We got a series of questions from a public library system about New York State Retirement. Buckle up, this is a LOT.
QUESTION 1
I am currently the director of a municipal library, but I have many years in the NYS system and am fully vested from my previous job. I am not able to get the municipality to submit my hours, as I am not an employee of the town. Is there anything I can do about this?
ANSWER 1
Our Library has a CSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement with Employees, and individual employment contracts with administrators. All documents codify how many accrued vacation days and sick days an individual employee can “sell back” or be reimbursed for upon separation from service (resignation or retirement).
Depending on the employer, there are a lot of types of “accrued time,” but for this answer,[1] we’ll address the Big Five: vacation, personal, sick leave, prenatal care, and flex/comp.
Spring is upon us, so I am going to answer this question with the help of some veggies.
Are municipal public libraries obligated to provide retirement benefits for all employees? Does the library board need to approve a motion to provide retirement benefits for all employees or selected employees? Does the number of hours pertain? Or does the employee qualify for state retirement system benefits through the municipality? Again - is it based upon hours worked?
Retirement benefits play a critical part in employee recruitment and retention. Library leadership should carefully consider—and routinely re-evaluate—the role of retirement in the suite of benefits they use to attract and nurture personnel.
