Bills

HB4491 - PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISABILITY

The bill amends the Public Employee Disability Act to revise disability benefit provisions for eligible public employees. As amended, the bill maintains existing injury-related benefits while removing language that would have extended those provisions to illnesses, and instead creates a separate framework for line-of-duty illness. Under the new provisions, an employee who suffers an illness in the line of duty and is unable to perform duties shall continue to receive full gross pay, including all pensionable salary, with no deduction and continued accrual of sick leave, compensatory time, vacation credits, and pension service credits for up to one year per illness. The amendment also makes conforming changes to ensure consistency between injury and illness benefit provisions.

The amendment expands and clarifies benefits that counties must provide to eligible public employees, particularly by creating a defined framework for line-of-duty illnesses. Counties—as employers of sheriff’s deputies, correctional officers, and other covered personnel—would be required to continue paying full salary (including pensionable earnings) and maintain accrual of leave and pension credits for up to one year when an employee is unable to work due to a qualifying illness. This is likely to increase personnel costs, especially in cases involving extended absences, as counties would need to fund both the absent employee’s compensation and any replacement staffing needed to maintain operations. The changes also reduce flexibility for counties to offset costs through leave banks or compensation adjustments, while potentially increasing administrative responsibilities to track eligibility, benefit duration, and compliance with the revised standards.