House committee hears evidence to expand survivors benefit for more frontline workers

Montpelier — The House Committee on General and Housing heard testimony April 2 on S89, a bill to broaden the state—mergency Personnel Survivors Benefit to additional categories of public employees, including law enforcement, corrections, family services and certain mental health workers.

Clark Collins, deputy director of benefits and wellness in the Department of Human Resources, told the committee the legislative language in S89, as drafted, would not automatically change the structure of the state—ase life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) programs for eligible state employees. "Our life insurance benefit ... is two times your annual salary," Collins said, and "accidental death and dismemberment would include an additional two times," creating a potential four-times-salary payout for covered accidental deaths. He said base and AD&D coverage are automatic for state employees at hire unless they choose to opt out, that premiums are salary-based and relatively small ("about a dollar or two a paycheck" for many employees), and that less than 1% of employees opt out.

Beth Basting, commissioner of the Department of Human Resources, said…