Relative to the maintenance of pre-employment physical examination records for public safety personnel in the city of Quincy
Summary
This bill is a local act applying only to the City of Quincy and its Retirement Board. It addresses accidental disability retirement applications by certain public safety personnel, such as police, firefighters, and other covered employees, when the employer cannot locate or failed to keep the member’s pre-employment physical examination records.
Under the bill, if the original medical examination record is missing, either the employee or the employer may submit an affidavit stating that the examination occurred and did not reveal the disabling condition now claimed. That affidavit would count as substantial evidence that the applicant satisfied the pre-employment physical examination requirement under Chapter 32, Sections 94, 94A, and 94B, and that the exam did not disclose the condition at issue. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
Impact
The bill would modify how the Quincy Retirement Board evaluates accidental disability retirement claims by allowing affidavits to substitute for missing pre-employment physical records. It effectively creates a local evidentiary rule for Quincy public safety personnel seeking benefits under Chapter 32, easing proof requirements where records were not maintained or cannot be found. The measure does not change statewide retirement law generally, but it applies the Chapter 32 presumptions in a more flexible way for this municipality.
Sentiment
The available record suggests the bill is generally supportive of public safety employees and intended to solve a practical records problem rather than create a controversial policy change. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating opposition, and the bill notes local approval from the mayor and city council, which suggests municipal support. Overall, the tone appears favorable and administrative in nature.
Contention
The main issue addressed by the bill is evidentiary: whether a claimant should be denied or disadvantaged in an accidental disability retirement case because the employer failed to preserve pre-employment medical records. Supporters would likely view the affidavit process as a fair remedy for missing records, while any concern would center on whether substituting affidavits for original medical documentation could weaken verification standards or increase retirement liability. No specific opposition is documented in the provided materials.