Grants retroactive membership with Tier IV status in the New York state and local employees' retirement system to Ronald Schultz.
This bill grants retroactive membership in the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System to Ronald Schultz, a current Tier V member employed by the Erie County Water Authority. It deems him to have joined the system on July 1, 2002, and to have Tier IV status, based on his prior employment with the Erie County Sewer Authority from July 1, 2002 through November 9, 2002, during which he allegedly failed to enroll for reasons not attributable to his own negligence. To receive this relief, Schultz must file a written request with the State Comptroller within one year after the act takes effect.
The bill also specifies that any contributions Schultz already made to the retirement system will not be returned or refunded under this act. In addition, the full past service cost of implementing the retroactive Tier IV membership is assigned to Erie County, rather than to the state retirement system or the employee. The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.
If enacted, this bill would create a narrow exception to retirement system membership rules by retroactively adjusting one employee’s membership date and tier classification from Tier V to Tier IV. That change could affect Schultz’s pension benefits and retirement calculations under the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, while also shifting the associated actuarial cost to Erie County. The bill does not amend the general retirement law broadly, but it establishes a special, individualized statutory remedy for one named employee.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded vote, so there is no documented debate or formal legislative sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears remedial and targeted, intended to correct an alleged enrollment error that was not the employee’s fault. The absence of opposition or recorded controversy in the provided context suggests the bill is likely a private relief measure rather than a broadly contested policy proposal.
The main potential point of contention is the retroactive grant of Tier IV status to a named individual, which can be viewed as an exception to standard retirement system rules and eligibility deadlines. Another possible issue is fiscal responsibility, since the bill requires Erie County to bear all past service costs, which may be significant depending on the benefit adjustment. Any concern about fairness to similarly situated employees or about setting a precedent for individualized pension relief would likely center on the special treatment provided to Ronald Schultz.