WorkSafeNB announced today the 2015 assessment rate under the Firefighters' Compensation Act (the “FC Act”). The new rate of $690 per active firefighter is effective January 1, 2015.
The increase from $444 per active firefighter to $690 will affect approximately 100 municipalities and 70 local service districts that employ full-time and volunteer firefighters.
“The increase is primarily the result of the FC Act Disability Fund being underfunded,” said Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB’s president and chief executive officer. “A fully-funded status will ensure the future security of benefits for New Brunswick’s firefighters and their dependants.
“When the FC Act and its Disability Fund were established in 2009, it was expected that it would take several years to achieve full funding status. Since then, the funding status has steadily improved, from a low of 0.1% in 2009 to 25.6% as of December 31, 2013,” Adams said.
WorkSafeNB is responsible for administering the FC Act. This includes the payment of benefits to firefighters or former firefighters and dependants, and levying and collecting assessments from municipalities, rural communities, and local service districts.