Firefighter Benefits
Overview
St. Johns County Fire Rescue (SJCFR) personnel includes full-time employees of the bargaining unit who work twenty-four (24) hour shifts. Under the collective bargaining agreement 24/48 employees are eligible for the following leave entitlements.
Benefits Overview
Vacation Leave
Employees hired prior to January 1, 1997, accrue vacation hours on a basis of 13.8462 each pay period up to 360 hours per year.
Employees hired on or after January 1, 1997, accrue vacation as follows:
| Years of Service Completed | Hours Per Year | Hours Per Pay Period |
| 0 to 3 | 120 | 4.6154 |
| 4 to 10 | 180 | 6.9230 |
| 10 + | 240 | 9.2307 |
Sick Leave
Employees accrue sick hours on a basis of 5.5384 each pay period up to 144 hours per year.
Birthday
Birthday leave will be recognized as a floating twenty-four (24) hour leave day and may be taken at any time in the fiscal year. Birthday leave may not, under any circumstance, be carried forward into the following fiscal year.
Observed Holidays
The following shall be considered holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- President’s Day
- National Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
Employees who do not work on a holiday will be credited for the holiday to be used within one (1) year from the accumulated holiday date.
Eligible 24/48 employees are also eligible for in-line of duty death coverage and a firefighter cancer benefit as allowed for under Florida Statutes.
Cancer Benefit
St. Johns County provides benefit coverage required by the firefighter cancer benefit law (Florida Statute 112.1816) that went into effect on July 1, 2019. Coverage is offered by Provident through United Badges Insurance Company.
Coverage Eligibility
A full-time employed firefighter would be eligible for coverage under the program if the following criteria are met:
- The firefighter has been employed by St. Johns County for at least 5 continuous years.
- The firefighter has not been employed in any other position in the preceding 5 years that is proven to create a higher risk for any cancer.
Benefits
Please note that the law requires employers to provide Lump-Sum coverage to firefighters who have separated from service within the last 10 years so long as the firefighter elects to continue the employer-sponsored health plan or group health insurance trust fund after separation.
Lump-Sum Cancer Benefit (Plan 1)
A $25,000 cash benefit, paid upon the diagnosis of cancer, may be used to meet the firefighter’s financial needs.
Death Benefit
A $75,000 cash benefit will be paid in the event of the firefighter’s death due to complications associated with cancer. The cause of death must be confirmed by a Physician who is board certified in the medical specialty that is appropriate for the type of cancer involved. To update your beneficiaries, complete a Beneficiary Designation Form, and submit to St. Johns County Human Resources Department.
Line of Duty Cancer Expense Reimbursement Benefit
Benefit Amount up to $12,000 per Insured Person per Policy Term reimbursed for the following out-of-pocket expenses incurred by an insured firefighter due to the treatment of Line of Duty Cancer: Deductible, Coinsurance, or Copayment.
Filing a Claim
Please contact Laura Dodd from Risk Management at 904.827.6886 to assist with filing a claim.
In Line-of-Duty Death Benefit
St. Johns County provides in the line-of-duty coverage for full-time firefighters and EMTs as required by the firefighter death benefit law (Florida Statute 112.191). Coverage is provided through AIG Insurance/National Union Fire Insurance Company.
Coverage Eligibility
- Class 1: All full-time Firefighters
- Class 2: Eligible Fire Inspectors, Examiners and Associate Medical Director
Benefits
Accidental Death – $75,000 Limit
a) If an Insured is killed while:
i) in fresh pursuit; or
ii) responding to an emergency or what insured reasonably believed to be an emergency; or
iii) responding to a traffic accident; or
iv) while enforcing what is reasonably believed to be a traffic law or ordinance; or
v) in the case of firefighter, participating in a training exercise; an additional $75,000 will be paid
b) If an Insured is killed as a result of an unlawful and intentional act by another person, an additional $225,000 will be paid
Accidental Dismemberment – $75,000 Limit
a) If an Insured suffers a dismemberment while:
i) in fresh pursuit; or
ii) responding to an emergency or what insured reasonably believed to be an emergency; or
iii) responding to a traffic accident; or
iv) while enforcing what is reasonably believed to be a traffic law or ordinance; or
v) in the case of firefighter, participating in a training exercise; an additional $75,000 will be paid
b) If an Insured suffers a dismemberment as a result of an unlawful and intentional act by another person, an additional $225,000 will be paid
Burial Benefit – Limit n/a
$1,000
Day Care Benefit – $2,000 Limit
Max Years: 2 – Due to death and dismemberment
Education Benefit – $2,000 Limit
Max Years: 2 – Children or Spouse
Undergraduate, Post baccalaureate, Career Certificate
Medical Continuation Benefit – $5,000 Limit
Due to death
Beneficiary Designation
To update your beneficiaries, complete a Beneficiary Designation Form, and submit to St. Johns County Human Resources Department.
Policy #
- SRG 0009064843D
- Policy Name: Blanket Special Risk – Florida Statutory AD&D