Relates to the ordinary disability benefit for enhanced plan members of the New York city fire department pension fund

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Robert Jackson says this is needed

Under current legal provisions, Tier 3 enhanced plan members of the NYC Fire Department Pension Fund receive a worse ordinary disability retire- ment benefit than the Tier 2 members of the same Fire Department Pension Fund. For example, presently, unlike their Tier 2 counterparts in the Fire Department Pension Fund, Retirement and Social Security Law 506 sets forth an ordinary disability retirement benefit for Tier 3 enhanced plan members after completing five (5) years of credited service. By contrast, Tier 2 members of same Pension Fund do not have any requisite length of service as a requirement to receive an ordinary disability retirement benefit. In addition, the Tier 2 members of the Fire Depart- ment Pension Fund also currently receive a greater financial ordinary disability retirement benefit. The current statutory differences between the ordinary disability retirement benefit for a Tier 3 enhanced plan member, when compared to a Tier 2 member, create an unjust inequity for Tier 3 members who suffer a disabling condition through no fault of their own. This proposed legis- lation seeks to align the ordinary disability retirement benefit for Tier 3 enhanced plan members of the NYC Fire Department Pension Fund with their Tier 2 counterparts so that there is equity amongst Tier 3 and Tier 2 employees who work in the same profession. Indeed, Tier 3 enhanced plan members and their Tier 2 counterparts respond and work together to handle fires or other emergency calls in New York City. This legislative amendment would establish the same ordinary disability retirement pension benefit provisions within the NYC Fire Department Pension Fund, promoting consistency and fairness between members who are performing the identical emergency response work.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.