A special 25-year retirement plan providing an alternative retirement benefit for institutional safety officers and safety and security officers employed by the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) became effective December 23, 1998. The features of this plan are briefly described in this brochure.

For information about other benefits available to you, please consult the summary of your regular plan, which is available on our website or from our Call Center.

Eligibility

If you are employed as an institutional safety officer or a safety and security officer with OMH or OPWDD, you are automatically covered by this retirement plan. We may request certification from agency officials to verify your eligibility.

Creditable Service

Creditable service includes all service performed as an institutional safety officer, a special police officer designated by the director of a State hospital, or a safety and security officer with OMH or OPWDD.

Certain military service is also creditable under this plan.

Retirement Benefit

Sections 89-t and 604(q) of the Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) provide a benefit equal to 50 percent of your final average salary on completion of 25 years of creditable service, regardless of age.

If you are over age 55 when you retire, we will compare the retirement benefit payable under Sections 89-t or 604(q) to the benefit payable under your regular plan and pay the greater of the two benefits.

Disability and Death Benefits

Please consult the summary of your regular retirement plan for information about disability or death benefits.

For More Information

If you have any questions or you need more information, you can:

• Email us;
• Phone our Call Center toll-free at 1-866-805-0990, or 518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area; or
• Write to us at:
  NYSLRS
  110 State Street
  Albany, NY 12244-0001

You can also make an appointment to meet with an Information Representative at any of our consultation sites throughout the State. A list of these consultation sites is available on our website or from our Call Center.

This publication provides a general summary of retirement benefits, rights and responsibilities, and is not a substitute for any New York State or federal law. For specific information about your benefits, please contact us.