# Senate Bill 2602 An Act Relative to Emergency Hazard Health Duty



## Bloodhound (May 20, 2010)

This is another COVID related bill that has been filed. Senate Bill 2602, An Act Relative to Emergency Hazard Health Duty . This actually has a shot at getting passed with enough support. If passed, this law would create a presumption that Public Safety workers who are affected by COVID-19 did so in the line of duty, and would not be liable to use their own sick or other earned leave time. I've been blasting this out to our union so members and their family members email their legislators to show support and recommend everyone here do the same.

If you have a minute, please send an email. If you need to find your legislator, use 
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

The Bill reads:

Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any public safety official, which shall include any individuals employed as police, fire personnel, correction officers, dispatchers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nursing professionals, and all individuals employed and considered as 1st responders, who contract, have symptoms of, or otherwise becomes affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), that results in a period of hospitalization, quarantine, or require self-quarantined measures as a result of being infected or coming into contact with someone who is infected with this virus, shall have their medical condition or incapacity to work presumed to be work-related.

The amount of time said public safety official is incapacitated or unable to perform their duties as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection or exposure and the required time of hospitalization, time of quarantine or time of self-quarantine shall be considered as on duty time, and said public safety official shall not be required to use sick time, vacation time, personal time or any other contractual time-off to cover said period of incapacitation or inability to perform regular duty work. This time of incapacitation or inability to perform their duties shall be considered as "emergency hazard health duty".


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## res2244 (Feb 28, 2020)

I hope the guy from Yarmouth doesnt have to use his sick time


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## Sooty (Nov 1, 2018)

"presumed to be work related" is huge.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Dispatchers?
What are they doing, licking the glass?


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## res2244 (Feb 28, 2020)

From what ive seen so far I think there is only one patrolman from Yarmouth that has been affected, one honestly in my book means this bill needs to pass right now but given the hot air in many legislative buildings... its gonna take a while presumbly


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## Bloodhound (May 20, 2010)

The 2 bills, H.4611 and S.2602 are moving along. There obviously won't be a public hearing, so the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security will accept electronic testimony only. The Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition has submitted testimony, which is open for submission through 5pm today 4/6. Please contact your representatives!


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## kdk240 (Nov 7, 2002)

mpd61 said:


> Dispatchers?
> What are they doing, licking the glass?


Know someone really well who's a dispatcher in the city over from mine.
She's loosing her mind because Officers are in and out of dispatch, hanging out when they shouldn't be ect, and she says they have Officers testing positive with one on a vent! Now, that falls on admin to put the right practices in place, I know they just installed partitions between the dispatchers and started roll call from the road which imo is a great idea, but just sayin it's a little late to be lackadaisical ,! This shit show doesn't discriminate.! Time to be more careful than ever no matter who you are or what you do in this job!


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

When we run out and get them food we need to be careful too.....Mush it up and slide it under the glass after spritzing the outer bag with a disinfectant. Not very appetizing, but safe.
LOL..........I do absolutely LOVE dispatchers though, angels on our shoulders, now take care of them!


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## kdk240 (Nov 7, 2002)

mpd61 said:


> When we run out and get them food we need to be careful too.....Mush it up and slide it under the glass after spritzing the outer bag with a disinfectant. Not very appetizing, but safe.
> LOL..........I do absolutely LOVE dispatchers though, angels on our shoulders, now take care of them!


Yeah well I love my dispatchers, too I've got 3 real good ones, the rest, I'll take them.too,  but I drew the line at coffee., Your a better man than I am mpd for the run on munchies.


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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

As senior patrolman I WAS getting everything for everybody for a while................


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## kdk240 (Nov 7, 2002)

mpd61 said:


> As senior patrolman I WAS getting everything for everybody for a while................


Umm, as a fellow "senior" (and I feel old lately) we both know that's not how being the senior guy is quite supposed to work!!!


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## FAPD (Sep 30, 2007)

mpd61 said:


> As senior patrolman I WAS getting everything for everybody for a while................


Yeah but you kept skimming change to make payments on your wife's BMW


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