Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas — The largest police labor organization in Texas said it will sue any law enforcement agency, city or town who doesn’t recognize COVID-19 as a line of duty death for first responders and law enforcement personnel.
“We would pursue a lawsuit to make sure that they are entitled to and receive all line of duty death benefits that normally are with any other line of duty death,” said Jennifer Szimanski, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas Public Information Coordinator.
COVID-19 has not been recognized by Governor Greg Abbott as a presumptive illness which would open the door to death benefits and even workman’s compensation. CLEAT has been demanding that for weeks with bipartisan support. Now they are threatening to sue.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says five employees have died because of COVID-19.
“All COVID deaths are considered Line of Duty Deaths,” said Jeremy Desel, Director of Communications for TDCJ.
But until the Governor declares COVID-19 a presumptive illness, no agency is bound to give out death benefits. CLEAT previously called on the governor to class COVID-19 as a presumptive illness, which would trigger insurance and workers’ compensation benefits.
On March 30, Gov. Greg Abbott waived certain provisions in state law to allow public safety employees who contract the virus to be reimbursed for some expenses stemming from medical treatment. But Abbott’s waiver did not designate COVID-19 as a presumptive illness for first responders.