Chapter 104 – Increase in Special Accidental Death Benefit

Chapter 104 of the Laws of 2014 increases the salary used in the computation of the special accidental death benefit provided under Section 208-f of the NYS General Municipal Law by 3%. The beneficiaries of the following NYCERS members are covered: members of the Uniformed Correction Force, Housing and Transit Police, Emergency Medical Technicians and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) members. The benefit is payable to the widow, widower, or the children of the deceased (under 18 years of age or under 23 if the child is a student) if the widow or widower is deceased. Chapter 104 is deemed to have been in full force and effect on July 1, 2014.

Chapter 319 – Disclosure of Records

Chapter 319 of the Laws of 2014 amends NYS Public Officers Law, Article 6A, known as the Personal Privacy Protection Law, by adding a new paragraph (o) to Section 96 allowing the disclosure of records or personal information belonging to a “data subject” (generally, an employee of a state agency, board, public authority, etc.) to any of the New York City Retirement Systems (“NYCRS”) without requiring a written request or consent from the data subject if the information being sought is necessary to process statutory pension benefits. Chapter 319 takes effect immediately. 

Chapter 320 – Workers’ Compensation Information

Chapter 320 of the Laws of 2014 amends Workers’ Compensation Law Section 25.4(c) to require that the Workers’ Compensation Board provide NYCERS with information relating to Workers’ Compensation benefits awarded to retirees of NYCERS whose pension payments are subject to an offset by those benefits. Chapter 320 takes effect immediately. 

Chapter 427 – Non-Contributory Service Credit for Members called to Active Military Duty

This law amends Military Law Section 243-d to provide non-contributory retirement service credit for any member of the New York City Retirement Systems who was called to active military duty on or after September 11, 2001 and prior to January 1, 2006, who did not receive his or her full salary from a participating employer and who otherwise would be eligible to receive retirement service credit in the NYCRS for such active military service. Such member would not be required to make member contributions to receive such credit. It is the understanding of the Actuary that the time period for which such member was not receiving his or her full salary from a participating employer would be the time period of such military service and not the time period after the return of such member to his or her employment with a participating employer of the NYCRS.

Chapter 427 takes effect on November 7, 2014 and would be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after September 11, 2001.

Chapter 472 – World Trade Center Filing Deadline Extension

This law amends Retirement and Social Security Law, Section 2, to modify qualifications and extend the deadline for filing a Notice of Participation under WTC Disability Law from September 11, 2010 to September 11, 2015 for all members who participated in the Rescue, Recovery or Cleanup operations related to the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001. However, the deadline for filing a Notice of Participation under the WTC Disability Law for the Chapter 489/13 Covered Groups (vested members in NYCERS in Tiers I and II; vested Uniformed Corrections members in NYCERS in Tier III; vested Uniformed Sanitation members in NYCERS in Tier IV; vested Deputy Sheriff members in NYCERS in Tier IV and Tier VI; vested EMT members in NYCERS in Tier IV and Tier VI) would remain unchanged at September 11, 2014.

Chapter 472 takes effect immediately.