New York State

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION AFL-CIO                                                                                                           

LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT                                                                                            1-800-724-4997

100 State Street, Suite 1070                                                                                                                  1-518-432-4003

Albany, NY 12207                                                                                                         Fax:   1-518-432-7739

 

Roger E. Benson, President                                                                           Jane Hallum, Secretary Treasurer

 

 

 

SUPPORT

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

June 15, 2006

A11805\Rules

                          

The New York State Public Employees Federation, representing 54,000 Professional, Scientific, and Technical workers of New York State, supports this legislation.

 

Throughout the year, PEF has taken the position that the Governor’s early retirement incentive proposal (ERI) should be modified to eliminate targeting by management, to change the language to allow backfilling of vacated positions and to include an untargeted incentive window that would allow Tier 2, 3 or 4 members to retire at age 55 without penalty with 25 years of service.

 

Assembly bill A11805 includes the following:

·         During the period from the date the bill is enacted through March 31, 2007 there will be a 90-day “window” period. The dates would be set by the Director of GOER for State agencies.

·         During the window period, a member in Tier 2, 3 or 4 can retire with no penalty if they have 25 years of service and are age 55.

·         Retirement is at the employee’s option- it is not targeted by management.

·         The Director of GOER can deny participation to a position if it is critical to the maintenance of public health and safety.

·         Any member whose request is denied can challenge that denial in court.

·         There will be another 25/55 window during the period January 31, 2007- March 31, 2008

 

PEF has always supported the 25/55 concept because it reduces the inequities in the current system of pension tiers. Therefore, we support this bill.

                                                                                                           

However, PEF would also support an expanded version of this ERI bill that would also include the traditional ERI, applicable to all pension tiers. The traditional ERI provides additional pension service credit of up to three years. The traditional ERI language in such a bill should be modified to make the opportunity to participate fairer and to eliminate any obstacle to the filling of positions if cost savings are achieved.

 

For these reasons, the Public Employees Federation urges you to support this legislation.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Brian F. Curran, Legislative Director and Counsel