Pensions and benefits shall be as follows:

A.  If any member of the fire department while in the active service of the fire department who shall be permanent in rank, be found by the board of trustees to be totally, physically, or mentally disabled for service in the fire department by reason of service in the fire department, he shall receive monthly from the fund so long as such disability shall continue or until he becomes eligible for retirement on service basis, whichever is sooner, a sum which together with worker’s compensation benefits actually received by the member, shall be equal at any given time to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the total monthly fireman’s compensation of the active member of the fire department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability.

B.  If any member of the fire department, while in the active service of the fire department who shall be permanent in rank be found by the board of trustees to be totally, physically, or mentally disabled for service in the fire department by reason of causes not arising or developing directly from his employment in the fire department, save and except any disability which may arise from the commission or attempted commission of a misdemeanor or felony or the use of any drug or intoxicating liquor, which use contributes to the disability, he shall receive monthly from the fund, so long as such disability shall continue, a sum which, together with worker’s compensation benefits actually received by the member, shall be equal at any given time to twenty-five percent of the total monthly fireman’s compensation of the active member of the fire department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability.  In addition thereto, any member entitled to disability under this Section who has more than five years active service with the fire department at the time of disability shall also receive a sum equal at any given time to two percent of the total monthly fireman’s compensation of the active member of the fire department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability.  However, maximum benefits under this Subsection for nonservice disability shall never exceed those benefits provided for service disability.  Time elapsing during nonservice disability as provided for in this Section shall not be included as time served for retirement purposes.  Any member of the fire department who shall become totally, physically, or mentally disabled for service in the fire department while gainfully employed at any other profession or trade, or by any firm or organization other than the City of Houma fire department shall not be entitled to any disability compensation from the pension fund.

C.  Should any member while drawing disability benefits as hereinabove provided be gainfully employed at some other endeavor other than the fire service, then his disability benefits shall be decreased to the point that such benefits, when added to the gross income which the member receives from other employment shall not exceed at any given time the total monthly fireman’s compensation of the active member of the fire department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time he acquired the disability.  The board of trustees will require a beneficiary to report such outside earnings and may reduce benefits in the quarter following that in which excess earnings are applicable in order to effectuate the provisions of this Subsection.

D.  After any member of the fire department shall have been retired upon pension by reason of disability, the board of trustees shall have the right at any time to cause such retired member to be brought before it and again examined by physicians and surgeons, to be selected by it, and also to examine other witnesses for the purpose of discovering whether such disability to perform the duties of the position held at the time of his removal from active service yet continues, and whether such retired member should be continued on the pension roll, but such retired member shall remain upon the pension roll until reinstated to his former rank in the active service of the fire department.  Such retired member shall be entitled to notice and to be present at the hearing of any such evidence, and shall be permitted to propound any questions pertinent or relevant to such matter, and shall also have the right to introduce upon his own behalf any competent evidence he may see fit.  All witnesses so produced shall be examined under oath.

E.  Any active member of the fire department who serves for a period of twenty years, upon making proper written application to the board of trustees requesting same, shall be retired from the service and shall be paid a monthly sum equal at any given time to sixty-six and two-thirds percent of either, the highest consecutive thirty-six months of service or the total monthly fireman’s compensation of the active member of the fire department holding the position corresponding to that held by the beneficiary at the time of his retirement, whichever is greater.  Effective August 1, 1995, such member shall receive an additional amount equal to three percent of such benefits for each year of service after he shall have served twenty years; provided, however, that the maximum benefit shall not exceed ninety-six and two-thirds percent of said active member’s corresponding compensation.

F.  Death benefits shall be available to the surviving widow and/or minor children of a member of the fire department as follows: Should a member die before being eligible for retirement hereunder the application for benefits by the widow and/or minor children shall be treated as a request for disability benefits on behalf of the member as outlined hereinabove.  If the deceased would otherwise have been eligible for such benefits, then the surviving widow shall be paid monthly a sum equal to fifty percent of the benefits to which the deceased would have been entitled for disability.  Each minor child of the deceased shall be paid monthly ten percent of such benefits.  Should there be more than five minor children their benefits shall be prorated.  Should a member die while receiving benefits under this Part, then the surviving widow shall be paid monthly a sum equal to fifty percent of the benefits to which the deceased was entitled.  Each minor child of the deceased shall be paid monthly ten percent of such benefits.  Should there be more than five minor children their benefits shall be prorated.  Widows benefits shall be payable hereunder only if the widow was married to the deceased prior to his separation from active fire service and living with the deceased at his death and only so long as she remains unmarried.  Minor’s benefits shall cease on their eighteenth birthday or on their emancipation, whichever is sooner.  Minor’s benefits shall be paid to their duly qualified tutor.

G.  Whenever an active or retired member shall die, the board shall appropriate and pay from the fund the sum of one hundred dollars for funeral and burial expenses.

H.  No member or other beneficiary designated in this Part shall be entitled to or receive the benefits herein provided so long as he shall receive from the fire department or the city a sum equal to or greater than the benefits to which he would otherwise be entitled under this Part.  In the event such sum so received should be less than the said amount of the benefits provided herein, the benefits payable shall be reduced by an amount equal to the sum received from the fire department or the city.

I.  In lieu of terminating employment and accepting a service retirement allowance, members of the fire department who serve for a period of twenty years and who are eligible to receive a service retirement may elect to participate in the deferred retirement option plan and defer receipt of benefits under this fund.  The maximum period that any employee can participate in said deferred retirement option program and defer receipt of benefits is two years and said employee can only exercise this option one time.  On the effective date of the employees’ participation in the deferred retirement option program, the employee and the city or parish shall cease contributing to this fund and the employee’s benefit amount and service time shall be frozen.  If the employee continues active employment with the fire department, the monthly retirement benefit is credited to the deferred retirement option plan account.  If an employee dies during the period of participation in the deferred retirement option plan, a lump sum payment equal to his deferred retirement option plan account balance shall be paid to his named beneficiary, or if none, to his estate.  In addition, normal survivor benefits payable to survivors of retirees shall be payable.  At the end of the period of participation in the deferred retirement option plan account, the employee must choose either to terminate or continue employment with the fire department.

J.  The employees who choose to terminate employment with the fire department will begin receiving monthly benefit checks on the first day of the month following the termination date.  Payments to the deferred retirement option plan account will stop and the employee may make withdrawals from the deferred retirement option plan account according to the withdrawal methods specified by the board of trustees.

K.  If an employee chooses to continue employment with the fire department, said employee and the city or parish must begin actively contributing to the fund.  Payments to the deferred retirement option plan account shall stop and the employee may not make withdrawal from the deferred retirement option plan account.  The deferred retirement option plan account withdrawals can be made only after the termination of employment.

Designated from Acts 1973, No. 139, §13 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)).