Provides for the payment of the salary, wages, medical and hospital expenses of any city of Yonkers detention officer injured or becoming ill in the line of duty.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2801
SPONSOR: Pretlow TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation
to disability coverage for detention officers employed by the city of
Yonkers
PURPOSE: To provide for the payment of salary, wages, medical and
hospital expenses of any city of Yonkers detention officer injured in
the line of duty.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Amends subdivision 1 of section 207-c of the
general municipal law to include Yonkers detention officers who are in
the performance of his duties or who is taken sick as a result of the
performance of his duties so as to necessitate medical or other lawful
remedial treatment shall be Paid by the municipality by which he is
employed the full amount of his regular salary or wages until his disa-
bility arising therefrom has ceased, and in addition such municipality
shall be liable for all medical treatment and hospital care necessitated
by reason of such injury or illness.
JUSTIFICATION: The Yonkers Detention Officers are a small unit
comprised of 23 officers, supervisor included. This bill would allow
them to have parity with other law enforcement agencies across the
state. Detention officers experience daily hazards while performing
their duties such as airborne pathogen, TB, Hepatitis and other conta-
gion, violent prisoner confrontation, constant exposure to noise levels
and transporting prisoners in excess of 14,000 inmates annually, includ-
ing high profile and high risk prisoners. Detention officers have high
stress related incidents such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and
injuries during prisoner violent confrontation. They also have exposure
to hazardous drug paraphernalia during search of prisoners and cells,
hypodermic needles and crack pipes. Detention officers are also affected
by the different shifts they work (12-B, 8-4,4-12) which statistically
have been proven to shorten life expectancy and create medical problems
as well.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 01/09/13referred to local governments
01/08/14referred to local governments
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately, provided that
the amendments to subdivision 1 of section 207-c of the general munici-
pal law made by section one of this act shall be subject to the expira-
tion and reversion of such subdivision pursuant to section 7 of chapter
628 of the laws of 1991, as amended, when upon such date the provisions
of section two of this act shall take effect.
