LEOFF Plan 2 ombudsman office reports 216 cases in FY2025, highlights L&I delays and program maturation

Tammy Sadler, staff and ombudsman program lead for the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 2 Retirement Board, presented the program's second annual report covering fiscal year 2025 (07/01/2024–06/30/2025).

Sadler said the office handled 216 cases during the period; 154 of those fell within the ombudsman specialty and 62 were out‑of‑scope referrals to other agencies. Of the office's caseload, 67% involved active members or retirees and 64% of contacts came from firefighters; law enforcement comprised about 22%.

Sadler described the program's mission to provide confidential, impartial assistance to members and families navigating death and disability benefits, and she gave a case example that illustrated the office's coordination with unions, family liaisons and health authorities to secure survivor benefits. She also said the office is developing workload management metrics, a customer survey to collect member feedback, and a formal records‑retention policy consistent with ombudsman and state standards.

Board members praised the ombudsman work and offered gratitude; one board member relayed a member's note of thanks and willingness to serve as a testimonial. During the presentation staff reiterated that L&I case processing and appeals timelines can be lengthy and can create coverage gaps for survivors; the L&I sample used earlier in the meeting showed an average L&I determination time of 506 days in the two‑year extract provided to staff.

Sadler closed by noting training achievements, outreach activities and continuing collaboration with stakeholders; board members thanked her for the office's work.