Allows members of organized units of Suffolk county correction officers to transfer service credit from any New York state and local retirement system up to 7 years

1 Co-sponsor

• Dale M. Volker

Title of bill

An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to allowing members of organized units of Suffolk county correction officers to transfer service credit from any New York state and local retirement system up to seven years

Purpose or general idea of bill

Allows the transfer of service credit from any New York state and local retirement system up to seven years.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision d of §89-f of the Retirement & Social Security Law. Section 2. Subdivision f of §89-f of the Retirement & Social Security Law is amended.

Justification

All county correction officers and deputy sheriff-jailers with prior service in any New York State Retirement System should be allowed to credit such prior time up to a maximum of seven years toward their retirement. Presently, county correction officers and deputy sheriff-jailers are not allowed to transfer prior service from within the same retirement system or another retirement system when they simply move or transfer from one position to another. Working as a county correction officer or deputy sheriff-jailer is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs.

On a daily basis, these officers are placed in stressful situations having to face assaults by inmates, verbal abuse, having bodily fluids thrown at them, threats to themselves and their families - these are only a few of the inherent dangers they face. Coupled with shift differentials, working holidays and weekends and mandatory overtime, the sacrifices made for their jobs have a detrimental effect on their personal lives.

Therefore, it is only equitable that county correction officers and deputy sheriff-jailers should be allowed prior service credit from any New York State Retirement System (up to a maximum of seven years) credited to the aggregate total of service time necessary for their retirement plan.

Prior legislative history

2007-08: A.6165A Governmental Employees Cmte./S.3413A Civil Service and Pensions Cmte. 2005-06: A.6218-A (Abbate)/S.3151-A (Flanagan) 2003-04: A.11460 Rules (Abbate)/S.7429 (Flanagan)

Fiscal implications

See fiscal note appended to legislation.

Effective date

Immediately.