NY Gen Mun L § 219-F (2021)
2021 New York Laws GMU - General Municipal Article 11-AA - Defined Contribution Service Award Programs for Volunteer Ambulance Workers 219-F - Contributions and Benefits.

§ 219-f. Contributions and benefits. 1. The sponsor of a service 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 year of ambulance service. The minimum contribution shall be  one   hundred  twenty  dollars  per  year  of  ambulance  service. The maximum   contribution shall be twelve  hundred  dollars  per  year  of  ambulance   service.2. A service award program may provide for contributions for ambulance   service  rendered  by  a  participant  during  one  or  more of the five   calendar years immediately preceding the year in which  the  program  is   adopted,  but  only  to  the  extent  authorized pursuant to section two   hundred nineteen-d of this article. In order  to  determine  eligibility   for  such  contributions,  each ambulance company shall review its prior   membership rosters and service records to determine the number of  years   for which each participant is entitled to a contribution. In making such   determination,  the  point  system  established  pursuant to subdivision   three of section two hundred nineteen-e of this article shall  be  used.   The  president,  secretary  and  chief  or  comparable  officers  of the   ambulance company shall submit to the governing board of the  sponsor  a   certified  list  of  participants who are entitled to such contributions   and the number of years for which each  participant  is  entitled  to  a   contribution,  and  such membership and service records as the governing   board may require. The list shall be submitted to and  approved  by  the   governing  board,  and posted by the ambulance company, at the same time   and in the same manner as provided in subdivisions nine  through  eleven   of section two hundred nineteen-e of this article, and each person named   on  the  list  approved  by the governing board shall be entitled to the   number of contributions indicated thereon. A person whose name does  not   appear  on  the  list as submitted to or approved by the governing board   shall have  the  administrative  and  judicial  remedies  set  forth  in   subdivision eleven of section two hundred nineteen-e of this article.3.  The  maximum number of years for which a participant may receive a   contribution shall be forty years.4.  A  service  award  shall  be  the  amount   resulting   from   the   contributions  made  by  the  sponsor  on  behalf  of a participant less   necessary administrative costs and shall include interest  and/or  other   earnings  resulting  from investment of the contributions, determined as   of the valuation date or dates provided  for  in  the  program.  Service   awards  shall  be paid in the form of a lump sum, a life annuity with or   without survivor benefits, a period certain annuity, or any  other  form   provided under the program, provided, that all forms of payment shall be   actuarially equivalent to each other. The program may limit the forms of   payment  or  impose  conditions concerning the availability of a form of   payment.5. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a  participant  shall   be  entitled  to  apply  for  and  receive a service award only when the   participant has acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service  award  and   has reached entitlement age.6.  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 service  award,   regardless of whether the participant has reached entitlement age or has   acquired a nonforfeitable right to a service award.7.  In  the  event  of  the  death of a participant who has acquired a   nonforfeitable right to a service  award  and  who  has  not  previously   received  all  or  a  portion  of  a  service  award,  the beneficiaries    designated by the participant or,  if  no  beneficiaries  have  been  so   designated, the participant's estate, shall be entitled to apply for and   receive  the  participant's  service  award,  regardless  of whether the   participant reached entitlement age before death.8.  A service award shall be paid only after an application is made to   the  program  administrator   and   the   administrator   approves   the   application.  In  the  event  that  a participant dies after receiving a   portion of a service award, the remaining portion, if any, shall be paid   in accordance with the terms and  conditions  of  the  form  of  payment   selected by the participant prior to death.9. No service award may be assigned or alienated except to provide for   the legally obligated support of minor children or a spouse.10.  Payment  of  a  service  award  shall  not  impair  any rights of   volunteer ambulance  workers  under  the  volunteer  ambulance  workers'   benefit law or any other law.