SALISBURY – Emergency legislation allowing the families of county employees killed in the line of duty to retain health insurance coverage passed in a 4-0 vote this week.
On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council held a special meeting and public hearing for the purposes of amending the county’s personnel manual to expand health care benefits for the families of county employees killed in the line of duty.
“This is a public hearing on legislative bill 2022-09, an emergency act to amend the Wicomico County personnel manual, Chapter 10 – Employee Benefits, Section 1013 Death Benefit, to allow family members of an employee killed in the line of duty to retain health insurance coverage,” said Andrew Mitchell, council attorney.
Earlier this month, the county council introduced emergency legislation pertaining to death benefits following the line-of-duty death of Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy Glenn Hilliard. In the days following his death, county officials learned the Wicomico personnel manual set different premium rates for families of deceased employees.
“Under our current policy we have two sections, a deceased employee eligible for retirement and then a deceased employee not eligible for retirement,” Human Resources Director Jaclyn Curry said at the time. “Under that section, the family that has the insurance would have to continue that in the method of COBRA … However, it is at an extremely high premium rate.”
Don’t worry, our Lord and Savior, Julie, would have approved it for the county!
Psota’s goal is to become a career politician. Let’s move on.z