Line of duty
Workers' comp for New York first responders
Firefighters, EMS, and police who are hurt in the line of duty are covered — but volunteers and paid responders fall under different laws with different (and sometimes better) benefits.
- Volunteer firefighters are covered by the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law (VFBL) — a separate, parallel system.
- Volunteer ambulance workers are covered by the Volunteer Ambulance Workers' Benefit Law (VAWBL).
- The VFBL pays a $50,000 benefit for a line-of-duty death.
- Paid firefighters and police generally get full salary continuation under General Municipal Law §207-a / §207-c, on top of the workers' comp system.
Volunteer vs. paid
Volunteers (VFBL / VAWBL)
Injuries in the line of duty are handled under these dedicated laws — structured like workers' comp (medical care and cash benefits) but with their own rules and benefit levels, and administered by the Workers' Compensation Board. The VFBL line-of-duty death benefit is $50,000.
Paid firefighters & police
Career responders are covered by regular workers' compensation, but municipal law adds strong protection: GML §207-a (paid firefighters) and §207-c (police) generally continue full salary for a line-of-duty injury, with the municipality often taking a credit for the comp benefit.
Occupational conditions common to the job (certain cancers, cardiac/respiratory conditions) may carry presumptions of work-relatedness under specific statutes — confirm the current rules for your role with the Board or a union representative.