207-A - Employee benefit fund; security services.
§ 207-a. Employee benefit fund; security services. 1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless otherwise expressly stated: a. "Director" shall mean the director of employee relations. b. "Employee" shall mean any person serving on a full-time annual salaried basis in the service of the state of New York who is appointed to and serving in a position in the collective negotiating unit designated as the security services unit or the security supervisors unit established pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law. 2. Where and to the extent that an agreement between the state and an employee organization entered into pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law or an interest arbitration award issued pursuant to subdivision four of section two hundred nine of the civil service law between the state and an employee organization so provides on behalf of employees in the collective negotiating unit designated as the security services unit established pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law, and upon audit and warrant of the comptroller, the director shall provide for the payment of moneys to such employee organization for the establishment and maintenance of an employee benefit fund established by the employee organization for the employees in the negotiating unit covered by the controlling provision of such agreement or award providing for such employee benefit fund, such amount to be determined consistent with said agreement or award on the basis of the number of full-time annual salaried employees, as determined by the comptroller, on the payroll on the last day of the payroll period in which March first, two thousand seven, falls for payments to be made on April first, two thousand seven, on the last day of the payroll period in which March first, two thousand eight falls for payments to be made on April first, two thousand eight. The amount, which will be determined pursuant to this section, for employees who are paid from special or administrative funds, other than the general fund or the capital projects fund of the state, will be paid from the appropriations as provided by law, in which case the comptroller will establish procedures to ensure repayment from said special or administrative funds. The director may enter into an agreement with an employee organization which sets forth the specific terms and conditions for the establishment and administration of an employee benefit fund as a condition for the transmittal of moneys pursuant to this section. 2-a. Where and to the extent that an agreement between the state and an employee organization entered into pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law or an interest arbitration award issued pursuant to subdivision four of section two hundred nine of the civil service law so provides on behalf of employees in the collective negotiating unit designated as the security supervisors unit established pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law, and upon audit and warrant of the comptroller, the director shall provide for the payment of moneys to such employee organization for the establishment and maintenance of an employee benefit fund established by the employee organization for the employees in the negotiating unit covered by the controlling provision of such agreement providing for such employee benefit fund, such amount to be determined consistent with said agreement on the basis of the number of full-time annual salaried employees, as determined by the comptroller, on the payroll on the last day of the payroll period in which March first, two thousand seven falls for payments to be made on April first, two thousand seven and, on the last day of the payroll period in which March first, two thousand eight falls for payments to be made on April first, two thousand eight. The amount, which will be determined pursuant to this section, for employees who are paid from special or administrative funds, other than the general fund or thecapital projects fund of the state, will be paid from the appropriations as provided by law, in which case the comptroller will establish procedures to ensure repayment from said special or administrative funds. The director may enter into an agreement with an employee organization which sets forth the specific terms and conditions of the establishment and administration of an employee benefit fund as a condition for the transmittal of moneys pursuant to this section. Such agreement shall provide that any contributions paid to the employee organization for the establishment and maintenance of the employee benefit fund pursuant to this section on behalf of eligible members of this unit shall be offset by contributions already made on behalf of those members in each of the covered years, where applicable. 3. Such employee organization shall periodically as specified by the director, supply a description of the benefits purchased or provided by the employee benefit fund, the utilization experience of the benefit fund, the amount disbursed for or the cost of such benefits and such other information as may be requested by the director. 4. The employee organization shall report to the comptroller, in the form and manner as he may direct, the amount it expended for the purchase of or providing for such benefits for any period specified by the comptroller. The comptroller is hereby authorized to audit the books of the employee organization with respect to any moneys transmitted to it pursuant to this section. 5. Neither the state nor any officer or employee of the state shall be a party to any contract or agreement entered into by any employee organization providing for benefits purchased in whole or in part with moneys transmitted to such employee organization pursuant to this section. No benefit provided pursuant to such contracts or agreements shall be payable by the state and all such benefits shall be paid by the responsible parties to such agreements or contracts pursuant to the terms and conditions of such agreements or contracts. The employee organization shall be a fiduciary with respect to employee benefit fund established pursuant to this section. 6. Nothing herein shall be deemed to diminish, impair or reduce any benefit otherwise payable to any employee established or authorized by law, rule or regulation by reason of such employee's lack of eligibility to participate in any benefit program established by an employee organization pursuant to this section. 7. In the event it is determined that the moneys transmitted to an employee organization pursuant to this section is income for which payroll deductions are required for income tax withholdings from the salary or wages of employees pursuant to law, the comptroller shall determine the amount of such withholdings required and deduct the amount so required to be withheld from the salary or wages of the employees concerned. 8. The employee organization shall indemnify the state for any claims whatsoever paid by it arising from the establishment, administration or discontinuation of any employee benefit provided pursuant to this section, together with reasonable costs of litigation arising therefrom. 9. Insofar as the provisions of this section are inconsistent with the provisions of any other law, general or special, the provisions of this section shall be controlling.