To All Delegates and Members

May 8, 2007

Re: World Trade Center Disability Program Filing Deadline

This is to remind you that the June 14 deadline to file a Notice of Participation under the World Trade Presumption Bill is rapidly approaching.

Under the terms of the amended World Trade Center Presumption Bill, a member of the service (“MOS”) may qualify for a disability pension or to have a previous retirement reclassified in the event the MOS becomes ill or disabled from a qualifying illness . In the unfortunate event of the death of a MOS from a qualifying illness, families may qualify for certain death benefits. However, in order to be eligible for those benefits, a MOS must file a Notice of Participation. The filing of the notice is not an application for accident disability retirement; it merely places the Police Pension Fund on notice that you may be eligible for retirement reclassification should you develop one of the conditions in the statute. Therefore, if you meet the minimum qualifications, see below, you should file even if you are not presently ill.

You may qualify for benefits if you:

  • Worked 40 or more hours at the World Trade Center site (defined as the area of Manhattan south of Canal and Pike Streets), the Fresh Kills Landfill, the New York City Morgue or the temporary morgue located on pier locations on the west side of Manhattan, or the barges located between the west side of Manhattan and the Fresh Kills Landfill; or,

  • Worked less than 40 hours at any of the above locations due to a documented injury that occurred on 9/11/01 or 9/12/01 during the Ground Zero rescue operation that prevented you from continuing to work at the sites.

Failure to file a Notice of Participation by June 14, 2007, means you will be unable to receive statutory benefits in the event of illness or death. Therefore, members are strongly encouraged to complete a Notice of Participation regardless of whether any signs and symptoms of a medical condition are present. Notice of Participation forms are available at the PPF offices or on-line on this site.

A complete list of the enumerated diseases can be found in the PPF fact sheet that accompanies the Notice of Participation form on-line.

Fraternally,

Patrick J. Lynch
President