Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2014

Bill: 113-s-2266
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2014-04-29
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Blood and blood diseases

Cancer

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Disability and paralysis

Disability assistance

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Evidence and witnesses

Fires

First responders and emergency personnel

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Hazardous wastes and toxic substances

Health personnel

Medical research

Worker safety and health
Latest action: action_date: 2014-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-04-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2014 - Provides that: (1) specified diseases, including heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers, of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for a minimum of five years shall be presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of the last active date of employment in fire protection activities; (2) the disability or death of such an employee due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty; and (3) such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. Allows such presumption for fire protection employees who contract any uncommon infectious disease, including but not limited to tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), regardless of the length of employment of such employee.</p> <p>Defines an "employee in fire protection activities" as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who: (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility of his or her job.</p> <p>Directs the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to examine the implementation of this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated with firefighting and to report to Congress on: (1) an analysis of the injury claims made under this Act, (2) an analysis of the available research related to the health risks associated with firefighting, and (3) recommendations for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that those diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption created by this Act.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2266 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 29, 2014 Mr. Carper (for himself and Ms. Collins ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to establish a presumption that a disability or death of a Federal employee in fire protection activities caused by certain diseases is the result of the performance of the duties of the employee.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2014 . 2. Certain diseases presumed to be work-related cause of disability or death of Federal employees in fire protection activities (a) Definition Section 8101 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (18), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (19), by striking and at the end; (3) in paragraph (20), by striking the period at the end and inserting and ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (21) employee in fire protection activities means a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who— (A) is trained in fire suppression; (B) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (C) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (D) performs such activities as a primary responsibility of the job of the individual. . (b) Presumption relating to employees in fire protection activities Section 8102 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (c) (1) With regard to an employee in fire protection activities, a disease specified in paragraph (3) shall be presumed to be proximately caused by the employment of such employee, subject to the length of service requirements specified. The disability or death of an employee in fire protection activities due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of such employee’s duty. Such presumptions may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. (2) Such presumptions apply only if the employee in fire protection activities is diagnosed with the disease for which presumption is sought within 10 years of the last active date of employment as an employee in fire protection activities. (3) The following diseases shall be presumed to be proximately caused by the employment of the employee in fire protection activities: (A) If the employee has been employed for a minimum of 5 years in aggregate as an employee in fire protection activities: (i) Heart disease. (ii) Lung disease. (iii) The following cancers: (I) Brain cancer. (II) Cancer of the blood or lymphatic systems. (III) Leukemia. (IV) Lymphoma (except Hodgkin’s disease). (V) Multiple myeloma. (VI) Bladder cancer. (VII) Kidney cancer. (VIII) Testicular cancer. (IX) Cancer of the digestive system. (X) Colon cancer. (XI) Liver cancer. (XII) Skin cancer. (XIII) Lung cancer. (iv) Any other cancer the contraction of which the Secretary of Labor through regulations determines to be related to the hazards to which an employee in fire protection activities may be subject. (B) Regardless of the length of time an employee in fire protection activities has been employed, any uncommon infectious disease, including but not limited to tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and any other uncommon infectious disease the contraction of which the Secretary of Labor through regulations determines to be related to the hazards to which an employee in fire protection activities may be subject. . (c) Report Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall examine the implementation of the amendments made by this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated with firefighting and submit to Congress a report that shall include— (1) an analysis of the injury claims made pursuant to the amendments made by this Act; (2) an analysis of the available research related to the health risks associated with firefighting; and (3) recommendations for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption established under this Act. (d) Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall apply to an injury that is first diagnosed or a death that occurs, on or after the date of enactment of this Act.