Authorizes Alexander D. Rusin to receive retroactive membership in the New York state and local employees' retirement system.
Summary
This bill is a one-person retirement relief measure. It authorizes Alexander D. Rusin, an employee of the Erie County Water Authority, to be deemed a member of the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System (NYSLRS) effective June 2, 2008, the date he began seasonal employment as a meter service worker. The bill states that he failed to enroll in the retirement system during that employment for reasons not attributable to his own negligence, and it gives him one year from the bill’s effective date to file a written request with the State Comptroller to receive the retroactive membership credit.
The bill also specifies that no contributions already made by Rusin to NYSLRS will be refunded, and that the full past service cost of the retroactive membership will be paid by the Erie County Water Authority. The act takes effect immediately. The fiscal note indicates that the measure would effectively grant Tier 4 status to a current Tier 6 member by moving his membership date back to 2008, with estimated increased employer contributions and a one-time past service cost borne by the authority.
Impact
The bill would create a narrow exception to existing retirement membership rules by allowing a specific employee to obtain retroactive NYSLRS membership despite missing the original enrollment window. In practical terms, it changes the member’s retirement tier status and service credit calculation, which can affect future pension benefits and employer contribution obligations. It does not amend the retirement system broadly, but it does direct the State Comptroller to recognize an earlier membership date for this individual if he timely applies. The Erie County Water Authority would be responsible for the actuarial cost of the benefit adjustment, including an immediate past service cost and higher ongoing contributions.
Sentiment
The available materials suggest a generally favorable or routine administrative posture toward the bill, with no recorded opposition in the provided votes or committee transcripts. The measure appears to be presented as a corrective bill for an individual who missed retirement enrollment through no fault of his own, which is typical of private pension relief legislation. The fiscal note acknowledges a cost to the employer, but the bill text and context do not show broader controversy or organized opposition.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the fiscal impact on the Erie County Water Authority, which must absorb both the one-time past service cost and higher future contribution rates. Another possible issue is the precedent of granting individualized retroactive retirement membership, since such bills can be viewed as exceptions to standard enrollment rules. However, the bill frames the failure to enroll as not due to Rusin’s negligence, which likely reduces opposition and supports the equitable rationale for the relief.