- First Responder Workers’ Compensation Benefits: The Facts
A Texas Observer article and Texas Standard interview recently reported on the TML Risk Pool’s alleged mistreatment of three first responders who sought workers’ compensation benefits from the Pool. They describe the Pool as a mysterious agency making benefits decisions in the dark. As Pool Members know, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the process to determine the beneficiaries can be stressful for first responders and their families, and can appear to be cruel and cold-hearted, but the Pool is obligated to get it right. Read more about why the Pool was formed, why the Pool sometimes files a lawsuit to determine who is entitled to workers’ comp benefits, and how the Pool takes care of first responders and their families. The nine-minute Episode 10c of the Stronger, Together Podcast also provides a brief explanation of the facts surrounding the issue.
- Risk Management Minute
Q: What is the “first responders’ workers compensation disease presumption?”
A: In 2005, the Texas Legislature amended the state’s workers’ compensation law by adding the “first responders’ disease presumption.” It “presumes” that certain diseases (e.g., some cancers, heart attacks in certain instances, COVID-19, and others) contracted by firefighters and EMTs are caused by exposures on the job. Police officers also enjoy the presumption, but generally not for cancer.
How does the law work in practice? For example, a firefighter who develops skin cancer gets full workers’ compensation benefits, including medical expenses and lost wages. Most importantly, the law provides lifetime income benefits to the surviving spouse (and in some cases other family members) if the first responder dies from the disease. Those benefits can easily amount to millions of dollars over the lifetime of a surviving spouse or other family member. A city, as the firefighter’s employer, can overcome that presumption if it can be shown that he or she may have contracted the disease elsewhere.
Since 2005, the Pool has paid or incurred over $85 million to the surviving family members of 53 first responder disease presumption fatalities. Of that amount, over $67 million is for 45 fatalities based on the COVID-19 presumption, which applies to claims made over just the past two-and-a-half years. Check out Episode 10b of the Pool’s Stronger, Together Podcast to learn more.
- Stronger, Together Podcast Series: The Latest Episodes
Episode 10c: First Responder Workers’ Compensation Benefits – The Facts
The Texas Observer recently asserted that the TML Risk pool mistreated three first responders when it disputed their benefits. Please join Scott as he guides you through a brief explanation of the facts surrounding worker’s compensation beneficiary disputes in the special, nine-minute Episode 10c of the STP Series.
Episode 17: Temporary Custodians – Public Information on Private Devices and Accounts
Do you use your personal cell phone, tablet, or computer to conduct city business? If so, you are a “temporary custodian” of work-related information you create, receive, or send. And if you don’t manage it properly, you could be subject to criminal penalties – up to six months in jail and/or $1,000 fine. Please join Scott as he guides you through what’s required in Episode 17 of the STP Series.
Episode 16: Are You Prepared: Before, During, and After the Storm
As hurricane season begins, please join Scott as he and a special guest discuss in Episode 16 of the STP Series: (1) the most important aspect of preparing for and recovering from damage caused by a hurricane, including several beneficial documents; and (2) a video of a comprehensive workshop presentation on the subject.
Episode 15e: STP Special Video Report Series: 2022 Rerates – An Interview with Executive Director Jeff Thompson
In this special five-episode series, you can either watch (by clicking on the YouTube link) or listen in the traditional podcast format (by clicking the Listen Now button). The series provides an explanation of the major rate drivers and their effect on your 2022 rerates. In this episode, Scott interviews Jeff Thompson (Risk Pool Executive Director) to get Jeff’s thoughts on the state of the Pool, rerates, and more.
- Cyber Attacks on the Rise: “City Employee Tricked into Sending Millions to Email Scammer”
If you don’t want that headline to be about you, keep reading. Carefully. And please share it with every person in your organization.
Cyber criminals frequently pose as a manager or vendor and send a “phishing” email to local government employees. The email seeks to trick the employee into sending money or financial information. Common tricks include:
- Fraudulent vendor invoices.
- Sending urgent emails that appear to come from management or finance.
- Posing as an employee who requests human resources to redirect their paycheck to a new direct deposit account.
- Sending fraudulent wire transfer instructions to a payer for an upcoming transaction.
To spot a fraudulent email, look for:
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- Bad grammar and spelling mistakes.
- Unfamiliar greeting or salutation.
- Inconsistencies in email addresses, links, and domain names.
- Suspicious attachments.
- Request for login credentials, payment information, or sensitive data.
- Too good to be true offers.
- Anything else that appears “off.”
If you see one or more of the above, or anything else that makes you suspicious, DO NOT click on links, supply any type of personal or work information, send money, reply to the email, attempt to contact senders, or open attachments.
Instead, follow your cybersecurity plan, which would typically include contacting the sender directly (outside of the email chain itself – referred to as “out-of-band”) to confirm legitimacy, reporting to IT, and/or deleting the email.
If someone in your organization accidentally falls for a phishing scam of other cyber-attack, contact the Risk Pool IMMEDIATELY at 512-491-2300. Each member with liability and/or property coverage automatically has a base level of cyber coverage, and more is available for a modest contribution increase. We have resources available to assist those members start-to-finish.
As always, contact your Member Services Manager if you have questions regarding cyber prevention or cyber coverage.
- T.I.P.S. (Together Improving Processes and Safety) Sheet: Poisonous Plants and Insects
Texas is home to many poisonous plants and insects. Some are a mere nuisance, but others can cause severe reactions or even death. Member entity employees should be able to identify these hazards, and supervisors and coworkers should be made aware of those with allergies to ensure appropriate prevention and treatment. In one tragic situation, a Member’s parks department employee was mowing, unaware of a massive beehive in a tree above him. He was swarmed by the bees and ultimately passed away from the stings. The information in the Loss Prevention Department’s latest T.I.P.S. Sheet will help Members identify and avoid contact with harmful plants and insects
