N.Y. Retirement & Social Security Law § 800: Definitions

§ 800. Definitions. The following words and phrases as used in this

article shall have the following meanings unless a different meaning is

plainly required by the context.

a. "Public retirement system" shall mean the New York state and local

employees' retirement system, the New York state and local police and

fire retirement system, New York state teachers' retirement system, New

York city employees' retirement system, New York city teachers'

retirement system, New York city police pension fund, New York city fire

department pension fund and the New York city board of education

retirement system.

b. "Employer" or "participating employer" shall mean the state of New

York and any other unit of government or organization which makes

contributions to a public retirement system on behalf of its employees.

Provided however, that the provisions of this article shall not apply to

the city of New York until such city enacts a local law adopting this

article in its entirety. Until such date (subject to the provisions of

section eight hundred six of this article), no member of a public

retirement system: (i) who is an employee of the city of New York shall

have any rights created by the provisions of this article or (ii) who is

not an employee of the city of New York shall have any rights created by

this article resulting from any prior employment by the city of New

York. For the purposes herein: (i) the "city of New York" shall include:

(a) every employer other than a state employer which participates in the

New York city employees' retirement system, New York city teachers'

retirement system, New York city police pension fund, New York city fire

department pension fund or the New York city board of education

retirement system, and (b) a city of New York funded college of the

state university of New York located within such city, the city of New

York libraries subject to section thirty-two of this chapter, and the

civilian and uniformed employees described in subdivision sixteen of

section twelve hundred four of the public authorities law; and (ii) a

"state employer" shall mean the unified court system, the senior

colleges of the city university of New York and a public benefit

corporation, public corporation or subsidiary corporation a majority of

the members of which are appointed by the governor, designated by virtue

of their state office or appointed or designated by any combination of

the foregoing.

c. "Head of the retirement system" shall mean the state comptroller,

with respect to the state and local employees' retirement system and the

state and local police and fire retirement system, and the retirement

board of the other public retirement systems.