On the 18th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the following legislation into law:
- S.5898-D (Gaughran) / A.8278-C (Weprin): This legislation grants a ¾ disability pension to any member of the State and Local Employee Retirement System or the Teachers’ Retirement System who becomes sick or disabled due to an illness connected with their work during the rescue, recovery, or cleanup at the World Trade Center site.
- S.5890-A (Gounardes) / A.7819-A (Pheffer-Amato): This legislation makes it easier for volunteers at the World Trade Center site who now work for the state to file claims for sick leave by providing a process for public authorities and municipal corporations outside of New York City to obtain reimbursement for line of duty sick leave granted to their employees and allowing certain municipalities and authorities to use sick leave for qualifying World Trade Center conditions. This legislation also provides new protections for public employees who use this time from facing any adverse action from their employer.
CSEA supported these efforts to recognize the service of those who stepped up when it was most needed. Thousands of CSEA members and other public employees were among the responders to the attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people, including five of our brothers and sisters employed at the state Department of Taxation and Finance in Manhattan.
For more information or resources for members who responded to the 9/11 attacks, visit cseany.org/osh/wtc.
