N.Y. General Municipal Law § 219-t: Contributions and benefits

§ 219-t. Contributions and benefits. 1. The sponsor of a supplemental

award program shall contribute to the program a fixed amount of money,

as determined by the sponsor, on behalf of each participant who is

credited with a decade of service. The minimum contribution shall be

twenty-five dollars per decade of service. The maximum contribution

shall be one hundred dollars per decade of service.

2. The maximum number of years for which a participant may receive a

contribution shall be determined by the sponsor, but in no event may a

participant receive a contribution of more than fifty years.

3. Supplemental awards shall be paid in the form of a lump sum. The

program may limit the forms of payment or impose conditions concerning

the availability of a form of payment.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a participant shall

be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental award only when the

participant has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award

established pursuant to article eleven-A, eleven-AA or eleven-AAA of

this chapter and has reached entitlement age. A participant who served

as a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker in the timeframe

specified by the program sponsor shall be entitled to apply for and

receive a supplemental award only when the participant has reached

entitlement age.

5. In the event that a participant becomes totally and permanently

disabled, as certified by the workers' compensation board or other

competent authority approved by the administrator, and the disability

prevents the participant from pursuing his or her normal occupation, the

participant shall be entitled to apply for and receive a supplemental

award, regardless of whether the participant has reached entitlement age

or has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award.

6. A supplemental award shall be paid only after an application is

made to the program administrator and the administrator approves the

application.

7. No supplemental award may be assigned or alienated except to

provide for the legally obligated support of minor children or spouse.

8. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, no member of the

governing board of a political subdivision of the state is prohibited by

virtue of being a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance company or

department from voting upon a resolution authorizing a referendum on the

establishment of a service award program if more than forty percent of

the governing board would otherwise be prohibited from voting upon such

resolution. Any member of such governing board voting upon such a

resolution who serves as a member of a volunteer fire or ambulance

company or department shall publicly disclose in writing to the

governing board such status. Such written disclosure shall be part of

and set forth in the official record of the proceedings of such

governing board.