Relates to increasing certain special accidental death benefits

City worker families get higher survivor benefits

Beginning July 1, 2025, the law raises special accidental death benefits for eligible survivors of covered New York City workers. It covers uniformed employees and former city retirement system members who died in the line of duty before 2025. The added percentage uses the member’s salary as increased under existing law and depends on the year of death. For 2024 deaths, the rate rises from 0.0% to 3.0%; for deaths in 1977 or earlier, it reaches 313.2%. Surviving spouses qualify first; children qualify after the spouse dies if under 18, or under 23 as full-time students. Under the city uniformed-employee benefit rules, parents qualify when there is no surviving spouse or qualifying child. The law keeps the existing 3.0% annual cost-of-living adjustment.