Section 13-194. Correction officers' variable supplements fund  


Latest version.
  • 1. As used in
      this  section,  the following words and phrases shall have the following
      meanings, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:
        (a) "Association". The New York city correction  officers'  benevolent
      association.
        (b)  "Variable  supplements board". The board of trustees provided for
      in subdivision three of this section.
        (c) "Beneficiary". Any person who receives a retirement  allowance  by
      reason  of  having  retired,  on  or  after July first, nineteen hundred
      ninety-nine  for  service  as  a  correction  officer   with   immediate
      payability  of a retirement allowance, and with credit for (1) twenty or
      more  years  of  service,  if  such  correction  officer  retires  as  a
      participant in and pursuant to the provisions of a twenty-year uniformed
      correction  plan  (as  defined in paragraph (e) of this subdivision), or
      (2) twenty-five or more years of service,  if  such  correction  officer
      retires  as  a  participant  in  and  pursuant  to  the  provisions of a
      retirement plan other than  a  twenty-year  uniformed  correction  plan,
      provided,  however,  that  nothing  contained in this paragraph shall be
      construed  as  modifying  any  eligibility   requirement   for   service
      retirement in any service retirement plan.
        (d)  "Variable  supplement".  Any  sum  authorized  to  be  paid  to a
      beneficiary pursuant to the provisions of this section.
        (e) "Twenty-year uniformed correction plan". A service retirement plan
      in which any correction officer who has twenty or more years of  service
      is  eligible  to retire for service at any age with immediate payability
      of a retirement allowance.
        (f) "Correction officer". A member of the uniformed force of  the  New
      York  city  department  of  correction who is a member of the retirement
      system (as  defined  in  subdivision  one  of  section  13-101  of  this
      chapter).
        (g)  "Calendar  year not covered by a payment guarantee". Any calendar
      year beginning on or after  January  first,  two  thousand,  which  year
      precedes  the  first  calendar  year  in which a guarantee of payment of
      variable  supplements  takes  effect  pursuant  to  the  provisions   of
      paragraph (f) or paragraph (g) of subdivision three of this section.
        (h)  "Calendar year covered by a payment guarantee". The calendar year
      in which a guarantee of payment  of  variable  supplements  first  takes
      effect  pursuant  to paragraph (f) or paragraph (g) of subdivision three
      of this section, and any succeeding calendar year.
        2. (a) There is  hereby  established  a  fund,  to  be  known  as  the
      correction  officers' variable supplements fund. Such fund shall consist
      of such monies as  may  be  paid  thereto  from  the  retirement  system
      pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  sections  13-195 and 13-195.1 of this
      chapter and all other monies received by such fund from any other source
      pursuant to law.
        (b) It is hereby declared  by  the  legislature  that  the  correction
      officers'  variable  supplements  fund  shall  not  be, and shall not be
      construed to constitute, a pension or retirement  system  or  fund,  and
      that  it  shall function as a means whereby payments, not constituting a
      pension or retirement allowance, may be  made  in  accordance  with  the
      provisions of this section, to eligible beneficiaries as a supplement to
      benefits received by them pursuant to this title. The legislature hereby
      reserves to the state and itself the right and power to amend, modify or
      repeal any or all of the provisions of this section.
        3.  (a)  The  correction  officers' variable supplements fund shall be
      administered by a board of trustees which shall, subject  to  applicable
      provisions of law, from time to time establish rules and regulations for
    
      the  administration and transaction of the business of such fund and for
      the control and disposition thereof.
        (b) Such variable supplements board shall consist of:
        (1)  The  representative  of the mayor who is a member of the board of
      trustees of the retirement system, who shall be  entitled  to  cast  one
      vote.  The  mayor  may, by instrument in writing filed in his office and
      with the variable supplements board, designate one or  more  members  of
      his office to act in the place of such representative at meetings of the
      board, in the event of such representative's absence therefrom.
        (2)  The  comptroller  of  the city, who shall be entitled to cast one
      vote.  Any deputy comptroller authorized pursuant to  subdivision  b  of
      section ninety-four of the New York city charter, to act in the place of
      the  comptroller  as a member of the board of trustees of the retirement
      system, may be authorized by the comptroller,  in  accordance  with  the
      provisions  of  such subdivision, to act in the place of the comptroller
      as a member of the variable supplements board.
        (2-a) The commissioner of finance, who shall be entitled to  cast  one
      vote.  Such  commissioner  may, by instrument in writing filed in his or
      her office and with the variable supplements  board,  designate  one  or
      more members of his or her office to act in his or her place at meetings
      of such board, in the event of such commissioner's absence therefrom.
        (3)  One  member  of  the  association  designated by it, who shall be
      entitled to cast one and one-half votes. The member so designated  shall
      be  an  officer  of  the  association. Such designee may at any time, by
      written  authorization  filed  with  the  variable  supplements   board,
      authorize  any other officer of the association to act in his place as a
      member of the board in the event of such  designee's  absence  from  any
      meeting  thereof;  provided  that  the  bylaws  or  constitution  of the
      association provide for the designation of  a  representative  for  such
      purpose.
        (4)  One  representative of the correction captains, designated by the
      recognized employee organization representing such  correction  captains
      for   collective  bargaining  purposes.  Such  representative  shall  be
      entitled to cast one-half vote. Such representative may at any time,  by
      written   authorization  filed  with  the  variable  supplements  board,
      authorize any other officer of such organization to act in his place  as
      a  member  of the board in the event of such designee's absence from any
      meeting thereof.
        (c) Every act of the variable supplements board shall be by resolution
      which shall be adopted only by a vote of at least  three-fifths  of  the
      whole  number  of  votes  authorized to be cast by all of the members of
      such board.
        (d) The actuary appointed by the board of the retirement system  shall
      be the technical advisor of the variable supplements board.
        (d-1)  The  retirement system shall assign to the variable supplements
      board such number of clerical and other assistants as may  be  necessary
      for the performance of its functions.
        (e)(1)  As  of  October  thirty-first,  two thousand and as of October
      thirty-first of each succeeding calendar year not covered by  a  payment
      guarantee  (as  defined  in  paragraph  (g)  of  subdivision one of this
      section), the actuary referred to in paragraph (d) of  this  subdivision
      shall  value the assets of the variable supplements fund, subject to the
      provisions of paragraph (i) of this subdivision, and make an estimate of
      the total  amount  of  variable  supplements  which  would  be  payable,
      pursuant  to  subdivision  four  of this section and subparagraph two of
      this paragraph, to beneficiaries for such calendar year for  which  such
      valuation  and  estimate  are  made, if such actuary determines that the
    
      value of such assets, as of October thirty-first of such calendar  year,
      is equal to or greater than such total amount of variable supplements.
        (2)  If  such  actuary determines that the value of such assets, as of
      October thirty-first of any such calendar year for which a valuation and
      estimate are required by subparagraph one of this paragraph, is equal to
      or greater than such estimated  total  amount  of  variable  supplements
      which  would  be  payable  for  such  calendar  year,  then the variable
      supplements which, upon a favorable determination of the  actuary  under
      this  paragraph,  are declared by subdivision four of this section to be
      payable to beneficiaries for such calendar year or a part thereof  shall
      be  paid  by  the  variable  supplements fund, in the applicable amounts
      prescribed by such  subdivision  four,  to  beneficiaries  on  or  about
      December fifteenth of such calendar year.
        (3)  If  such  actuary determines that the value of such assets, as of
      October thirty-first of any such calendar year for which a valuation and
      estimate are required by subparagraph one of  this  paragraph,  is  less
      than  such estimated total amount of variable supplements which would be
      payable for such calendar year pursuant to a favorable determination  of
      the  actuary,  then  no  beneficiary  shall  be  entitled to receive any
      variable supplement for such calendar year or any part  thereof  and  no
      variable  supplement  shall be paid to any beneficiary for such calendar
      year or any part thereof.
        (4) In any case where, pursuant to the provisions of subparagraphs one
      and three of this paragraph, no variable supplements are payable  for  a
      calendar   year   or  part  thereof  to  any  beneficiary,  no  variable
      supplements for such calendar year or part thereof  shall  at  any  time
      thereafter be payable and no beneficiary shall at any time thereafter be
      entitled to receive a variable supplement for such calendar year or part
      thereof.
        (f)(1)  As  of  October  thirty-first,  two thousand and as of October
      thirty-first of each succeeding calendar year up to  and  including  the
      earlier  of  (i)  the first calendar year covered by a payment guarantee
      (as defined in paragraph (h) of subdivision one of this section) or (ii)
      the calendar year two thousand eighteen,  the  actuary  referred  to  in
      paragraph (d) of this subdivision shall value the assets of the variable
      supplements  fund,  subject  to  the provisions of paragraph (i) of this
      subdivision, and shall estimate the present value, as  of  such  October
      thirty-first, of all variable supplements which the variable supplements
      fund, under the provisions of subdivision four of this section, would be
      obligated  to pay to beneficiaries with the respect to the calendar year
      in which such October thirty-first occurs and  all  succeeding  calendar
      years up to and including the calendar year two thousand eighteen, if it
      were assumed that such variable supplements were payable with respect to
      all  such  calendar years occurring during the period beginning with the
      calendar year in which such October thirty-first occurs and extending to
      and including the calendar year two thousand eighteen.
        (2) If the value of such assets as of any such October thirty-first is
      equal to or greater  than  such  estimated  present  value  of  variable
      supplements as of such October thirty-first:
        (i)  variable supplements, as provided for in subdivision four of this
      section, shall be paid to beneficiaries for the calendar year  in  which
      such  October thirty-first occurs and for each subsequent calendar year;
      and
        (ii) paragraph (e) of this  subdivision  shall  be  inapplicable  with
      respect  to entitlement of beneficiaries to variable supplements for the
      calendar years referred to in item (i) of this subparagraph; and
        (iii) payment of all variable supplements  payable  for  the  calendar
      years  referred  to  in  item (i) of this subparagraph is hereby made an
    
      obligation of the city and the city hereby guarantees that such variable
      supplements shall be paid to all beneficiaries for such calendar years.
        (g)  If  a  guarantee  of payment of variable supplements, pursuant to
      paragraph (f) of this subdivision does not  take  effect  prior  to  the
      calendar  year  two thousand nineteen, variable supplements, as provided
      for in subdivision four of this section, shall be paid pursuant to  such
      subdivision  four  for  the calendar year two thousand nineteen and each
      subsequent calendar year. Such payment is hereby made an  obligation  of
      the  city  and the city hereby guarantees that such variable supplements
      shall be paid to all beneficiaries for such calendar years.
        (h)(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (i) of this subdivision,
      as of June thirtieth next succeeding the first calendar year covered  by
      a  payment  guarantee (as defined in paragraph (h) of subdivision one of
      this section) and as of each  succeeding  June  thirtieth,  the  actuary
      referred  to in paragraph (d) of this subdivision shall make a valuation
      of the assets and  liabilities  of  the  variable  supplements  fund  in
      accordance with the requirements of the succeeding subparagraphs of this
      paragraph.  For  the  purposes  of paragraph (g) of subdivision three of
      section 13-195.1 of this chapter, such valuation as  of  any  such  June
      thirtieth  shall be the valuation for the basis fiscal year related to a
      payment guarantee (as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision  three  of
      such section 13-195.1) in which such June thirtieth occurs.
        (2)  The  actuary shall base such annual valuation of liabilities only
      (i)  upon  the  persons  who,  as  of  each  such  June  thirtieth,  are
      beneficiaries  and  (ii) upon the persons who, being correction officers
      in service as of such June thirtieth, may  be  actuarially  expected  to
      retire  thereafter as correction officers for service with the number of
      years of  service  required  to  become  beneficiaries  (as  defined  in
      paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section).
        (3) The liabilities determined in such valuation shall be equal to the
      actuarial  present  value  of  accumulated  plan benefits. The actuarial
      assumptions used by the actuary  in  making  such  annual  valuation  of
      liabilities,  including  assumptions  as  to interest rate, mortality of
      beneficiaries and number of correction officers in service  as  of  June
      thirtieth  who  will  retire as correction officers for service with the
      number of years of service required to become beneficiaries (as  defined
      in  paragraph  (c) of subdivision one of this section), shall be adopted
      by the variable supplements board on the recommendation of the actuary.
        (i) For the purposes of the valuation of the assets  of  the  variable
      supplements  fund  pursuant  to  paragraphs  (e),  (f)  and  (h) of this
      subdivision, such assets shall be valued at their fair market  value  as
      of the applicable date with respect to which such assets are required to
      be valued under the applicable provisions of such paragraphs.
        (j)  Whenever variable supplements are payable to beneficiaries of the
      correction  officers'  variable  supplements  fund   pursuant   to   the
      provisions  of  this  section,  such  payment,  except  as  provided  in
      paragraphs (f) and (g) of this subdivision, shall not be  an  obligation
      of  the city and the city, except as provided for in such paragraphs (f)
      and (g), shall not guarantee such payment.
        4. (a) The variable supplements fund shall pay variable supplements to
      beneficiaries in accordance  with  the  succeeding  paragraphs  of  this
      subdivision.
        (b)  No  variable  supplements shall be payable to any beneficiary for
      any calendar year or part thereof preceding January first, two thousand.
        (c) For calendar  years  succeeding  December  thirty-first,  nineteen
      hundred  ninety-nine,  the  variable  supplements  fund,  subject to the
      provisions of paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision three  of  this
      section,  and provided any applicable conditions precedent to payability
    
      as prescribed by such provisions  are  satisfied,  and  subject  to  the
      provisions  of  paragraph  (e)  of  this  subdivision, shall pay to each
      beneficiary, who retired  on  or  after  July  first,  nineteen  hundred
      ninety-nine   and   prior  to  January  first,  two  thousand,  variable
      supplements payments as follows:
        (1) for each calendar year following calendar  year  nineteen  hundred
      ninety-nine, but not including the calendar year of beneficiary's death,
      a  single  annual  payment  to be paid on or about December fifteenth of
      such year, as follows:
                     CALENDAR                      SUPPLEMENT
                     YEAR
     
                     2000                          $ 8,500
                     2001                          $ 9,000
                     2002                          $ 9,500
                     2003                          $10,000
                     2004                          $10,500
                     2005                          $11,000
                     2006                          $11,500
                     2007                          $12,000
                     2008                          $12,000
                     2009                          $12,000
                     2010                          $12,000
                     2011                          $12,000
                     2012                          $12,000
                     2013                          $12,000
                     2014                          $12,000
                     2015                          $12,000
                     2016                          $12,000
                     2017                          $12,000
                     2018                          $12,000
                     2019 and
                     each calendar
                     year thereafter               $12,000
     
      (2) for  the  calendar  year  of  the  beneficiary's  death  (for  those
      beneficiaries  who  die  on  or  after February first, two thousand), an
      amount  calculated  by  multiplying  one-twelfth  times  the  supplement
      applicable  to  the year of death, as provided in the chart set forth in
      subparagraph one of this paragraph,  by  the  number  of  full  calendar
      months  the  beneficiary  lived  during  that calendar year prior to the
      month of his or her death.
        (d) For calendar  years  succeeding  December  thirty-first,  nineteen
      hundred  ninety-nine,  the  variable  supplements  fund,  subject to the
      provisions of paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision three  of  this
      section  and  provided any applicable conditions precedent to payability
      under such provisions are satisfied, and subject to  the  provisions  of
      paragraph  (e) of this subdivision, shall pay to each person who retired
      for service on or after January first, two thousand so as  to  become  a
      beneficiary, variable supplements payments as follows:
        (1)  for  the  calendar  year  of  retirement, an amount calculated by
      multiplying one-twelfth times the supplement applicable to the  year  of
      retirement,  as  provided for in the chart set forth in subparagraph one
      of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, by the number of  calendar  months
      elapsing  from  and  including  the  month  next  following the month of
      retirement to the end of such calendar year of retirement, such  payment
      to be made on or about December fifteenth of such year;
    
        (2)  for  each calendar year following the year of retirement, but not
      including the calendar year of the beneficiary's death, a single  annual
      payment  equal  to the supplement provided for with respect to each such
      calendar year as set forth in the chart in subparagraph one of paragraph
      (c)  of  this  subdivision,  which  payment  shall  be  made on or about
      December fifteenth of such year;
        (3) for the calendar  year  of  the  beneficiary's  death  (for  those
      beneficiaries  who  die  on  or  after February first, two thousand), an
      amount  calculated  by  multiplying  one-twelfth  times  the  supplement
      applicable  to the year of death, as provided for in the chart set forth
      in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, by the  number
      of  full calendar months the beneficiary lived during that calendar year
      prior to the month of his or her death; and
        (4) if the retirement and death of a beneficiary  occur  in  the  same
      calendar  year,  aggregate payments under subparagraphs one and three of
      this paragraph  shall  be  made  only  in  respect  to  calendar  months
      following the month of retirement and preceding the month of death.
        (e)  (1) (i) Subject to the provisions of items (ii) and (iii) of this
      subparagraph,  on  or  after  January  first,  two  thousand,  where   a
      beneficiary   is  entitled  to  receive  variable  supplements  payments
      pursuant  to  paragraph  (c)  or  (d)  of  this  subdivision,  and  that
      beneficiary  is  also  entitled  to  receive  a  supplemental retirement
      allowance or cost-of-living adjustment pursuant to any  other  provision
      of  law  enacted  on  or  after  the effective date of the chapter which
      amended this subdivision (hereinafter referred to as "other supplemental
      retirement allowance"), the amount of such variable  supplement  payable
      for  a calendar year or a part of such calendar year to such beneficiary
      shall be reduced by the amount of  such  other  supplemental  retirement
      allowance  that  is  payable to such beneficiary to the extent that such
      other supplemental retirement allowance  is  attributable  to  the  same
      calendar year or part of such calendar year.
        (ii)  For  any beneficiary referred to in paragraph (c) or (d) of this
      subdivision, whose  variable  supplements  payments  are  being  reduced
      pursuant   to   item   (i)  of  this  subparagraph  because  such  other
      supplemental retirement allowance is also payable to  that  beneficiary,
      the  reduction  provided  for  in  such  item (i) shall cease as to such
      beneficiary on the later  of  (A)  the  first  day  of  the  month  next
      following  the month in which such beneficiary attains age sixty-two; or
      (B) January first, two thousand seven.
        (iii) In any case where the reduction of variable supplements payments
      to a beneficiary has ceased pursuant to item (ii) of this  subparagraph,
      that  beneficiary, for the purpose of determining his or her eligibility
      for and the amount of any other supplemental retirement allowance, shall
      be deemed to have retired on the date of the cessation of such reduction
      specified in the applicable provisions of such item (ii).
        (2) The legislature hereby  declares  that  the  variable  supplements
      authorized by this section and the granting and receipt thereof:
        (i)  shall  not  create  or  constitute  membership  in  a  pension or
      retirement system and shall not create or constitute a contract with any
      beneficiary or with any correction officer; and
        (ii) shall not constitute a pension or retirement allowance or benefit
      under the retirement system or otherwise.
        (3) Except as otherwise provided in sections 13-195  and  13-195.1  of
      this  chapter,  nothing contained in this section shall create or impose
      any obligation on the part of the retirement system,  or  the  funds  or
      monies  thereof, or authorize such funds or monies to be appropriated or
      used for any payment under this section or for any purpose thereof.
    
        (f) Beneficiaries shall be eligible to  receive  variable  supplements
      pursuant  to this section, notwithstanding any other provision of law to
      the contrary.
        (g) The monies or assets of the variable supplements fund shall not be
      used  for  any  purpose,  other  than  payment  of  variable supplements
      pursuant to the provisions of this section,  except  that  they  may  be
      invested as authorized by subdivision six of this section.
        5.  The  correction officers' variable supplements fund shall have the
      powers and privileges of a corporation  and  by  its  name  all  of  its
      business  shall  be  transacted, all of its funds invested, all warrants
      for money drawn and payments made, and all of its  cash  and  securities
      and other property held.
        6.  (a)  The  members  of  the variable supplements board shall be the
      trustees of the monies  received  by  or  belonging  to  the  correction
      officers'  variable  supplements  fund  pursuant  to  this  section and,
      subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of  this  subdivision,  shall
      have  full  power  to  invest  same,  subject  to the terms, conditions,
      limitations and restrictions imposed by law upon savings  banks  in  the
      making  and  disposing  of  investments by savings banks; and subject to
      like terms, conditions,  limitations  and  restrictions,  such  trustees
      shall  have  full  power  to  hold,  purchase, sell, assign, transfer or
      dispose of any of the securities or investments in  which  any  of  such
      monies  shall  have  been  invested  as  well as of the proceeds of such
      investments and of any monies belonging to such fund.
        (b) The members of the variable supplements board shall have the  same
      investment powers and power to delegate such powers as are vested by the
      code  and  the  retirement and social security law in the members of the
      board of trustees of the retirement system.
        7. The variable supplements board shall publish annually in  the  City
      Record  a  report  for  the  preceding  year  showing  the assets of the
      correction officers' variable supplements fund and a statement as to the
      accumulated cash and  securities  of  such  fund  as  certified  by  the
      comptroller,  and  shall  set  forth  in  such  report such other facts,
      recommendations and data as the board may deem pertinent.
        8. The comptroller shall be custodian of the monies and assets of  the
      correction  officers'  variable  supplements  fund.  All such monies and
      assets included in such fund or which shall  hereafter  accrue  to  such
      fund shall be in his custody for the purposes of this section subject to
      the  direction,  control  and  approval of such board as to disposition,
      investment, management and report. All payments from such fund shall  be
      made  by  the  comptroller upon a voucher signed by the secretary of the
      variable supplements board.
        9. Except as provided in this  section,  the  trustees  and  employees
      assigned  to  the  variable supplements board are prohibited from having
      any interest, directly or indirectly, in the gains  or  profits  of  any
      investment  of  the correction officers' variable supplements fund or as
      such, directly or indirectly, from receiving any pay  or  emolument  for
      their services. The trustees and such employees, directly or indirectly,
      for  themselves or as agents or partners of others, shall not borrow any
      of its funds or deposits or in any manner use the same  except  to  make
      such current and necessary payments as are authorized by such board.
        10.  The  superintendent  of  insurance may examine the affairs of the
      correction officers' variable supplements fund with the same powers  and
      jurisdiction  as  are applicable in the case of an examination of a life
      insurance company by the  superintendent  under  article  three  of  the
      insurance  law. The correction officers' variable supplements fund shall
      be subject to assessment for expenses  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of
      section  three  hundred  thirteen of the insurance law, but shall not be
    
      subject to assessment for  expenses  under  any  of  the  provisions  of
      section three hundred thirty-two of the insurance law.