SALISBURY – County officials say they will begin exploring ways to expand health care benefits to families of employees fallen in the line of duty.
On June 13, just two days after Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy Glenn Hilliard was killed in the line of duty, the Wicomico County Council met in a special session to discuss health care benefits for a service in the line of duty death.
“We’re looking into contractual and cost analysis to see what we can do regarding health benefits of the survivors and family of those law enforcement officers, what that definition might be and what we can do in our current health care contract to take care of the survivors of a fallen law enforcement officer,” said Acting County Executive John Psota.
Officials told the county last week they were looking to amend the Wicomico’s personnel manual to expand health care benefits for the families of county employees who die in the line of duty. Human Resources Director Jaclyn Curry noted that while the manual allowed families of county employees eligible for retirement to continue receiving benefits, it did not address employees who are not eligible for retirement.
“So if a deceased employee was not eligible for retirement and continuation of benefits, the spouse and/or eligible dependents may retain their health insurance under appropriate and applicable state and federal laws, which means COBRA coverage,” she explained. “If any of you are familiar with COBRA coverage, it’s very expensive.”