SHANNON McCAFFREY
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Firefighters and other public safety officers will be eligible for more money from the federal government's Sept. 11 victims compensation fund under a more generous interpretation of guidelines expected to be announced later this week.
Families of firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel complained that while private-sector 401K retirement accounts did not count against awards from the victims fund, it was unclear if government pensions would.
The fund's special master, Georgetown Law Professor Kenneth Feinberg, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he would clarify in the next few days that not all of the uniformed officers' government pension would count against a fund award. The exact percentage is still being worked out, he said.
``This will give them further evidence to come into the fund,'' Feinberg said.
Feinberg stressed that he was not changing the fund's final guidelines, issued in March, but that he was clarifying his interpretation of them.
``This is something we've pushed hard for,'' said George Burke, spokesman for the International Association of Firefighters.
Michael Barasch, a New York lawyer who represents hundreds of trade center rescue workers, said that while he would have to see the details, such a change might make his clients less inclined to sue.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was ``hopeful that these families will get some added benefits.''
Nearly 400 firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel were killed when the trade center collapsed after being struck by a pair of hijacked airliners on Sept. 11.
The victims compensation fund was set up as part of the $15 billion airline bailout bill passed just after the attacks. It is intended as an alternative to the courts for Sept. 11 victims. To receive an award from the fund, a family must agree not to sue the airlines or other entities.
Feinberg estimates that the average award will be $1.85 million. But some families have complained that once offsets for outside income were counted, they would be left with little or no money.
Responding to that criticism, Feinberg guaranteed that any person who made a legitimate claim on behalf of a family members who was killed on Sept. 11 would receive a minimum of $250,000.
