N.Y. Public Authorities Law § 2854: Severance packages

§ 2854. Severance packages. 1. For the purposes of this section:

(a) "at-will employee" shall mean an employee of any entity organized

under this chapter. Any employee that is covered by a collective

bargaining agreement or union contract shall not be considered an

at-will employee for the purpose of this section.

(b) "severance pay for an at-will employee" shall include benefits or

compensation with a quantifiable monetary value that are provided for an

at-will employee upon termination of employment and shall not be

considered part of the at-will employee's annual wages and benefits.

"Severance pay for an at-will employee" shall not include payments for

accumulated vacation, accumulated sick leave, and accumulated sick leave

liquidated to cover the cost of group term insurance or payments of

periodic contributions by an employer toward premiums for group

insurance policies.

2. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary,

severance pay provided for an at-will employee leaving employment shall

not exceed an amount equivalent to their prior three months' salary.

3. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary,

the severance pay for an at-will employee shall be excluded from

retirement deductions and from any calculations of retirement benefits.

4. If a retired or terminated at-will employee dies before all of

their severance pay has been disbursed, the balance due must be paid to

a named beneficiary or, lacking one, to the decedent's estate.

5. No collective bargaining agreement or union contract shall be

altered by the provisions of this section.