Firefighter cancer presumption law in every state
A firefighter cancer presumption law presumes that certain cancers come from the job. A total of 41 states have passed one. The remaining 9 states take a different route: a death benefit, a pension rule, a cancer benefit, or, for Hawaii, a rule on lung disease.
| State | Service needed | What the law covers |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Alaska | 6 years | 8 cancers by name |
| Arizona | 5 years | 17 cancers by name |
| Arkansas | No minimum | Line-of-duty death benefit |
| California | No minimum | Names 1 cancer, plus others when tied to the job |
| Colorado | 5 years | 16 cancers by name |
| Connecticut | 5 years | 19 cancers by name |
| Delaware | 3 years | Cancer benefit instead of comp |
| Florida | 5 years | 17 cancers by name |
| Georgia | 1 year | Cancer benefit instead of comp |
| Hawaii | No minimum | Lung disease only |
| Idaho | 5 years | 11 cancers by name |
| Illinois | 5 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Indiana | No minimum | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Iowa | No minimum | Every cancer |
| Kansas | 5 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Kentucky | 5 years | Line-of-duty death benefit |
| Louisiana | 10 years | Names 15 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| Maine | 5 years | 11 cancers by name |
| Maryland | 10 years | 13 cancers by name |
| Massachusetts | 5 years | Names 16 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| Michigan | 5 years | 14 cancers by name |
| Minnesota | No minimum | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Mississippi | 10 years | Cancer benefit instead of comp |
| Missouri | No minimum | Names 17 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| Montana | 4 years | 13 cancers by name |
| Nebraska | No minimum | Names 14 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| Nevada | 5 years | Names 19 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| New Hampshire | 10 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| New Jersey | 7 years | Names 1 cancer, plus others when tied to the job |
| New Mexico | 5 years | 17 cancers by name |
| New York | No minimum | 18 cancers by name |
| North Carolina | No minimum | Line-of-duty death benefit |
| North Dakota | 5 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Ohio | 6 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Oklahoma | No minimum | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Oregon | 5 years | 13 cancers by name |
| Pennsylvania | 4 years | Any cancer linked to the job |
| Rhode Island | 2 years | Every cancer |
| South Carolina | 5 years | Cancer benefit instead of comp |
| South Dakota | No minimum | Pension rule only |
| Tennessee | 5 years | Names 9 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
| Texas | 5 years | 9 cancers by name |
| Utah | 5 years | 17 cancers by name |
| Vermont | 5 years | 18 cancers by name |
| Virginia | 5 years | 12 cancers by name |
| Washington | 10 years | 14 cancers by name |
| West Virginia | 5 years | 6 cancers by name |
| Wisconsin | 10 years | 17 cancers by name |
| Wyoming | 10 years | Names 2 cancers, plus others when tied to the job |
Reading the firefighter cancer presumption law table
Before the presumption applies, you must serve for a period, and "Service needed" shows that time. A row that adds "others if linked to the job" means other cancers count too, when they are tied to your exposure at work.
The page for each state names every cancer, spells out the conditions, and gives the agency where you file.
Firefighters in Federal service
Federal law (5 U.S.C. ยง 8143b) applies to Federal crews, for example those serving on military bases and those working for the Forest Service. You need 5 years of service, and the law lists 14 cancers by name. To see yours, choose "Federal firefighter" in the checker.
The claims line: +1 833 853 0496