Bill Would Extend Salary Continuation Benefits to State Firefighters

Firefighters employed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection would be eligible for up to one year of salary continuation pay in lieu of temporary disability benefits, under a recently introduced bill. AB 872, by Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, would add rank-and-file and supervisory firefighters employed by the state agencies to the list of workers in Labor Code Section 4800. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters must be involved in fire suppression or prevention services to receive the benefit, under Wood’s bill. Labor Code Section 4800 allo...