A Proactive request. We should all join in asking the same

[Unregistered]

NATIONAL FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
328 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., N.E. WASHINGTON, DC 20002
PATRICK YOES NATIONAL PRESIDENT

An Open Letter to Our Nation’s Governors
31 March 2020
Dear Governors,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police in your State to urge you to amend your State and local workman’s compensation laws through executive or legislative action and establish a presumption that law enforcement officers who contract the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) did so in the line of duty.
Many Governors have already done this, and we are calling on those who have not to do so expeditiously. The National FOP is very concerned with the occupational safety and health of law enforcement officers during the National Emergency. At the Federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration considers an injury or illness to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition. We have asked the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a presumption for law enforcement officers who contract COVID-19 as an Occupational Illness and be covered under Workers’ Compensation. However, more than 90% of law enforcement officer will be responding from local and State agencies and we know they will be exposed to the illness at a higher rate than the public due to their day-to-day work, especially considering very few have been issued adequate (if any) personal protective equipment (PPE). All law enforcement agencies at every level of government will see their workforce diminished by illness and/or quarantine protocols.
While COVID-19 is without a doubt a public health crisis, it is also a public safety concern, as the spread of the virus will have an impact on public safety operations from simple things like answering emergency calls for service from infected or potentially infected persons, to enforcing quarantines, stay-at-home orders and restrictions on travel as well as protecting vital supplies and facilities. Our members, deemed “essential” by government at every level, will be on the front lines and they deserve every assurance that any future workman’s compensation claim that is related to COVID-19 will presume they were exposed while they were in the line of duty.
Thank you to the Governors who have already taken this step—your support for the men and women in law enforcement is deeply appreciated. We urge all other Governors to follow your lead.
On behalf of the more than 350,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, thank you for considering this urgent request. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco if you should need our help or support in your efforts.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes National President

[Unregistered]

NATIONAL FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
328 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., N.E. WASHINGTON, DC 20002
PATRICK YOES NATIONAL PRESIDENT

An Open Letter to Our Nation’s Governors
31 March 2020
Dear Governors,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police in your State to urge you to amend your State and local workman’s compensation laws through executive or legislative action and establish a presumption that law enforcement officers who contract the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) did so in the line of duty.
Many Governors have already done this, and we are calling on those who have not to do so expeditiously. The National FOP is very concerned with the occupational safety and health of law enforcement officers during the National Emergency. At the Federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration considers an injury or illness to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition. We have asked the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a presumption for law enforcement officers who contract COVID-19 as an Occupational Illness and be covered under Workers’ Compensation. However, more than 90% of law enforcement officer will be responding from local and State agencies and we know they will be exposed to the illness at a higher rate than the public due to their day-to-day work, especially considering very few have been issued adequate (if any) personal protective equipment (PPE). All law enforcement agencies at every level of government will see their workforce diminished by illness and/or quarantine protocols.
While COVID-19 is without a doubt a public health crisis, it is also a public safety concern, as the spread of the virus will have an impact on public safety operations from simple things like answering emergency calls for service from infected or potentially infected persons, to enforcing quarantines, stay-at-home orders and restrictions on travel as well as protecting vital supplies and facilities. Our members, deemed “essential” by government at every level, will be on the front lines and they deserve every assurance that any future workman’s compensation claim that is related to COVID-19 will presume they were exposed while they were in the line of duty.
Thank you to the Governors who have already taken this step—your support for the men and women in law enforcement is deeply appreciated. We urge all other Governors to follow your lead.
On behalf of the more than 350,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, thank you for considering this urgent request. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco if you should need our help or support in your efforts.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes National President

PBA already sent the same request to our Governor. You would know that if you read the email that was sent out two weeks ago.

[Unregistered]

Our PBA is afraid to upset elected officials. They won’t be able to take pictures with them
If they upset them. Better to be afraid than to be proactive is PBA motto

[Unregistered]

Our PBA is afraid to upset elected officials. They won’t be able to take pictures with them
If they upset them. Better to be afraid than to be proactive is PBA motto

From: Info <Info@dcpba.org>
Date: March 31, 2020 at 4:16:04 PM EDT
Subject: FW: PBA Update


Bargaining Unit Members,

As you may recall, on Wednesday, March 25th, we sent you the below email which included the attachment from the Florida PBA requesting that based on the work that our members do, that there be a presumption that any first responder who tests positive for coronavirus be treated as a work related injury, and that a worker's compensation claim be approved. We are happy to report that Jimmy Patronis, Florida's CFO, has agreed with our position and just ordered that positive test results be presumed to be contracted in the line of duty, similar to the Heart Bill. The Florida League of Cities has also agreed with our position (that may be a first!) and has indicated that they will process the claims on behalf of those entities represented by the League of Cities.

Now, as with everything, the devil is in the details. Not all municipal governments are members of the League of Cities, and the Patronis order allows some entities to opt out. As our governmental leaders review this new order, we expect that all will join in (and we will surely address those, if any, who do not), so that we can all do our jobs knowing that in the unfortunate event that we are exposed and test positive for coronavirus that our employers will have our backs.

We know that some members who have already tested positive have had worker's compensation claims denied, and we are following up on those to insure that the new order be applied to them, and if not, that the appropriate appeals are filed. This is still very new, and will likely become much clearer in the days to come.

For now, as it has been, it is most important that you continue to do your best to maintain social distancing, being as safe as possible while you do the necessary work you do. As we learn more about the application of this new directive, we will let you know.

It is imperative that if you are involved or exposed to a situation involving a sick/injured person exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that you document the incident in detail.

Click on this link to read the article.
https://www.floridadaily.com/jimmy-p...e-of-covid-19/


Stay safe

Steadman Stahl

[Unregistered]

Our PBA is afraid to upset elected officials. They won’t be able to take pictures with them
If they upset them. Better to be afraid than to be proactive is PBA motto