Provides that New York city correction officers may file for disability without ten years of service.
Summary
S06433 amends the New York retirement and social security law to create a special disability-retirement filing rule for uniformed personnel of the New York City Department of Correction. Under current law, certain members must have at least 10 years of total service credit to file for an ordinary disability retirement benefit. This bill would allow New York City correction officers to apply for that disability retirement without regard to length of service, so long as they otherwise satisfy the applicable medical and statutory requirements.
The bill is narrowly focused on disability retirement eligibility for NYC correction members and does not change the underlying medical-board review process or the general structure of the ordinary disability retirement benefit. The fiscal note indicates the change would increase employer contributions for the New York City retirement system, with costs borne entirely by New York City and projected to rise over time as more members become eligible and future hires are affected.
Impact
The bill would amend section 507-a of the Retirement and Social Security Law to carve out an exception for New York City correction officers from the 10-year service-credit threshold for filing an ordinary disability retirement application. In practical terms, it expands access to disability retirement benefits for a specific public-safety workforce and could increase pension liabilities and employer contribution rates for NYCERS and New York City, while leaving state-level retirement rules unchanged for other employee groups.
Sentiment
The available legislative history suggests generally favorable support. The Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee approved the bill unanimously, 7-0, and there is no recorded opposition in the provided materials. The bill’s framing as a targeted benefit for correction officers appears to have been received positively in committee.
Contention
The main policy issue is whether correction officers should be exempted from the usual 10-year service requirement for ordinary disability retirement. Supporters appear to favor earlier access to benefits for disabled officers regardless of tenure, while the fiscal note highlights the cost to New York City as the principal concern. The bill does not show any recorded committee debate in the provided materials, so no other specific objections are documented here.
Establishes maximum age requirements for New York city correction officers; provides that the commissioner of correction shall not appoint a person as a correction officer if such person is more than thirty-five years of age as of the date of the applicant's appointment or eligibility to compete in a promotion examination.
Provides that for New York city uniformed correction revised plan members of the New York city employees' retirement system, the service retirement benefit shall not be reduced by the primary social security retirement benefit commencing at age sixty-two.
Provides that for New York city uniformed correction revised plan members of the New York city employees' retirement system, the service retirement benefit shall not be reduced by the primary social security retirement benefit commencing at age sixty-two.
Extends the benefits of the variable supplements fund to all New York city police officers, firefighters, housing police, transit police, correction officers and registered domestic partners.