Police and Fire Frustrated By Failure Of Pension Disability Bill

One issue left unresolved by state lawmakers in Albany this session is an update to disability pensions for newer police officers and firefighters. The two groups have been pushing for a fix to the current law that stems from a 2009 veto by then-Gov. David Paterson, which significantly cut disability payments for officers and firefighters injured in their first year on the job. Currently, a first-year uniformed employee on disability would get only about $10,000 annually. 

“We are very disappointed by the outcome of this long fight that the UFA has led on behalf of more than 1,400 of the FDNY’s newest firefighters," said Uniformed Firefighters Association President Stephen Cassidy in a statement. "We have argued vigorously from the start that all New York City Firefighters should have the same disability protections, because all risk their lives equally. What remains true is that newer firefighters permanently disabled in the line of duty will be forced to survive in one of America’s most expensive cities on a disgraceful $27 per day.”

For the UFA, the fight has mostly centered on New York City, where Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council for over a year delayed passage of a home rule amendment that would clear a path for the state Legislature to make a final decision on the issue. In an interview with City & State TV in May, Cassidy outlined his frustration with the delay.

Then earlier this month, the Council passed a measure proposed by de Blasio that the police and fire unions found unnacceptable: Employees disabled in the line of duty that were hired after July 2009 would only receieve the same benefits as their more senior colleagues—75 percent of their salary—if they also qualified for Social Security disability; otherwise they would receive 50 percent of their salary.

The unions found a friend in Gov. Andrew Cuomo this spring, who said he supported restoring full benefits to all officers and fire fighters. But while the state Senate passed just such a bill back in May, the Assembly has not taken action on the measure and appears unlikely to do so before the end of session.