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Quincy council approves home-rule petition to ease benefit barriers for police and firefighters
Summary
The Quincy City Council approved a home-rule petition on Nov. 10 allowing a sworn affidavit to substitute for missing preemployment physical records for public safety employees after state reviewers began requiring those records, a step city leaders say will reduce denials of accidental disability benefits.
Chris Walker, the mayor’s representative, told the Quincy City Council on Nov. 10 that a home-rule petition would allow a sworn affidavit by the city or the employee to stand in for missing preemployment physical-examination records for police and firefighters.
Walker said that in recent years state reviewers (referred to in the transcript as “Parac”) began requiring evidence of preemployment physicals when evaluating accidental-disability claims, and that many municipalities, including Quincy, do not hold complete preemployment medical files from 12–15 years ago. “This home rule… it would allow a sworn affidavit by the city or the employee stating that the employee did not suffer from any preexisting condition related to the disability upon which he or she is retiring, at the time of their hiring,” Walker said.
Walker said the petition was developed with counsel for Local 792 (the firefighters’ union) and police unions, and that a statewide bill that could address the issue has not yet been enacted. Councilor Liang said he supported the measure and moved to approve it; Councilor Devine seconded the motion. The clerk called the roll on the motion.
Council supporters said the change is intended to reduce administrative barriers that have, in some cases, prevented employees who appear eligible from securing accidental-disability benefits such as those tied to heart disease. Walker characterized the proposal as a narrowly tailored procedural fix to address gaps in decades-old personnel files.
The council approved the motion at the Nov. 10 meeting; the meeting transcript shows the motion was moved and seconded and the clerk called the roll, but the roll-call tally is not fully transcribed in the record provided.
No further procedural steps or a timeline for state review were stated during the meeting.
Ending: The council’s approval leaves the home-rule petition in the council record; no additional details about next steps or timelines were provided at the meeting.
