who lose their lives or become disabled due to COVID-19 or COVID-19 complications are presumed to have done so in the line of duty (provided the officers engaged in line-of-duty actions during the specified time period).
This presumption will allow increased access to the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) Benefit Program. The PSOB Program provides death benefits to eligible survivors of law enforcement officers and first responders who suffered fatal injury in the line of duty, as well as disability benefits to law enforcement officers and first responders who have been catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Previously, those public safety officers who had lost their lives or become disabled due to COVID-19 were required to affirmatively prove that they had contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty. With the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act, however, they are now presumed to have done so.
The Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act is in line with previous expansions to the PSOB program in the wake of national crises such as 9/11. This week, on the 19th anniversary of September 11, 2001, FEDS Protection continues to salute the brave members of the federal law enforcement community who continue to perform their duties and keep us safe.
To learn more about FEDS Protection, visit www.fedsprotection.com.