§3771. Pensions and benefits

Payment of pensions and benefits shall conform to the following conditions:

(1) A member who has served in the department for twenty-five years continuously without interruption, upon retiring from actual service in the department shall receive from the pension fund the sum of three hundred dollars per month during the balance of his lifetime.

(2)(a) A member who has acquired a permanent disability from any cause, either while on or off duty, save and except any disability which may arise out of a result from the commission or the attempted commission of a misdemeanor or a felony or use of any drug or intoxicating liquor to such extent as to become under the influence thereof to the extent that service cannot be performed in the department, shall upon submission of due proof in accordance with the requirements of this organization, be paid monthly during the period of the disability for the balance of his lifetime in accordance with the following scale:

(i) An employee who at the time the disability occurs has served the department continuously for more than twenty years shall be paid the sum of three hundred dollars per month.

(ii) An employee who at the time the disability occurs has served the department continuously for more than ten years but less than twenty years shall be paid the sum of two hundred dollars per month.

(iii) An employee who at the time the disability occurs has served the department continuously for more than five years and up to and including ten years shall be paid one hundred dollars per month.

(iv) An employee who at the time the disability occurs has served the department for less than five years will not be entitled to any benefits therefor, but shall in lieu thereof be refunded all payments made by him in accordance with R.S. 11:3769(4).

(b) At any time during said period of disability, the board of trustees hereof may require the member to submit to physical examination in accordance with the requirements of the organization.

(3) Upon the death of a member of this organization, either active or pensioner, from any cause whatsoever, whether while actively in service or while receiving benefits, such member's widow to whom he was lawfully married and not divorced at the time of his death, shall during the period of her widowhood receive one hundred seventy-five dollars per month, and if there is a lawful child or children of the deceased who are under eighteen years of age and not married, such widow shall receive an additional thirty-five dollars per month for each child not to exceed a total of one hundred five dollars per month for all of such children until the youngest child reaches eighteen years of age.

(4) Should no lawful widow survive the deceased member, either active or pensioner, or should his widow subsequently die or remarry and there are lawful surviving children under eighteen years of age and not married, then they shall receive the sum of one hundred fifty dollars per month, to be divided between them equally for their support or education until the youngest child has reached eighteen years of age.

(5) Should the deceased member, either active or pensioner, be survived by neither lawful wife nor lawful children below the age of eighteen years nor by a father or mother, in that event, the sum of three hundred dollars shall be paid to any person named in writing as the beneficiary of the deceased member, and in default of a beneficiary so named, or if the beneficiary named pre-decease said member, then the said amount shall be used by the organization first to pay the funeral expenses and expenses of last illness of the deceased member, and if any residue remain thereafter it shall be paid to legal heirs of deceased.

Designated from Acts 1952, No. 187, §12 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).