Chapter 113 - Municipal Employees

Sec. 7-408. Civil service board; appointment; terms of office; removal. Within thirty days after such official determination, the chief executive officer of such political subdivision shall appoint three persons as civil service commissioners to hold office, one for two years, one for four years and one for six years, and until their respective successors are appointed and have qualified, which commissioners shall constitute the civil service board; and, biennially thereafter, such chief executive officer shall appoint one commissioner to serve for six years and until his successor is appointed and has qualified. Two commissioners shall constitute a quorum. All appointments to said board, both original and to fill vacancies, shall be so made that not more than two members shall, at the time of appointment, be members of the same political party, and no such commissioner shall, during his term of office, hold any other lucrative office or employment under the United States or the state or any political subdivision thereof having employees classified under the provisions of this part. Each commissioner, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take the oath prescribed for executive officers. The chief executive officer may remove any commissioner appointed by him, for lack of moral character, incompetency, neglect of duty, malfeasance or partisan activity while in office, but he shall, at the same time, file with the clerk of the superior court for the appropriate judicial district a report, in writing, of such removal, with his reasons therefor. In case of any vacancy, the unexpired portion of the term shall be filled by appointment by such chief executive officer.

(1949 Rev., S. 870; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127.)

History: P.A. 78-280 substituted “judicial district” for “county”.

Causes for removal of member are listed and local ordinance purporting to prohibit members of board from engaging in political activity is void. 22 CS 110.

Sec. 7-409. Purpose of part. Rules. The purpose of this part is to provide means for selecting and promoting each public official and employee upon the sole basis of his proven ability to perform the duties of his office or employment more efficiently than any other candidate therefor, and such board shall make rules to carry out such purpose, shall investigate the enforcement and effect of such rules and shall have power to secure, by subpoena, the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books and papers relevant to such investigation.

(1949 Rev., S. 871.)

Cited. 185 C. 88; 202 C. 28.

Cited. 39 CS 123.

Sec. 7-410. Civil service board; president; chief examiner. The board shall select one of its members as president and shall, after holding a competitive test therefor, employ a chief examiner whose duty it shall be, under the direction of the board, to superintend tests. The chief examiner shall be, ex officio, secretary of the board and shall, under the direction of the board, keep the minutes of all its proceedings, preserve all reports made to it, keep a record and index of all tests held under its direction and perform such other like duties as the board prescribes. The files and records of the board shall be open at all reasonable hours to inspection by the public. The board may incur necessary expenses for travel, compensation of secretary, clerk hire, stationery and other incidental expenses.

(1949 Rev., S. 872.)

Sec. 7-411. Classification of officers and employees. Such civil service board shall, within ninety days after the initial appointment of such commissioners, classify all the officers and employees in the departments for which the merit system has been adopted, except elective officers, as provided in section 7-407; and the board may also, in its discretion, exempt from test and competition the officer responsible for the policy of any department, and one deputy, private secretary or other confidential employee of such officer. The officers and employees so classified by such board shall constitute the classified civil service, and no appointment of any such officer or employment of any such employee shall be made except in accordance with the rules hereinafter provided for.

(1949 Rev., S. 873.)

Cited. 162 C. 492.

Sec. 7-412. Publication of rules. All rules made as herein provided and all changes therein shall be printed forthwith for distribution by such board, and the board shall give public notice of the place or places where copies of such rules may be obtained. In each such publication shall be specified the date, not less than ten days subsequent to the date of such publication, when such rules shall take effect. The rules affecting any test shall in no case be changed after the publication of notice of such test.

(1949 Rev., S. 874; P.A. 78-280, S. 2, 127; P.A. 00-191, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 78-280 substituted “judicial district” for “county”; P.A. 00-191 deleted provision requiring that copies of rules and changes be filed with court clerk and preserved and indexed by clerk.

Cited. 162 C. 492.

Sec. 7-413. Examination of applicants. Certification. Each applicant for an office or employment in such classified service, except those exempted by or as provided by this part, shall be subjected to a test, which shall be public and competitive, subject to limitations specified in the rules of the board as to residence, age, health, habits and moral character. Such tests shall be practical in their character and shall relate to those matters which will fairly disclose the relative capacity of the persons tested to discharge the duties of the position to which they seek to be appointed, and may include tests of mental qualification, of physical qualification and health and, when appropriate, of manual or technical skill. No questions in any test shall relate to political or religious opinions or affiliations. When a training school has been established in any institution, the pupils thereof may be classified, under the rules of the commission, as apprentices, subject to promotion to higher grades in the service as provided in this part. The rating of apprentices, unskilled laborers and domestic servants need not relate to more than capacity and fitness for labor, habits of industry and sobriety and honesty. The board shall control all tests and may, whenever a test is to be made, designate a suitable number of persons to be examiners or the commissioners may, at any time, act as such examiners without appointing other examiners. Notice of the time, place and general scope of each test shall be given by the board, by ample publication for three weeks preceding such test, and such notice shall also be posted by such board in a conspicuous place in its office for three weeks before such test. Such further written or printed notice of tests may be given as the board prescribes. Application for tests shall be made in writing, to the board, on a form prescribed by the board, not less than forty-eight hours before the test is to take place. The board may refuse to certify an applicant who is found to lack any preliminary requirement, established by its rules, for the test or position for which he applies, or who is found physically unfit to perform the duties attaching to such position, or who is addicted to the use of intoxicating beverages to excess, or who has been guilty of a crime or of infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct, or who has, within two years, been dismissed from the public service for delinquency or misconduct, or who has intentionally made a false statement of any material fact or practiced or attempted to practice any deception or fraud in his application or in his test or in securing his eligibility to appointment.

(1949 Rev., S. 875.)

Cited. 147 C. 290.

It is the function of the civil service agency to determine fitness for position and its judgment will not be interfered with by courts in absence of proof of its bad faith or arbitrary, capricious or illegal action. 27 CS 1.

Sec. 7-414. Classified service; eligible list; promotion. The board shall, from the returns or reports of the tests, prepare a register or eligible list, for each grade or class of positions in the classified service, of the persons who attain such minimum mark as may be fixed by the board for any part of such test as fixed by the rules of such board and who are otherwise eligible. Such persons shall take rank as candidates upon such register or list in the order of their relative excellence as determined by test, without reference to priority of time of test. The board shall provide by its rules for promotions in such classified service on a basis of ascertained merit in service, seniority in service and special test. The board shall submit to the appointing power for each promotion the names of not more than three applicants having the highest rating. The method of testing and the rules governing the same and the method of certifying shall, as far as possible, be the same as provided for applicants for original appointment.

(1949 Rev., S. 876.)

Sec. 7-415. Credit allowances to veterans in examinations for original appointment. Any veteran who served in time of war, if he is not eligible for disability compensation or pension from the United States through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and if he has attained at least the minimum earned rating on any examination held for the purpose of establishing an employment list for original appointment shall have five points added to his earned rating. Any such veteran, if he is eligible for such disability compensation or pension and if he has attained at least the minimum earned rating on any such examination, shall have ten points added to his earned rating. Names of veterans shall be placed on the list of eligibles in the order of such augmented rating. Credits shall be based upon examinations with a possible rating of one hundred points. No such points shall be added to any earned rating in any civil service or merit examination except as provided in this section, the provisions of any municipal charter or special act notwithstanding.

(1949 Rev., S. 877; 1957, P.A. 163, S. 13; 1959, P.A. 688, S. 3; 1971, P.A. 551, S. 1; P.A. 18-72, S. 20.)

History: 1959 act deleted reference to definition of veteran in Sec. 27-103; 1971 act specified employment lists for “original employment” rather than lists “as provided in section 7-414” and prohibited adding points except as provided in section; P.A. 18-72 replaced “Veterans' Administration” with “United States Department of Veterans Affairs”.

Cited. 185 C. 445.

Cited. 10 CA 209.

Cited. 41 CS 548.

Sec. 7-416. Appointments. The appointing officer under whom a position classified under the provisions of this part is to be filled shall notify the board of that fact, and the board shall certify to him the names and addresses of a limited number of candidates, as provided in its rules, who stand highest upon the register for the class or grade to which such position belongs, and the appointing officer shall select one of the persons so certified. After a candidate has been certified three times by the board and has not been accepted, the name of such candidate may be stricken from the register. Emergency lists of persons who have passed the required tests may be maintained for any grade or class in which the numbers employed vary so greatly, in short intervals of time, that certification after notice would be impracticable, and such list may stand as a call list for positions in such grade or class only; but no appointment from an emergency list, except from the persons having the highest ratings thereon and eligible to permanent appointment, shall stand for more than sixty days or be subject to renewal within fifteen days thereafter, except from a list of unskilled laborers or domestics actually employed and paid as laborers or domestics.

(1949 Rev., S. 878.)

Sec. 7-417. Probation; notice of appointment or of creation or abolition of office. Appointments shall be on probation for a period to be fixed by the rules of the board. At the expiration of such period of probation, the appointing officer may discharge a candidate at will, but, if he is not then discharged, the appointment shall be deemed complete. The board may strike from any eligible list the name of any candidate which has remained thereon more than one year. After one-third of an eligible list has been drawn, the board may hold another examination to obtain a new list. Any person remaining on the eligible list may retain his rating or, at his option, may enter the test and obtain a new rating which shall supersede his former rating. Immediate notice in writing shall be given by the appointing power to the board of all appointments, permanent or temporary, made in the classified civil service and of all transfers, promotions, resignations or vacancies from any cause in such service, and of the date thereof, and a record of the same shall be kept by the board. When any office or employment is created or abolished or the compensation attached thereto altered, the officer or board making such change shall report it immediately in writing to the board.

(1949 Rev., S. 879.)

Sec. 7-418. Inmates of institutions excepted. Inmates of any institution, supported in and by any political subdivision of the state, in which the merit system is adopted and a civil service board appointed, may be assigned, by the lawful authorities thereof, without test or registration, to such minor duties, in such institution, as they are fitted to perform, but without pay or compensation other than privileges or liberties of the institution, except by special permission of the civil service board.

(1949 Rev., S. 880.)

Sec. 7-419. Removal of officers or employees. No officer or employee in the classified civil service shall be removed, discharged or reduced in rank or pay because of religious or political opinion or affiliation. No removal from the classified civil service, except at the expiration of the period of probation, shall be made by any appointing power except for reasons given in writing to the board, and a copy of such reasons shall be furnished to the person removed. Such person may thereupon file with the board in writing any proper answer to such reasons. A copy of such reasons and answer and of the order of removal shall be made a part of the records of the board and of the proper department or office; and the reasons for any change in rank or compensation within the classified service shall also be made a part of the records of the board and of the proper department or office. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be so construed as to require the examination of witnesses or any trial or hearing before or after reduction or removal.

(1949 Rev., S. 881.)

Sec. 7-420. Interference with or false grading of applicants. No person shall, either by himself or in cooperation with any other person or persons, wilfully or corruptly defeat, deceive or obstruct any person in relation to his right of test under the provisions of this part, or falsely mark, grade, estimate or report upon the test or standing of any person so tested hereunder, or aid in so doing, or furnish to any person any special or secret information for the purpose of either improving or injuring the rating of any person so tested, or to be tested, or the prospects of any such person for appointment, employment or promotion.

(1949 Rev., S. 882.)

Sec. 7-421. Political activities of classified municipal employees. Candidacy of municipal employees for elective office. Leaves of absence. Service on governmental bodies of the town in which the employee resides. (a) No person employed in the classified civil service may (1) use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office; or (2) directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command or advise a state or local officer or employee to pay, lend or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency or person for political purposes.

(b) A person employed in said classified service retains the right to vote as he chooses and to express his opinions on political subjects and candidates and shall be free to participate actively in political management and campaigns. Such activity may include, but shall not be limited to, membership and holding of office in a political party, organization or club, campaigning for a candidate in a partisan election by making speeches, writing on behalf of the candidate or soliciting votes in support of or in opposition to a candidate and making contributions of time and money to political parties, committees or other agencies engaged in political action, except that no classified employee shall engage in such activity while on duty or within any period of time during which such employee is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the municipality, and no such employee shall utilize municipal funds, supplies, vehicles or facilities to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a political partisan election. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any municipal employee may be a candidate for a federal, state or municipal elective office in a political partisan election and no municipality or any officer or employer thereof shall take or threaten to take any personnel action against any such employee due to such candidacy. No person seeking or holding state or municipal office in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall engage in political activity or in the performance of the duties of such office while on municipal duty or within any period of time during which such person is expected to perform services for which such person receives compensation from the municipality.

(c) Any municipal employee who leaves his municipal employment to accept a full-time elective municipal office shall be granted a personal leave of absence without pay from his municipal employment for not more than two consecutive terms of such office or for a period of four years, whichever is shorter. Upon reapplication for his original position at the expiration of such term or terms of office, such person shall be reinstated in his most recent municipal position or a similar position with equivalent pay or to a vacancy in any other position such person is qualified to fill. If no such positions are available, such person's name shall be placed on all reemployment lists for classes for which he is eligible. Such person shall give notice in writing to his municipal employer that he is a candidate for a full-time elective municipal office within thirty days after nomination for that office.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, upon the request of any municipal employee to whom a personal leave of absence has been granted pursuant to said subsection, his municipal employer may, in its sole discretion, determine whether to extend such leave of absence beyond the period permitted in said subsection and, if extended, what terms and conditions shall pertain to such extension. As part of any such extension, rights of reinstatement with equivalent pay or benefits may be granted to such employee.

(e) Any municipal employee shall have the right to serve on any governmental body of the town in which such employee resides except any body which has responsibility for direct supervision of such employee. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, (1) no such employee shall serve on any of the following unless such employee is permitted to serve pursuant to the provisions of a municipal charter or home rule ordinance or serves because of membership on the legislative body of the municipality: (A) Any board of finance created pursuant to chapter 106 or any special act or municipal charter; (B) any body exercising zoning powers pursuant to chapter 124 or any special act or municipal charter; (C) any body exercising land use powers pursuant to chapter 125a or any special act or municipal charter; (D) any body exercising planning powers pursuant to chapter 126 or any special act or municipal charter; or (E) any body regulating inland wetlands and watercourses pursuant to chapter 440 or any special act or municipal charter; and (2) any municipality may, by ordinance adopted by its legislative body, authorize such employees to serve on (A) any body exercising zoning powers pursuant to chapter 124 or any special act or municipal charter; (B) any body exercising land use powers pursuant to chapter 125a or any special act or municipal charter; (C) any body exercising planning powers pursuant to chapter 126 or any special act or municipal charter; or (D) any body regulating inland wetlands and watercourses pursuant to chapter 440 or any special act or municipal charter.

(1949 Rev., S. 883; P.A. 76-424, S. 1, 4; P.A. 84-532, S. 2, 3; P.A. 87-75, S. 1, 2; P.A. 90-123, S. 1, 3; P.A. 93-103; P.A. 02-83, S. 9; P.A. 03-278, S. 17.)

History: P.A. 76-424 replaced former provisions re political activities of municipal and state employees; P.A. 84-532 provided that any municipal employee may be a candidate for municipal elective office, provided political activity may not be engaged in during working hours and added Subsec. (c), granting such employees the right to a leave of absence upon taking full-time elective office, with specified rights to reinstatement; P.A. 87-75 added Subsec. (d), permitting municipal employers to grant extensions of leaves of absence given to employees who have taken full-time elective office; P.A. 90-123 amended Subsec. (b) to include candidacies for federal and state office and to prohibit the taking of any personnel action against employee candidates and added Subsec. (e) concerning service on governmental bodies by municipal employees; P.A. 93-103 amended Subsec. (e) to clarify the right of a municipal employee to serve on a governmental body; P.A. 02-83 amended Subsec. (e) by designating existing provisions re limitations on employee service as Subdiv. (1), redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) to (5) as Subparas. (A) to (E), making a technical change for purposes of gender neutrality, and adding Subdiv. (2) re municipal ordinances authorizing employees to serve on certain bodies; P.A. 03-278 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective July 9, 2003.

Cited. 192 C. 399.

Cited. 39 CS 123; 41 CS 295.

Sec. 7-421a. Inconsistent statutory or charter provisions. Notwithstanding any general statute, special act or local law, ordinance or charter to the contrary, the provisions of section 7-421 shall apply to all municipal employees in the classified service.

(P.A. 76-424, S. 2, 4; P.A. 80-325, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 80-325 specified employees in the classified service.

Sec. 7-421b. Limitation on restrictions of political rights of municipal employees. Notwithstanding any general statute, special act or local law, ordinance or charter to the contrary, any municipality which has not adopted a merit system shall not impose restrictions on the political rights of its employees other than those provided in section 7-421.

(P.A. 80-325, S. 2.)

Cited. 41 CS 295.

Sec. 7-422. Personnel appeals board. Appeal to Superior Court. Any town, city or borough may, by ordinance, create a personnel appeals board which shall consist of five members who shall be electors of such municipality holding no salaried municipal office and whose term of office and method of election or appointment shall be fixed in the ordinance. Not more than three members shall be members of the same political party. The terms of office shall be arranged so that not more than one of such terms shall expire in any one year. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the manner fixed in the ordinance. Three members shall constitute a quorum. Said board shall hear and determine any grievance, as defined in such ordinance, of any employee or group of employees of such town, city or borough. It shall adopt rules of procedures which shall insure any aggrieved employee a prompt and fair hearing and an opportunity to be heard in person or by a representative of his choosing. The decision of said board may be appealed to the Superior Court within ninety calendar days from the date such board renders its decision.

(1953, S. 401d; P.A. 73-654; P.A. 76-436, S. 416, 681.)

History: P.A. 73-654 allowed appeal from decision of board to court of common pleas, replacing former provision that board decisions were to be final and binding upon the parties; P.A. 76-436 substituted superior court for court of common pleas, effective July 1, 1978.

Cited. 8 CA 165; 26 CA 45.

Allows but does not require any town, city or borough to create a personnel appeals board. 35 CS 645.

Sec. 7-423. Technical services by Department of Administrative Services. Any municipality or other political subdivision of the state may enter into an agreement with the Commissioner of Administrative Services to procure the technical services available in the Department of Administrative Services for the establishment or continuation of local administration of a merit system. Any such agreement shall provide for the reimbursement of the state for the actual cost of such services and overhead, as determined by the commissioner.

(1953, S. 402d; P.A. 77-614, S. 66, 610; P.A. 01-195, S. 109, 181.)

History: P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner and department of administrative services for personnel commissioner and department; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes, effective July 11, 2001.

Sec. 7-424. Penalty. Any person who, wilfully or through culpable negligence, violates any rule promulgated in accordance with the provisions of this part shall be fined not less than the amount of one month's salary of the office or position, or offices or positions, affected by such violation, nor more than the amount of two years' salary thereof, or, in case no office or position is directly affected, shall be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or be both fined and imprisoned.

(1949 Rev., S. 884.)

PART II*

RETIREMENT

*See chapter 11a re pension revocation or reduction for public officials and state or municipal employees.

Cited. 175 C. 174; 204 C. 563; 234 C. 411; Id., 424.

Sec. 7-425. Definitions. The following words and phrases as used in this part, except as otherwise provided, shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Municipality” means any town, city, borough, school district, regional school district, taxing district, fire district, district department of health, probate district, housing authority, regional workforce development board established under section 31-3k, regional emergency telecommunications center, tourism district established under section 10-397, flood commission or authority established by special act or regional council of governments;

(2) “Participating municipality” means any municipality that has accepted this part, as provided in section 7-427;

(3) “Legislative body” means, for towns having a town council, the council; for other towns, the selectmen; for cities, the common council or other similar body of officials; for boroughs, the warden and burgesses; for regional school districts, the regional board of education; for district departments of health, the board of the district; for probate districts, the judge of probate; for regional councils of governments, the council; for regional emergency telecommunications centers, a representative board; for tourism districts, the board of directors of such tourism district; and in all other cases the body authorized by the general statutes or by special act to make ordinances for the municipality;

(4) “Retirement Commission” means the State Retirement Commission created by chapter 66;

(5) “Member” means any regular employee or elective officer receiving pay from a participating municipality, and any regular employee of a free public library that receives part or all of its income from municipal appropriation, who has been included by such municipality in the pension plan as provided in section 7-427, but shall not include any person who customarily works less than twenty hours a week if such person entered employment after September 30, 1969, any police officer or firefighter who will attain the compulsory retirement age after less than five years of continuous service in fund B, any teacher who is eligible for membership in the state teachers retirement system, any person eligible for membership in any pension system established by or under the authority of any special act or of a charter adopted under the provisions of chapter 99, or any person holding a position funded in whole or in part by the federal government as part of any public service employment program, on-the-job training program or work experience program, provided persons holding such federally funded positions on July 1, 1978, shall not be excluded from membership but may elect to receive a refund of their accumulated contributions without interest;

(6) “Pay” means the salary, wages or earnings of an employee, including any payments received pursuant to chapter 568 and the money value as determined by the Retirement Commission of any board, lodging, fuel or laundry provided for such employee by the municipality but not including any fees or allowances for expenses;

(7) “Fund” and “fund B” means the Connecticut Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B;

(8) “Continuous service” and “service” means active service as a member, or active service prior to becoming a member if such service (A) was in a department for which participation was subsequently accepted and not subsequently withdrawn, (B) was continuous to the date of becoming a member except service for which credit is granted pursuant to section 7-436a, and (C) would have been as a member if the department had then been participating, all subject to the provisions of section 7-434;

(9) “System” means the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System under Title II of the Social Security Act, as amended;

(10) “Social Security Act” means the Act of Congress, approved August 14, 1935, Chapter 531, 49 Stat. 620, officially cited as the Social Security Act, including regulations and requirements issued pursuant thereto, as such act has been and may from time to time be amended;

(11) “Regional emergency telecommunications center” means any entity authorized by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection as a public safety answering point responsible for the receipt and processing of 9-1-1 calls for at least three municipalities.

(1949 Rev., S. 885; 1951, S. 403d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 45; 447, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 17; 360; 612, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 344, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 549, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 402, S. 1; 408; P.A. 73-302; P.A. 75-293, S. 1; P.A. 78-118, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-100, S. 2; P.A. 86-243, S. 2, 10; P.A. 89-46, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-356, S. 1; P.A. 97-152, S. 1; P.A. 00-162; P.A. 01-80, S. 5; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 236; P.A. 06-79, S. 4, 5; P.A. 07-217, S. 26; P.A. 10-32, S. 17; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 13-163, S. 1; 13-247, S. 270; P.A. 21-40, S. 4.)

History: 1959 acts deleted references relating to counties, redefined “continuous service”, and included probate districts in definitions of “municipality” and “legislative body”; 1963 act included district departments of health in definitions of “municipality” and “legislative body”; 1965 act included regional planning agencies in definitions of “municipality” and “legislative body”; 1969 acts divided section into subdivisions, excluded persons working less than 20 hours a week employed after September 30, 1969, from consideration as “members” and redefined “service”; P.A. 73-302 distinguished between members of fund A and fund B in definition of “member”; P.A. 75-293 specified “active” service in definition of “continuous service”; P.A. 78-118 redefined “member” to include employees in public service, on-the-job training or work experience programs funded partly or wholly by federal government; P.A. 80-100 added exception to Subpara. (b) in definition of “continuous service”; P.A. 86-243 amended Subdiv. (6) to include workers' compensation payments within the definition of “pay”; P.A. 89-46 redefined “member” to mean only police officers or firefighters who will attain the compulsory retirement age after less than 15 years of service in fund A or after less than 10 years in fund B; P.A. 93-356 redefined “member” to exclude police officers and firefighters who reach compulsory retirement age after less than 15 years of participation in fund A, deleted the definition of “fund A”, redefined “fund” to refer exclusively to fund B, and renumbered remaining Subdivs. accordingly; P.A. 97-152 redefined “municipality” to include regional work force development boards; P.A. 00-162 added provisions re regional emergency telecommunications centers and tourism districts in Subdivs. (1) and (3) and added new Subdiv. (11) defining “regional emergency telecommunications center”; P.A. 01-80 amended Subdiv. (5) by replacing “ten years” with “five years” and making a technical change; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subdiv. (1) to change section reference for tourism district, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 06-79 redefined “municipality” to include regional school districts and redefined “legislative body” to include a regional board of education for a regional school district, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subdiv. (3), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 10-32 made a technical change in Subdiv. (3), effective May 10, 2010; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection” in Subdiv. (11), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-163 amended Subdiv. (11) by replacing “an entity” with “any entity” and replacing “the public safety answering point” with “a public safety answering point” in definition of “regional emergency telecommunications center”; P.A. 13-247 amended Subdiv. (1) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency” in definition of “municipality”, made a technical change in Subdiv. (2) and amended Subdiv. (3) by substituting “councils of governments” for “planning agencies” and “council” for “regional planning board” in definition of “legislative body”, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 21-40 made a technical change in Subdiv. (1).

Cited. 148 C. 233.

Vote of board of police commissioners not effective to accept provisions of part. 18 CS 8. “Continuous service” defined as used in retirement act established by special act. 21 CS 116.

Subdiv. (5):

The use of the adjective “regular” to modify “employee” strongly suggests that, for purposes of the retirement system scheme, there are two classes of employees, namely, elective officers and other, regular employees; section does not foreclose possibility that elective officers are merely a subset of all employees for purposes of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Act. 326 C. 160. The definition of “member” pertains only to the statutes within part II of Ch. 113 that govern participation in retirement fund and is irrelevant to Sec. 7-433c which governs the separate and distinct heart and hypertension benefits scheme available to disabled police officers and firefighters or their survivors. 206 CA 223.

Sec. 7-426. Separate funds. Retirement rate. Section 7-426 is repealed.

(1957, P.A. 447, S. 2; September, 1957, P.A. 10, S. 5; P.A. 93-356, S. 15.)

Sec. 7-427. Participation by municipalities. (a) Any municipality except a housing authority, which is governed by subsection (b) of this section or a regional workforce development board established under section 31-3k, which is governed by section 7-427a, may, by resolution passed by its legislative body and subject to such referendum as may be hereinafter provided, accept this part as to any department or departments of such municipality as may be designated therein, including elective officers if so specified, free public libraries which receive part or all of their income from municipal appropriation, and the redevelopment agency of such municipality whether or not such municipality is a member of the system, as defined in section 7-452, but such acceptance shall not repeal, amend or replace, or affect the continuance of, any pension system established in such municipality by or under the authority of any special act and all such special acts shall remain in full force and effect until repealed or amended by the General Assembly or as provided by chapter 99. The acceptance of this part as to any department or departments of a municipality shall not affect the right of such municipality to accept it in the future as to any other department or departments. In any municipality other than a district department of health, housing authority, flood commission or authority, regional council of governments or supervision district board of education, such resolution shall not take effect until it has been approved by a majority of the electors of the municipality voting thereon at the next regular election or meeting or at a special election or meeting called for the purpose. The effective date of participation shall be at least ninety days subsequent to the receipt by the Retirement Commission of the certified copy of such resolution. The Retirement Commission shall furnish to any municipality contemplating acceptance of this part, at the expense of such municipality, an estimate of the probable cost to such municipality of such acceptance as to any department or departments thereof.

(b) Unless the board of commissioners of a housing authority votes against such participation, employees of housing authorities who are eligible under section 7-425 and who are not members of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B shall become members thereof on July 1, 1972, and membership in any other retirement fund, except the federal old age and survivors insurance, shall terminate on said date. Housing authorities whose employees are enrolled on or before May 21, 1971, in any other retirement system shall arrange for termination of such system on July 1, 1972, which arrangements shall include provision that the rights of members who retired prior to July 1, 1972, under such system shall not be affected and provision that any refunds of employee contributions made to such other retirement system shall be transferred to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B and the appropriate amount credited to the account of each transferring employee's benefit.

(1949 Rev., S. 886; 1951, S. 404d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 46; 447, S. 3; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 18; 1963, P.A. 344, S. 2; February, 1965, P.A. 549, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 402, S. 2; 725, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 268; 1972, P.A. 71, S. 1; P.A. 84-90; P.A. 93-356, S. 2; P.A. 97-152, S. 2; P.A. 13-247, S. 271; P.A. 21-40, S. 5.)

History: 1959 act deleted county provisions; 1963 act added district department of health provisions; 1965 act added provisions re regional planning agencies; 1969 acts deleted provisions regarding district departments of health and regional planning agencies and included redevelopment agencies; 1971 act added Subsec. (b) re employees of housing authorities; 1972 act amended Subsec. (b) to specify that credit be transferred to account of each employee earning credit rather than simply to housing authority's account; P.A. 84-90 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that employees of any supervision district board of education may become eligible for membership in the municipal employees retirement system without the need of a referendum; P.A. 93-356 amended Subsec. (a) to delete a provision requiring municipalities electing membership in the municipal employees retirement system to specify whether participation is in fund A or fund B and to delete a provision requiring that such membership begin on the first day of July; P.A. 97-152 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to regional work force development boards established under Sec. 31-3k; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency”, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 21-40 made a technical change in Subsec. (a).

See Sec. 7-188 re initiation of action for adoption, revision or repeal of charter or home rule ordinance.

Cited 175 C. 174.

Where town meeting accepted provisions of part and two months later another town meeting voted to rescind the earlier vote, held town did not become participating municipality in retirement system. 18 CS 8.

Sec. 7-427a. Enrollment procedures for employees of regional workforce development boards. Rights of previously retired members unaffected. Transfer of contributions. If the majority of the members of a regional workforce development board vote to participate in this part, employees of a regional workforce development board who are eligible under section 7-425, and who are not members of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B shall become members thereof on July 1, 1998. Membership in any other retirement system shall terminate on said date. The members of a regional workforce development board shall arrange for termination of such systems, which arrangements shall include provision that the rights of members who retired prior to July 1, 1998, under such system shall not be affected and provision that any refunds of employee contributions made to such other retirement system shall be transferred to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B and the appropriate amount credited to the account of each transferring employee's benefit. Each employee of the regional workforce development board shall pay his pro rata share of the actual cost of such transfer at no additional cost to the municipality or board.

(P.A. 97-152, S. 3; P.A. 21-40, S. 6.)

History: P.A. 21-40 made technical change.

Sec. 7-427b. Credit for prior service with private industry council or regional workforce development board. (a) Any employee of a regional workforce development board which has voted to participate in this part who previously was an employee of a private industry council shall receive credit for the purposes of retirement under the provisions of this part for the period of his service with the private industry council upon payment to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund of a sum equal to that which he would have paid had such service been covered by the provisions of this part, provided such sum is paid within one year of the date of such board's first participation in this part.

(b) Any employee of a regional workforce development board which has voted to participate in this part shall receive credit for the purposes of retirement under the provisions of this part for the period of his service with such board when such board was not participating under the provisions of this part upon payment to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund of a sum equal to that which he would have paid had such service been covered by the provisions of this part, provided such sum is paid within one year of the date of such board's first participation in this part.

(P.A. 97-152, S. 4; P.A. 21-40, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 21-40 made technical change.

Sec. 7-428. Retirement on account of length of service and age. Any member of fund B shall be eligible for retirement and to receive a retirement allowance upon completing twenty-five years of aggregate service in a participating municipality or upon attaining the age of fifty-five years, provided such employee has had five years of continuous service or fifteen years of active aggregate service in a participating municipality.

(1949 Rev., S. 887; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 4; March, 1958, P.A. 16, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 346, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 816; P.A. 75-293, S. 2; P.A. 93-356, S. 3; P.A. 01-80, S. 6.)

History: 1965 act authorized retirement of Fund A members after 35 years of aggregate service; 1967 act reduced requirement for 30 years' service under fund B to 25 years' service; P.A. 75-293 allowed retirement under fund B at age 55 with 10 years' continuous service in addition to retirement at 55 with 15 years' active aggregate service; P.A. 93-356 deleted provisions re retirement for fund A members; P.A. 01-80 replaced “ten years” with “five years”.

Sec. 7-429. Retirement of elective officers. If any member of a participating municipality who is an elective officer is separated from the service of the municipality by which he is employed, except for cause or by resignation, after attaining the age of sixty years and after completing at least twenty years of continuous service but before reaching the voluntary retirement age, he shall be entitled to a retirement allowance upon reaching the voluntary retirement age; provided, at the option of the elective officer, the retirement allowance may commence on the date of such separation and be payable in such an amount as may be determined by the Retirement Commission to be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement allowance that would have been payable except for the election of such option.

(1957, P.A. 130.)

Sec. 7-430. Involuntary retirement; temporary retention. Any member, other than an elective officer, shall be retired at any time after such member has become eligible for retirement upon the recommendation of the legislative body of the municipality by which he is employed. Any member, except an elective officer, who has attained the age of sixty-five years if employed as a policeman or fireman shall be retired on the day following the attainment of such age, except that any such member, at his request and with the annual approval of the legislative body, may be retained in the employ of the participating municipality, but such person shall receive no pension payments during the period he is so retained; provided, for any member, except an elective officer, who at or before the end of three years after the effective date of participation has attained the age of sixty-five years if employed as a policeman or fireman, the compulsory retirement date shall be the end of such three years after such effective date, unless application for retirement is made before such compulsory date by the legislative body of the municipality.

(1949 Rev., S. 889; 1953, S. 405d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 47; P.A. 89-162, S. 1, 3; P.A. 93-356, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 89-162 allowed policemen and firemen to work after the age of 65 with the annual approval of the legislative body of the employing municipality; P.A. 93-356 deleted a provision prohibiting police officers and firefighters from retaining active membership in the municipal employees' retirement system upon attaining age 65.

Sec. 7-431. Separation from service before voluntary retirement age. Any member of fund B separated from the service of the municipality by which the member is employed, except for cause, after completing at least five years of continuous service but before reaching the voluntary retirement age, shall be entitled to a retirement allowance upon reaching the voluntary retirement age; provided, at the option of the member, the retirement allowance may commence on the date of such separation and be payable in such an amount as may be determined by the Retirement Commission to be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement allowance that would have been payable except for the election of such option.

(1955, S. 406d; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 5; 1967, P.A. 815; P.A. 93-356, S. 5; P.A. 01-80, S. 7.)

History: 1967 act changed years of service from 15 to 10 re fund B employees; P.A. 93-356 deleted provisions re fund A members separated from municipal service prior to reaching voluntary retirement age; P.A. 01-80 replaced “ten years” with “five years” and made a technical change for the purpose of gender neutrality.

Cited. 178 C. 23.

Sec. 7-432. Disability retirement: Application; continuance; calculation of income. Reconsideration. (a) Any member shall be eligible for disability retirement and for a disability retirement allowance who has completed at least ten years of continuous service if such member becomes permanently and totally disabled from rendering service in the position in which such member has been employed.

(b) In order to obtain a retirement allowance under this section, a member shall apply in writing for such allowance to the medical examining board established pursuant to subsection (c) of section 5-169, not later than one year after incurring the disability. The disability retirement allowance may be made retroactive to the date of the last day of municipal service.

(c) If such disability is shown to the satisfaction of the medical examining board to have arisen out of and in the course of such member's employment by the municipality, as defined by the Workers' Compensation Act, the member shall be eligible for retirement irrespective of the duration of his employment. Such retirement allowance shall continue during the period of such disability.

(d) After twenty-four months, the existence and continuance of disability shall be determined by the medical examining board upon such medical evidence and other documentation as it requires, demonstrating that such member is totally disabled from rendering service in the position in which such member has been employed in the service of the municipality.

(e) If the disabled retiree becomes disabled after January 1, 2013, and is not working, the total income he receives cannot exceed eighty per cent of the higher of his average salary or his salary at the time of disability. Such eighty per cent limitation shall be the combined income from the Municipal Employee Retirement System; Social Security disability payments, including payments to the individual's spouse and children; and temporary total or temporary partial benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act.

(f) If the disabled retiree becomes disabled after January 1, 2013, and is working, the total income he receives cannot exceed one hundred per cent of the higher of his average salary or his salary at the time of disability. The one hundred per cent limitation shall be the combined income from the Municipal Employee Retirement System; Social Security disability payments, including payments to the individual's spouse and children; temporary total or temporary partial benefits under the Workers' Compensation system and his gross income from outside employment.

(g) No reconsideration of a decision concerning eligibility for a disability retirement allowance or the discontinuance of such allowance shall be made by the medical examining board unless a member, upon application to the medical examining board for a redetermination, discloses additional facts concerning the member's condition.

(h) Retirement income being paid for disability retirement shall end when and if the disability ends. Such member shall then retire at normal or early retirement age, if eligible, or retain a vested right to a deferred pension, if otherwise eligible.

(1949 Rev., S. 888; P.A. 79-376, S. 11; P.A. 11-251, S. 2; P.A. 13-247, S. 385.)

History: P.A. 79-376 substituted “workers' compensation” for “workmen's compensation”; P.A. 11-251 defined “gainful employment” to exclude positions of less than 20 hours per week, effective July 13, 2011, and applicable to members who retire on or after January 1, 2000; P.A. 13-247 designated existing provisions as Subsecs. (a), (c) and (d), amended Subsec. (a) to delete definition of “gainful employment” and replace reference to defined term with “rendering service in the position in which such member has been employed”, added Subsec. (b) re application for retirement allowance, amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) to replace references to Retirement Commission with references to medical examining board, amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re documentation demonstrating member is totally disabled, to delete provision prohibiting payment for disability caused by wilful misconduct or intoxication and to delete provision re retroactive payment to date pay ended, added Subsec. (e) re retirees disabled after January 1, 2013, and not working and calculation of income, added Subsec. (f) re retirees disabled after January 1, 2013, and working and calculation of income, added Subsec. (g) re reconsideration of eligibility decision, added Subsec. (h) re end of payment for disability retirement, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2013.

Cited. 144 C. 322.

Cited. 12 CA 138.

Secs. 7-433 and 7-433a. Disability or death of firemen or policemen caused by hypertension or heart disease. Sections 7-433 and 7-433a are repealed.

(1951, 1953, 1955, S. 407d; 1959, P.A. 366; 1961, P.A. 330, S. 1, 2; 1967, P.A. 770, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 380, S. 1; P.A. 92-81, S. 2, 3.)

Sec. 7-433b. Survivors' benefits for firemen and policemen. Maximum cumulative payment. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, charter or special act to the contrary affecting the noncontributory or contributory retirement systems of any municipality of the state, or any special act providing for a police benefit fund or other retirement system, the survivors of any uniformed or regular member of a paid fire department or any regular member of a paid police department whose death has been suffered in the line of duty shall be eligible to receive such survivor benefits as are provided for in the Workers' Compensation Act, and, in addition, they shall receive such survivor benefits as may be provided for in the retirement system in which such department member was a participant at the time of his death; provided such pension benefits (1) shall not terminate upon the remarriage of the spouse of such member, and (2) shall be adjusted so that the total weekly benefits received by such survivors shall not exceed one hundred per cent of the weekly compensation being paid, during their compensable period, to members of such department at the maximum rate for the same position which was held by such deceased at the time of his or her death. Nothing contained in this subsection shall prevent any town, city or borough from paying money from its general fund to any such survivors, provided total weekly benefits paid shall not exceed said one hundred per cent of the weekly compensation.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, charter or special act to the contrary affecting the noncontributory or contributory retirement systems of any municipality of the state, or any special act providing for a police or firemen benefit fund or other retirement system, the cumulative payments, not including payments for medical care, for compensation and retirement or survivors benefits under section 7-433c shall be adjusted so that the total of such cumulative payments received by such member or his dependents or survivors shall not exceed one hundred per cent of the weekly compensation being paid, during their compensable period, to members of such department in the same position which was held by such member at the time of his death or retirement. Nothing contained in this subsection shall prevent any town, city or borough from paying money from its general fund to any such member or his dependents or survivors, provided the total of such cumulative payments shall not exceed said one hundred per cent of the weekly compensation.

(1959, P.A. 604; P.A. 77-520, S. 2, 3; P.A. 79-376, S. 12; P.A. 07-161, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 77-520 added Subsec. (b) for bidding payment of benefits which would exceed 100,% of weekly compensation of workers in same position as member; P.A. 79-376 substituted “workers' compensation” for “workmen's compensation”; P.A. 07-161 amended Subsec. (a) by providing that pension benefits to survivors shall not terminate upon remarriage of spouse and requiring amount of benefits not to exceed maximum rate of compensation paid for position held by deceased at time of death, and made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b).

See Sec. 7-323a et seq. re Policemen and Firemen Survivors' Benefit Fund.

Cited. 177 C. 456; 194 C. 139; 204 C. 563; 208 C. 576; 214 C. 189; 224 C. 441.

Cited. 2 CA 255; 12 CA 138; 26 CA 194.

Subsec. (b):

Cited. 214 C. 181. Ceiling imposed on award of benefits applies at time of retirement. Id., 189. “Weekly compensation” includes overtime as well as base salary. Id., 552. “Ceiling” on benefits applies to total payments composed of heart and hypertension disability payments and retirement pension payments not related to Sec. 7-433c. 243 C. 747.

Interpretation of the statute focuses on amount of compensation that recipient would have received if he continued working. 12 CA 138. Cited. 26 CA 194. Section not applicable where pension was not awarded under Sec. 7-433c but was a regular pension for long years of service. 43 CA 773. It is inconsistent with plain meaning of statute to treat lump-sum payment pursuant to commutation award to be a weekly payment and it should not be considered in calculations concerning weekly statutory cap, thus statute's plain objective is to limit cumulative effect of several weekly benefits, not prohibit onetime commutation award. 208 CA 615.

Sec. 7-433c. Benefits for policemen or firemen disabled or dead as a result of hypertension or heart disease. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 568 or any other general statute, charter, special act or ordinance to the contrary, in the event a uniformed member of a paid municipal fire department or a regular member of a paid municipal police department who successfully passed a physical examination on entry into such service, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of hypertension or heart disease, suffers either off duty or on duty any condition or impairment of health caused by hypertension or heart disease resulting in his death or his temporary or permanent, total or partial disability, he or his dependents, as the case may be, shall receive from his municipal employer compensation and medical care in the same amount and the same manner as that provided under chapter 568 if such death or disability was caused by a personal injury which arose out of and in the course of his employment and was suffered in the line of duty and within the scope of his employment, and from the municipal or state retirement system under which he is covered, he or his dependents, as the case may be, shall receive the same retirement or survivor benefits which would be paid under said system if such death or disability was caused by a personal injury which arose out of and in the course of his employment, and was suffered in the line of duty and within the scope of his employment. If successful passage of such a physical examination was, at the time of his employment, required as a condition for such employment, no proof or record of such examination shall be required as evidence in the maintenance of a claim under this section or under such municipal or state retirement systems. The benefits provided by this section shall be in lieu of any other benefits which such policeman or fireman or his dependents may be entitled to receive from his municipal employer under the provisions of chapter 568 or the municipal or state retirement system under which he is covered, except as provided by this section, as a result of any condition or impairment of health caused by hypertension or heart disease resulting in his death or his temporary or permanent, total or partial disability. As used in this section, “municipal employer” has the same meaning as provided in section 7-467.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, those persons who began employment on or after July 1, 1996, shall not be eligible for any benefits pursuant to this section.

(1971, P.A. 524, S. 1; P.A. 77-520, S. 1, 3; P.A. 92-81, S. 1, 3; P.A. 96-230, S. 2, 3; 96-231, S. 1, 2; P.A. 14-122, S. 72.)

History: P.A. 77-520 provided that benefits under section be in lieu of others except as specified; P.A. 92-81 added Subsec. (b) re benefits for police officers and firefighters who begin employment on or after July 1, 1992; P.A. 96-230 amended Subsec. (b) to read “Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, those persons who began employment on or after the effective date of this act (July 1, 1996) shall not be eligible for any benefits pursuant to this section.”, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 96-231 deleted legislative finding from Subsec. (a) and amended Subsec. (b) to read “Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, only those persons employed on the effective date of this act (July 1, 1996) shall be eligible for any benefits provided by this section.”, effective July 1, 1996 (Revisor's note: Pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 2-30b the amendment to Subsec. (b) of this section contained in P.A. 96-231 did not take effect since it was deemed repealed by the conflicting amendment to said Subsec. (b) contained in P.A. 96-230 which passed the General Assembly later than P.A. 96-231); P.A. 14-122 made technical changes in Subsec. (a).

Only procedure mentioned for bringing claims under section is the Workmen's Compensation Act. 165 C. 615. Statute serves a public purpose and is constitutional despite its conferring a direct benefit on a certain class of individuals. 168 C. 84. Cited. 177 C. 456. Statute is neither a workers' compensation law nor occupational disease law within meaning of insurance contract. 178 C. 664. Workers' compensation statutes are not the exclusive remedy for injuries arising out of and in the course of employment where injuries claimed are compensable under this statute. 193 C. 59. Benefits under statute may be taken into account in determining maximum amount payable from pension plan; history and interpretation discussed. 194 C. 139. Purpose not to remove benefits from realm of arm's-length collective bargaining but merely to ensure that they are provided for members of police and fire departments. 201 C. 577. Cited. 204 C. 563; 207 C. 665. Does not require payment of benefits to estate of a deceased recipient. 208 C. 576. Use of words “hypertensive” and “heart disease” on claim form sufficient to invoke award under section. 210 C. 423. Does not preclude award of special benefits under Sec. 31-308. 214 C. 181. Cited. Id., 189. Economic benefits qualified as “compensation” under section may include fringe benefits in certain circumstances. Id., 394. Cited. Id., 552; 217 C. 50; 220 C. 721; 222 C. 62; 224 C. 441; 231 C. 287. Benefits awarded under section are subject to review and modification procedures set forth in the Workers' Compensation Act. 252 C. 708. City employer's right to intervene in employee's negligence action against physician is incorporated into section pursuant to Sec. 31-293. 253 C. 429. Benefits paid under section are special compensation and not workers' compensation for purposes of reimbursement from Special Injury Fund pursuant to Sec. 31-306(a)(2)(A) and such a result does not deny employers a protected property interest without due process of law. 269 C. 763. Town constable was not regular member of a paid municipal police department for purposes of receiving benefits under Heart and Hypertension Act. 275 C. 246. Parties' mistake of law regarding applicability of section to their agreements was inaccurate but reasonable, and therefore agreements may not be opened. 296 C. 352. For purposes of determining limitation period under Sec. 31-294c, hypertension claim was properly treated as one for an accidental injury definitely located in time and place, rather than a repetitive trauma injury, because plaintiff failed to present evidence that hypertension was causally connected to employment; formal diagnosis of hypertension or heart disease, communicated to an employee by his or her physician, constitutes the “injury” that triggers the running of the limitation period of Sec. 31-294c. 299 C. 265. Evidence that claimant had elevated blood pressure readings, or had been advised by physician to monitor blood pressure, is insufficient to trigger one year filing period under Sec. 31-294c, rather there must be evidence that claimant knew he or she suffered from hypertension, ordinarily shown by proof claimant was informed of diagnosis by a medical professional. 302 C. 755. Hypertension diagnosis is sufficient to trigger one year filing period under Sec. 31-294c and prescription of hypertension medication is not required. Id., 767. Medical care exception in Sec. 31-294c does not apply to toll statute of limitations under this section because plaintiff failed to establish that employer previously furnished medical care for specific condition or later claimed condition was causally related to timely reported incident for which employer furnished medical care. 304 C. 571. Section's use of disjunctive “hypertension or heart disease” permits plaintiff to file a claim for benefits related to either hypertension or heart disease, and failure to timely file claim for benefits related to hypertension does not bar later timely claim for heart disease. 323 C. 607. Neither Morgan v. East Haven, 208 C. 576, nor any other legal authority barred the substitution of executrix as party claimant to the extent executrix sought payment of matured benefits; under section, matured benefits that accrued during claimant's lifetime properly pass to claimant's estate. 331 C. 672. A claim for heart disease that occurred after an initial compensable claim for hypertension under section may qualify for benefits without the need to file a new notice of claim as long as there is a causal connection between the two injuries. 334 C. 857.

Pension benefits payable under the city's ordinances must be reduced by benefits awarded under statute. 1 CA 58. Purpose of statute is to protect firemen and policemen from economic loss; measure of the loss must be determined by extent to which claimant is precluded from rejoining work force in his former capacity or any other reasonable occupation due to his disability. 2 CA 255. Benefits not retroactively applied; also not applicable to those no longer in active service, either on or off duty. 4 CA 226. Cited. 6 CA 265; 7 CA 142; 12 CA 138. No requirement than an appointment be “permanent”. 13 CA 566. Cited. 17 CA 633; 21 CA 28; 26 CA 194. In order to be eligible for any benefits for either hypertension or heart disease, plaintiff must have successfully passed a preemployment physical showing no evidence of either hypertension or heart disease. 28 CA 754. Cited. 34 CA 307; 37 CA 835. Without evidence establishing claimant's injury is result of an occupational disease, 1-year statute of limitations applies. 38 CA 1. Cited. 43 CA 773. Language of statute clearly and unambiguously mandates that for claimant to be foreclosed from the benefits of the statute, results of the preemployment physical examination must contain evidence of hypertension or heart disease. 56 CA 235. Board incorrectly interpreted Sec. 31-284b as requiring city to continue insurance coverage for plaintiff and his family once plaintiff's compensation payments under section ended. 61 CA 9. Section demonstrates clear policy of creating additional benefits for certain classes of disabled municipal employees. 66 CA 105. Member of municipal fire or police department hired before July 1, 1996, may elect to be covered under either this section or Ch. 568; statute not intended to provide its beneficiaries with dual dollar benefits, but to eliminate two of the basic requirements for coverage under Workers' Compensation Act, i.e. the causal connection between hypertension and heart disease and the employment and requirement that the illness was suffered during the course of employment. 70 CA 321. The legislative history underlying the General Assembly's replacement of the rebuttable presumption with a conclusive presumption in 1996 reveals that the General Assembly intended for all police officers and firefighters hired prior to July 1, 1996, to be grandfathered in, in an effort to balance the financial concerns of municipalities with the expectations of those police officers and firefighters already employed. 190 CA 398. A claimant who forgoes filing a claim within one year of being informed by a medical professional that he or she has a heart disease and who later files a claim for a different heart disease is precluded from receiving benefits under section. Id., 718. The definition of “member” in Sec. 7-425(5) is inapplicable to section because applying that definition would reserve eligibility for heart and hypertension benefits solely for full-time firefighters, which is inconsistent with the plain language of the section and the clear intent of the legislature. 206 CA 223.

Plaintiff not required to assume burden of proving compensability under Ch. 568 where he brought action under both Ch. 568 and this statute. 38 CS 359. Town must have organized police department under Sec. 7-274 in order for this statute to be operative. Id., 419. Cited. 39 CS 321. Claims under statute are subject to procedural requirements of Workers' Compensation Act. Id., 403.

Subsec. (a):

Benefits may not be awarded concurrently. 57 CA 472.

Sec. 7-433d. Injury or death of fireman while engaged in fire duties with another company. Any uniformed member of a paid fire department who offers his services to an officer or person in charge of another fire company which is actively engaged in fire duties, and whose services are accepted by such officer or person, shall be entitled to receive benefits under chapter 568, and under the contributory or noncontributory retirement system of the municipality for which such services were performed, in the event of his injury or death arising out of such services, as if he were a member of the fire department of such municipality.

(1971, P.A. 520.)

Section does not apply to paid firefighter's on-duty response to a mutual aid request from a neighboring municipality because that firefighter remains covered by his home municipality for workers' compensation benefits, and pursuant to Sec. 31-284, an employer's liability is not limited on the basis of where the employee's injury occurred, even when the employee is temporarily lent to another entity, as long as the injury occurred during the scope of the employee's employment; section applies only in good Samaritan situations in which an individual paid firefighter independently happens upon a fire in another municipality, makes a personal offer to help that is accepted, and is injured while fighting the fire. 295 C. 35.

Sec. 7-434. Continuity of service. Periods of absence of not more than ninety days in any one calendar year shall not be considered as breaking continuity of service. Periods of absence of more than ninety days by reason of a leave of absence granted by the appropriate authority of the municipality or where the absence is occasioned by disability necessitating the regular attendance of a physician, unless such attendance is declared unnecessary by medical authority satisfactory to the Retirement Commission, or by reason of layoff, shall not be considered as breaking continuity of service, but such periods shall not be included in determining the amount of the retirement allowance. Any member who entered any branch of the armed forces of the United States between September 16, 1940, and July 26, 1945, or who enters any of said services while the United States is at war, or engaged in any hostilities or during times of national emergency, whether declared or undeclared, or any acts incident thereto, and who is reemployed by the municipality within six months following the termination of such service, unless this period is further extended by reason of disability incurred in the course of such service, shall be credited with the period of such service to the same extent as though he had been continuously employed by the municipality and shall be considered to have made the contributions required by this part based on his regular rate of pay at the time of the commencement of such service. The period of service of any member as a full-time employee of any municipality merged or consolidated either before or after the acceptance of this part with a participating municipality shall be counted for the purpose of qualifying such member for retirement and for the purpose of computing the amount of his retirement allowance, provided such combined services shall have been continuous as defined above.

(1949 Rev., S. 890; 1967, P.A. 853; P.A. 84-106, S. 1.)

History: 1967 act qualified members joining armed forces when country is “engaged in any hostilities or during times of national emergency”, etc. for credit for service; P.A. 84-106 provided that absence from employment by reason of layoff shall not be considered a break in the continuity of service of the member.

Sec. 7-434a. Continuation of membership during service as elected official. Any member of the municipal employees' retirement system elected to serve as an official of the state or any political subdivision of the state during the 1988 calendar year or thereafter may elect, during the time he so serves, but no longer than ten years, to continue his membership in said system. Any such member shall continue to make contributions to said system and shall be ineligible for membership in any other state or municipal retirement system during such time.

(P.A. 90-308, S. 13, 15.)

Sec. 7-435. Retirement benefits for members of fund A. Section 7-435 is repealed.

(1949 Rev., S. 891; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 6; 1959, P.A. 471, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 547, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 644, S. 1; P.A. 79-376, S. 13; P.A. 84-106, S. 2; P.A. 93-356, S. 15.)

Sec. 7-436. Retirement benefits for members of fund B. Monthly allowance for Old Age and Survivors Insurance System members. (a) After retirement, in accordance with the provisions of this part, each member of fund B shall receive, during such member's lifetime, a retirement allowance payable in monthly installments at an annual rate equal to the sum of (1) and (2) as follows: (1) To the extent that such member's average annual rate of pay for the last ten years of service, including service credited under the provisions of sections 7-442a and 7-442b, is derived from pay with respect to which contributions have been deducted under section 7-453 or would have been deducted had such member been included in such system during the entire ten years, one-twelfth of one and one-sixth per cent of such average annual pay, multiplied by the number of months of such member's service; (2) to the extent that such member's average annual rate of pay for the three highest-paid years of service exceeds the average obtained in subdivision (1) of this subsection, one-twelfth of two per cent of such average annual pay, multiplied by the number of months of such member's service; provided such allowance for permanent and total disability arising out of and in the course of such member's employment, as defined in the Workers' Compensation Act, shall not be less than one-twelfth of one-half of the member's annual pay at the time such member's disability was incurred. Any amount or amounts received under the Workers' Compensation Act shall be deducted from such allowance, except that any member who has received a specific indemnity award under section 31-307 or 31-308 shall not have the amount of such indemnity award deducted from such member's allowance. The retirement allowance herein provided shall be reduced by the amount of any retirement allowance concurrently payable under the provisions of section 7-431, and by the amount of any retirement allowance concurrently payable by the state employees' retirement system or the retirement system of any municipality not participating under the provisions of this part, on account of a period of service for which credit has been transferred to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund under the provisions of section 7-442b, or the monthly equivalent thereof if payable other than monthly. No retirement allowances under this section, before the reduction prescribed in the preceding sentence plus workers' compensation payments and benefits under the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System on account of service in a participating municipality, if any, shall exceed one-twelfth of the member's average annual pay during the three highest-paid years of municipal service, and, subject to the foregoing maximum limit, no such allowance plus payments shall be less than one thousand dollars annually.

(b) Each employee or spouse of a deceased employee retired under the Municipal Employees' Retirement Act Fund B prior to July 1, 1971, shall be entitled, in addition to his or her original monthly retirement allowance, to an additional cost of living monthly allowance computed on the basis of his or her monthly retirement allowance, less any prior cost of living increases to which he or she was previously entitled, using the table in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(1) Such cost of living allowances shall commence on July 1, 1973, and shall be computed at the rates set forth in the following table:

Fiscal Year Of Retirement Year Ending June 30^th	Rates % Of Increase

1949	40.0
1950	42.7
1951	41.2
1952	33.9
1953	30.9
1954	30.4
1955	30.0
1956	30.4
1957	28.3
1958	24.8
1959	21.9
1960	21.1
1961	19.5
1962	18.1
1963	16.8
1964	15.1
1965	14.6
1966	14.1
1967	12.9
1968	6.0
1969	4.0
1970	4.0
1971	4.0

(2) The limitation of the maximum retirement allowance provided in subsection (a) of this section shall not be applicable to increases under this subsection.

(c) Each retired member of fund B shall have his allowance increased to the amount which would be payable based on his annual rate of pay for the three highest-paid years of service.

(d) For purposes of determining eligibility for retirement benefits for part-time employees under this section, a member's part-time service shall be payable to a member whose service consists solely of part-time service without variation in the number of hours worked during all periods of his municipal service, such member's service shall be treated as full-time service. For purposes of computing the retirement benefit payable to a member whose service consists of part-time and full-time service or whose service consists of part-time service rendered in different proportions to a full-time schedule, such member's years of service and average salary shall be proportionately adjusted to produce a retirement benefit equivalent to that payable if his service had been rendered at an unvarying rate. As used in this subsection, “part-time service” means service by a member who customarily works less than a full-time schedule but no less than twenty hours per week.

(e) On and after January 1, 2002, the following formula shall be used for the purpose of calculating the monthly allowance of each member covered by the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System on the first of the month after such member becomes eligible for Social Security or until such member qualifies for a Social Security disability award, if earlier: One-twelfth of one and one-half per cent of such member's final average pay up to the breakpoint for the year in which such member separated from service plus two per cent of such member's final average pay in excess of the breakpoint for the year in which such member separated from service, multiplied by such member's years of retirement credit and fractions thereof. Such allowance shall be reduced in recognition of any optional form of retirement income elected in accordance with section 7-439g. For the purposes of this subsection, “breakpoint” has the same meaning as “year's breakpoint” in subsection (a) of section 5-192f.

(1957, P.A. 447, S. 7; 1959, P.A. 316; 471, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 547, S. 1; 722, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 406; 1971, P.A. 644, S. 2; P.A. 73-619, S. 1, 3; P.A. 75-293, S. 5; P.A. 76-314; P.A. 77-102, S. 1, 2; P.A. 79-376, S. 14; P.A. 84-106, S. 3; P.A. 86-243, S. 1, 10; P.A. 93-356, S. 6; P.A. 01-80, S. 3; P.A. 07-217, S. 27.)

History: 1959 acts provided for computation of retirement benefits on basis of five highest-paid years of municipal service rather than five years immediately preceding retirement and included benefits under old age and survivors insurance system in restriction on maximum allowance payable; 1967 acts based calculations on three highest-paid years rather than five highest-paid years and added provision concerning benefits for fund B members retired before January 1, 1960; 1969 act deleted provisions concerning temporary retirement allowances; 1971 act simplified description of formula; P.A. 73-619 added Subsecs. (b) and (c) re cost-of-living increases and benefits for retirees whose municipalities later join fund B; P.A. 75-293 replaced “three highest-paid years of service” in Subdiv. (1) with “last ten years of service”; P.A. 76-314 amended Subsec. (c) to include members of fund B as well as retirees whose municipality transfers to fund B and added reference to Sec. 7-436a; P.A. 77-102 amended Subsec. (a) replacing “is not so derived” with “exceeds the average obtained in Subdivision (1)”; P.A. 79-376 substituted “workers' compensation” for “workmen's compensation”; P.A. 84-106 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that any workers' compensation specific indemnity award shall not be deducted from the member's retirement allowance; P.A. 86-243 amended Subsec. (a) to equalize the percentage of pay used to calculate benefits for all service years and to provide that a member's retirement allowance, plus workers' compensation and Social Security benefits, may not exceed 100%, instead of 75%, of his average annual pay and added Subsec. (d), establishing how part-time service shall be treated for benefit eligibility and calculation purposes; P.A. 93-356 amended Subsec. (c) to exclude retirees whose municipality transfers to fund B; P.A. 01-80 added new Subsec. (e) re formula for calculating the monthly allowance of each member covered by the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 12, 2007.

Does not apply to pensions derived from other than Municipal Employees' Retirement Act benefits. 175 C. 174. Cited. 178 C. 23.

Subsec. (a):

Where retirement was based on age and length of employment, benefits should not have been reduced by amount of workers' compensation award received for an injury. 178 C. 23.

Sec. 7-436a. Exclusion of period when service was eligible for special act pension system in computation of retirement credit. Inclusion of certain periods of such service. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in computing the length of service for municipal retirement in accordance with the provisions of section 7-436, no period of employment during which a member was eligible for membership in any pension system established by or under the authority of any special act shall be counted as service with respect to the computation of his retirement allowance.

(b) A member may receive retirement credit for a period of employment described in subsection (a) of this section if (1) such member is not receiving or entitled to receive a retirement benefit based on such employment, (2) such employment was in a municipality or department for which participation under this part has subsequently been accepted and (3) such member contributes an amount determined by the Retirement Commission to be necessary to fund any increase in benefits resulting from receipt of such credit to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund.

(1959, P.A. 238; P.A. 80-100, S. 1; P.A. 93-356, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 80-100 added Subsec. (b) re credit for period of employment during which membership in system established under special act was held; P.A. 93-356 amended Subsec. (a) to delete reference to Sec. 7-435 re computation of retirement credit for fund A members.

Sec. 7-436b. Credit for military service for members of fund B. (a) Any member of fund B of the municipal employees' retirement system, who, prior to such member's date of employment with a municipality that is participating in said fund B, served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States during the times set forth in section 27-103 shall be credited with the period of such service to the extent that such member makes contributions to said fund for all or any part of the period of such service, except that any veteran who becomes a member on or after October 1, 1984, shall not receive credit for such war service if such member has received or is entitled to receive any retirement allowance for the same years of service from the federal government. Such contributions shall be computed at a rate of two per cent of such member's first year's salary as such employee, with interest at five per cent per annum, payable within one year of such employment, or on or before January 1, 1992, whichever is later, provided such contributions are made prior to the date of retirement. The period of such service for which contributions to said fund are made shall be counted for the purpose of computing the amount of such member's retirement allowance, provided such member shall have completed five years of continuous service or fifteen years of active aggregate service with a participating municipality or shall be retired prior thereto due to disability incurred in the course of employment. Any member who purchases credit pursuant to this section and who later receives a retirement allowance for permanent and total disability under this part shall, upon written request, be refunded all such contributions paid under this section, provided such military service credit did not serve to increase the amount of disability retirement benefits for which such member was eligible.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the municipal employer of any member who applies on or after July 1, 1986, for such military service credit shall pay all contributions required under said subsection which are attributable to that portion of the member's military service time during which he was a prisoner of war, provided such member submits with his application for such credit sufficient proof from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that he is a former prisoner of war. Any municipal employer which pays the contributions required under this subsection for a member who later receives a retirement allowance for permanent and total disability under this part shall, upon its written request, be refunded all such contributions paid under this subsection, provided such military service credit did not serve to increase the amount of disability retirement benefits for which the member was eligible.

(1969, P.A. 770; P.A. 75-293, S. 3; P.A. 83-16; P.A. 84-106, S. 4; 84-157, S. 1; P.A. 86-243, S. 8, 10; P.A. 88-141; 88-149, S. 1, 5; P.A. 91-213, S. 1, 8; P.A. 01-80, S. 8; P.A. 18-72, S. 21.)

History: P.A. 75-293 replaced requirement for 25 years of employment with requirement for 10 years' continuous service or 15 years' active aggregate service; P.A. 83-16 extended the time period for the purchase of military service credit to October 1, 1984, or within one year of employment, whichever is later and specified that contributions must be made prior to retirement date; P.A. 84-106 provided that veterans who become members on or after October 1, 1984, shall not receive war service credit if they are otherwise eligible for retirement benefits from the federal government for such service years; P.A. 84-157 provided that any member on disability retirement whose previous purchase of military service credit did not increase his disability allowance shall be refunded all contributions made for such credit; P.A. 86-243 added Subsec. (b), requiring the municipal employer to pay for any military service credit attributable to the time the member was a prisoner of war; P.A. 88-141 extended the time period for the purchase of military service credit to October 1, 1989; P.A. 88-149 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that any municipal employer who made contributions under this section for a member on disability retirement shall be refunded all contributions made for such credit if the purchased credit does not increase the member's disability allowance; P.A. 91-213 amended Subsec. (a) by changing payment date from October 1, 1989, to January 1, 1992; P.A. 01-80 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “ten years” with “five years” and make technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 18-72 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to Veterans' Administration with reference to United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 7-437. Retirement allowance and Social Security benefits to equal sum payable under retirement system alone, when. If the commission finds that the sum of (a) any retirement allowance payable to a member under section 7-436 and (b) any concurrent benefit payable to such member under the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System on account of service in a participating municipality is less than the allowance that would have been payable if the member were not participating in such system, his allowance shall be increased accordingly during the period when the lower sum would otherwise be payable. When any person retires under the terms of section 7-436 prior to the age at which he would be eligible to receive an old age insurance benefit under the system, he shall be entitled to receive an additional temporary retirement allowance payable to the age at which he would be so eligible, or payable until he qualifies for a social security disability allowance, if earlier. The total retirement allowance payable during the temporary period shall be computed as if such person was not covered by the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System. The first sentence of this section shall not apply to any employee who was hired by a municipality after the date when the municipality included its employees in such system, or to any employee who transfers from a nonparticipating department to a participating department of a municipality after said date, or to any employee of a municipality which had included its employees in such system not later than the effective date of participation as defined in section 7-427.

(1957, P.A. 447, S. 8; 1959, P.A. 319; February, 1965, P.A. 559, S. 1; P.A. 84-157, S. 2; P.A. 93-356, S. 8.)

History: 1959 act included reference to Sec. 7-436 in Subdiv. (a), added provisions re additional temporary retirement allowance to Subdiv. (b) and added provisions re employees who transferred from nonparticipating to participating departments and employees of municipalities which had included their employees in the system not later than the effective date of participation as defined in Sec. 7-427; 1965 act provided restrictions in last sentence apply only to first sentence of section; P.A. 84-157 provided that the temporary retirement allowance shall be computed as if the person were not covered by the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System, instead of calculating the allowance in accordance with the law prior to May 28, 1957; P.A. 93-356 deleted references to Sec. 7-435 re calculation of retirement allowance for fund A members.

Sec. 7-438. Continuation of retirement allowance upon other public employment. Participation in state retirement system. Reemployment by participating municipality. (a) Any member retired under this part who again accepts employment from the state or from any municipality of the state other than a participating municipality, shall continue to receive his or her retirement allowance while so employed, and shall be eligible to participate, and shall be entitled to credit, in the state retirement system for the period of such state employment, but he or she shall not be eligible to participate or be entitled to credit in any municipal retirement system for the period of such municipal employment.

(b) If a member is retired under this part and again accepts employment from the same municipality from which he or she was retired or any other participating municipality, he or she shall be eligible to participate, and shall be entitled to credit, in the municipal employees' retirement system for the period of such municipal employment. Such member shall receive no retirement allowance while so employed except if (1) such employment is for less than twenty hours per week, (2) his or her services are rendered for not more than ninety working days in any one calendar year, provided any member reemployed for a period of more than ninety working days in one calendar year shall reimburse the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund for retirement income payments received during such ninety working days, or (3) such member does not participate in the municipal employees' retirement system during the period of his or her reemployment.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, if a uniformed member of a paid municipal fire department or regular member of a paid municipal police department is retired under this part and subsequently accepts employment in a public safety position from any school district or regional school district, which district is a participating municipality, he or she shall continue to receive his or her retirement allowance while so subsequently employed, but he or she shall not be eligible to further participate or be entitled to additional credit in the municipal employees' retirement system for the period of such subsequent employment.

(1949 Rev., S. 892; P.A. 73-519; P.A. 77-122; P.A. 86-243, S. 6, 10; P.A. 87-83, S. 2; P.A. 11-251, S. 3; P.A. 22-39, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 73-519 permitted retirees resuming employment with state or municipality to continue to receive benefits if not employed by same department or agency from which they retired, reversing previous provisions and deleting restriction concerning number of months to be employed, and excluded resumed work period from credit in system or contributions; P.A. 77-122 added Subsec. (b) re reemployment in same department or agency; P.A. 86-243 permitted retired members who become employed by the state to participate in the state retirement system for the period of state service; P.A. 87-83 amended Subsec. (a) to be applicable to retired members who are employed by a nonparticipating municipality or the state and amended Subsec. (b) to provide that any retired member employed by a participating municipality shall be entitled to retirement credit for such service; (Revisor's note: In 2003 a reference in Subsec. (b) to “Municipal Retirement Fund” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund” for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 11-251 amended Subsec. (b) to exclude employment of less than 20 hours per week from prohibition on receiving a retirement allowance while employed by municipality, effective July 13, 2011, and applicable to members who retire on or after January 1, 2000; P.A. 22-39 amended Subsec. (b) by adding Subdiv. (3) re participation in municipal employees' retirement system during reemployment, added Subsec. (c) re receipt of retirement allowance and prohibition on eligibility for additional credit for retired uniformed member of paid municipal fire department or regular member of paid municipal police department who accepts subsequent employment in public safety capacity, and made technical changes.

Subsection (b) may be reasonably understood to embody a judgment that a participating municipality should not have to contribute additional funds to a member's retirement pension while at the same time paying his salary. 326 C. 160.

Secs. 7-439 and 7-439a. Optional form of retirement allowance. Survivorship benefits for spouses of certain employees who had not exercised the option. Sections 7-439 and 7-439a are repealed.

(1949 Rev., S. 893; 1959, P.A. 273; 1967, P.A. 812; 1971, P.A. 622, S. 1; P.A. 86-243, S. 9, 10.)

Sec. 7-439b. Cost of living adjustment to retirement allowance. (a) On July 1, 1986, and on July first of each subsequent year the State Retirement Commission shall adjust the retirement allowance of each member of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund and any annuitant who is receiving benefits under the provisions of this part to include a cost of living increase. There shall be an annual actuarial determination of the increase by determining the annual yield on the assets of the fund. In determining the yield, the actuary shall use an adjusted asset value, such that the market values of assets are adjusted to recognize a portion of realized and unrealized gains or losses each year until fully recognized. The amount of the increase, as a percentage of retirement allowance, shall be the excess of the annual yield over a six per cent yield, provided no increase granted under the provisions of this section shall be less than three per cent nor more than five per cent. Each such member shall receive the increases beginning on the first July first following the member's sixty-fifth birthday. Each such annuitant shall receive the increases beginning on the first July first following the date the deceased member would have reached the age of sixty-five. Any member who retired for disability under the provisions of section 7-432 shall receive the increases beginning July 1, 1986.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, each member of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund who retires on or after January 1, 2002, shall receive a cost of living increase beginning on the first July first following such member's retirement date and on each subsequent July first. Such increase shall be not less than two and one-half per cent and not more than six per cent, based upon the following formula: Sixty per cent of the annual increase in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the immediately preceding twelve-month period up to six per cent, plus seventy-five per cent of the annual increase in such index for the same period over six per cent. In the event a member who retires on or after January 1, 2002, becomes deceased, such cost of living adjustment shall be applied to the allowance of the annuitant, if any. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to members who retired under the provisions of section 7-432.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, each member of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund who retires prior to January 1, 2002, and has not attained age sixty-five shall receive on July 1, 2002, and on July first of each subsequent year a cost of living increase equal to two and one-half per cent. In the event that a member who retires prior to January 1, 2002, becomes deceased, such cost of living increase shall be applied to the allowance of the annuitant, if any. The cost of living increase provided for in this subsection shall continue until the July first following the member's sixty-fifth birthday, at which point the formula set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall become operative. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to members who retired under the provisions of section 7-432.

(P.A. 77-584, S. 1, 5; P.A. 79-305, S. 1, 4; P.A. 80-37, S. 1, 3; P.A. 81-112; P.A. 82-472, S. 19, 182, 183; P.A. 83-3, S. 2, 5; 83-383, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-243, S. 4, 10; P.A. 88-149, S. 2, 5; P.A. 93-356, S. 9; P.A. 01-80, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 79-305 added Subsec. (b) re adjustments in benefits to provide 3% cost-of-living increase; P.A. 80-37 added reference to July 1, 1981; P.A. 81-112 added Subsec. (c) re annual cost of living increases beginning July 1, 1982; P.A. 82-472 repealed P.A. 81-112 (which was codified as Subsec. (c)) re cost-of-living increases effective on July 1, 1982 and thereafter; P.A. 83-3 inserted new Subsec. (c) re cost-of-living adjustments in retirement allowances, incorrectly repealed by authority of P.A. 82-472; P.A. 83-383 amended Subsec. (c) to provide for a mandatory annual cost-of-living adjustment for all recipients, beginning July 1, 1983, replacing former limited applicability, and imposed 3% minimum for increase amount; P.A. 86-243 deleted obsolete language, clarified the procedure for calculating the cost-of-living adjustment annually, and specifically provided for the funding of any liability caused by the payment of the mandatory minimum adjustment; P.A. 88-149 substituted “annuitant” for “spouse”; P.A. 93-356 deleted provisions re adjustments to municipalities' past service amortizations to fund liability resulting from cost-of-living increases provided to members receiving retirement allowances; P.A. 01-80 designated existing language as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re certain members who retire on or after January 1, 2002, and Subsec. (c) re certain members who have retired prior to January 1, 2002, and have not attained age 65.

Sec. 7-439c. Discharge of liability for increases of retirement allowance. The liability for the increase in benefits provided by sections 7-439b to 7-439d, inclusive, for retirement allowances based on service rendered before July 1, 1979, shall be discharged by extending the period required for the annual amortization payments being made by the municipality under section 7-441 before July 1, 1977, until the date when the total past service liability shall be discharged. Such date shall not be subject to the limits provided in subsection (b) of section 7-441. The proportion of contributions paid to the Retirement Commission monthly under the terms of subsection (c) of said section shall, effective July 1, 1979, include the cost of applying the adjustments of sections 7-439b to 7-439d, inclusive, to retirement allowances credited for service rendered after July 1, 1979.

(P.A. 77-584, S. 2, 5; P.A. 02-89, S. 8; P.A. 17-107, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 02-89 replaced references to Sec. 7-439e with references to Sec. 7-439d, reflecting the repeal of Sec. 7-439e by the same public act; P.A. 17-107 replaced reference to Sec. 7-441(a) with reference to Sec. 7-441(b) and replaced reference to Sec. 7-441(b) with reference to Sec. 7-441(c), effective July 1, 2017.

Sec. 7-439d. Cost of living adjustment not limited by subsection (a) of section 7-436. The limitation of the maximum retirement allowance provided in subsection (a) of section 7-436 shall not be applicable to increases under sections 7-439b to 7-439d, inclusive.

(P.A. 77-584, S. 3, 5; P.A. 93-356, S. 10; P.A. 02-89, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 93-356 deleted a reference to Sec. 7-435 re cost-of-living adjustments for fund A members; P.A. 02-89 replaced reference to Sec. 7-439e with reference to Sec. 7-439d, reflecting the repeal of Sec. 7-439e by the same public act.

Sec. 7-439e. Actuarial study by retirement board to determine cost impact of increases. Section 7-439e is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.

(P.A. 77-584, S. 4, 5; P.A. 02-89, S. 90.)

Sec. 7-439f. Study concerning restructuring of fund. The State Retirement Commission shall conduct a study to determine the cost impact of restructuring the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund to better reward career employees. Such restructuring would include, but not be limited to, providing a permanent three per cent cost of living increase in retirement allowances without appreciably increasing the financial burden on municipal employers. Said commission shall report its findings to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 1980.

(P.A. 79-305, S. 2, 4.)

Sec. 7-439g. Optional forms of retirement income. Preretirement death benefit. (a) On and after July 1, 1986, a member of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund may elect one of the following optional forms for retirement income by filing with the Retirement Commission a written election on a form provided by the commission. A member who has been married at least one year shall be presumed to have elected the option provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection unless a contrary election is made by the member. All other members will be presumed to elect the option provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection unless a contrary election is made by the member. Any election or change of election must be filed before retirement income payments begin. Any election of the options provided in subdivision (2), if, under said subdivision the member's spouse is not named as contingent annuitant, subdivision (3) or subdivision (4) of this subsection by a member who has been married at least one year shall not be effective unless the member's spouse consents in writing to the election and such written consent acknowledges the effect of the election and is witnessed by a representative of the municipality or a notary public; or unless it is established to the satisfaction of the Retirement Commission that such consent cannot be obtained because the spouse cannot be located or due to such other circumstances as the commission may prescribe by regulations adopted in accordance with chapter 54. Any such consent or determination that consent cannot be obtained shall be effective only with respect to the spouse who has given such consent or from whom consent cannot be obtained. No option shall be effective until a member has retired, and in the event a member dies prior to the effective date of commencement of benefits, any election of an option shall be deemed cancelled except as provided in subsection (d) of this section. Any reduced retirement allowance under this subsection shall be in such amount as the Retirement Commission determines to be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement allowance that would have been payable had the election not been made. The retirement income options are as follows:

(1) A reduced amount payable to the member for his lifetime, with the provision that after his death his spouse, if surviving, shall be entitled to receive a lifetime income equal to fifty per cent of the reduced monthly amount payable to the member;

(2) A reduced amount payable to the member for his lifetime, with the provision that after his death, his contingent annuitant shall be entitled to receive a lifetime income equal to either fifty or one hundred per cent of the reduced amount payable to the member;

(3) A reduced amount payable to the member for his lifetime, with the provision that if he shall die within either a ten or twenty-year period following the date his retirement income commences, whichever is selected by the member, the reduced amount continues to his contingent annuitant for the balance of the ten or twenty-year period; or

(4) An amount payable to the member for his lifetime, with no payments continuing after the member's death, except for a lump sum death benefit as provided in section 7-440.

(b) If a member who is continuing to accrue municipal service or who is on a leave authorized by the municipality, dies on or after July 1, 1985, and (1) after completion of the age and service requirements for retirement under section 7-428, 7-431 or 7-432 or, (2) after completing twenty-five years of service, his spouse, provided they are lawfully married at the time of the member's death and have been lawfully married for at least twelve months preceding his death, shall receive a lifetime income in an amount equal to fifty per cent of the average of the retirement income that the member would have been entitled to if he had retired the day he died had his benefits been paid under the option specified in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section and the retirement income that the member would have been entitled to if he had retired the day he died and had his benefit been paid under the option specified in subdivision (1) of said subsection. The spouse's eligibility for such benefits shall commence from the day next following the member's date of death. If such member was not eligible to retire at the time of his death, such benefit shall be calculated as if he had reached age fifty-five, but based on his service and final average earnings at his date of death.

(c) If a member who has terminated with at least twenty-five years of service or retired pursuant to section 7-428, 7-431 or 7-432, but whose benefits in either event are not yet being paid, dies prior to the commencing date of his benefits, his spouse, provided they have been lawfully married for at least the twelve months preceding his death, shall receive a lifetime income equal to fifty per cent of the average of the retirement income that the member would have been entitled to if his benefits had commenced the date he died had his benefit been paid under the option specified in subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section and the retirement income that the member would have been entitled to with such benefits being paid under the option specified in subdivision (1) of said subsection. If such member was not eligible to retire at the time of his death, such benefit shall be calculated as if he had reached age fifty-five. The spouse's eligibility for such benefits shall commence from the day next following the member's date of death.

(d) On and after July 1, 1986, if a member who has completed the age and service requirements for retirement under section 7-428, 7-431 or 7-432, and who has elected to receive his retirement benefits under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection (a) of this section, dies prior to the effective date of commencement of benefits but within ninety days after he first elects to receive his retirement benefits under subdivision (2) or (3) of said subsection (a), then his beneficiary or contingent annuitant shall receive an income in an amount equal to the benefit that would have been payable to the survivor had the member retired the day he died and had his benefit been paid under the option he had elected at the time of his death. This subsection shall not apply after ninety days after the date the member first elects to receive his benefit under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection (a) of this section. In the event that income payments to a surviving beneficiary or contingent annuitant are payable under this subsection, such payments shall be in lieu of payments under subsections (b) and (c) of this section.

(P.A. 86-243, S. 3, 10; P.A. 87-83, S, 1; P.A. 88-186; P.A. 91-86; P.A. 93-356, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 87-83 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to specify that the spouse's eligibility for death benefits commences on the day after the members' death, and to include spouses of members who retired or who were eligible to retire pursuant to Sec. 7-431 within its provisions; P.A. 88-186 added Subsec. (d) providing an additional retirement income option; P.A. 91-86 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re spousal consent; P.A. 93-356 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to make a spouse eligible for death benefits if the spouse is married to a member at the time of his death and had been married to the member for a total of 12 months, and not necessarily the 12 consecutive months, preceding the member's death.

Surviving spouse was not within the class of persons statute was intended to benefit because member waived spousal benefit option in 1986, prior to enactment of spousal consent requirement in 1991. 124 CA 866.

Subsec. (a):

The retirement elections and beneficiary designation of decedent under Subsec. did not become effective because such decedent never satisfied the age and service requirements for retirement. 209 CA 313.

Sec. 7-439h. Erroneous payments; adjustment; waiver of repayment; regulations. (a) Should any change or error in records result in any member or beneficiary receiving from the municipal employees' retirement system more or less than he would have been entitled to receive had the records been correct, then upon discovery of any such error the Retirement Commission shall notify the member or beneficiary affected and correct the same, and as far as practicable shall adjust the payments in such manner that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which such member or beneficiary was correctly entitled shall be paid, provided if such change or error results in any member or beneficiary receiving less than he would have been eligible to receive, such member or beneficiary may elect to have such benefit paid in a single payment.

(b) If a member or beneficiary has been overpaid through no fault of his own, and he could not reasonably have been expected to detect the error, the Retirement Commission may waive any repayment which it believes would cause hardship.

(c) The Retirement Commission shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 establishing criteria for the waiver of repayment.

(P.A. 88-144.)

Sec. 7-440. Contributions by members; interest; refunds to municipalities; payment to beneficiaries. (a) Each member shall contribute to the fund five per cent of his pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and two and one-quarter per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted, to be deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(b) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019, each member shall contribute to the fund five and one-half per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and two and three-quarters per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(c) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, each member shall contribute to the fund six per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and three and one-quarter per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted, to be deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(d) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021, each member shall contribute to the fund six and one-half per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and three and three-quarters per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(e) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, each member shall contribute to the fund seven per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and four and one-quarter per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(f) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, each member shall contribute to the fund seven and one-half per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and four and three-quarters per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(g) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and each year thereafter, each member shall contribute to the fund eight per cent of such member's pay as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are not to be deducted under section 7-453 and five and one-quarter per cent as to that portion of pay with respect to which contributions are to be so deducted from such pay by the municipality and forwarded not less frequently than once a month to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund.

(h) In the case of members serving with the armed forces of the United States in time of war, hostilities or national emergency or any acts incident thereto, as provided in section 7-434, the municipality shall forward to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund a like contribution on behalf of such member based upon his pay at the time of entering such service. Any member leaving the employment of the municipality before becoming eligible for retirement may withdraw on request to the Retirement Commission the total of all contributions made by him, including contributions made to another system and transferred to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund under the provisions of section 7-442b, less any retroactive contributions payable by such member under section 7-453 to the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System which have been paid from the fund under the provisions of section 7-451, provided, if no request is made within ten years, such contributions shall revert to the fund. The withdrawal of contributions shall include interest credited from July 1, 1983, or the first of the fiscal year following the date of actual contribution, whichever is later, to the first of the fiscal year coincident with or preceding the date the employee leaves municipal service. Such interest shall be credited at the rate of five per cent per year. In addition, for the partial year during which the employee leaves municipal service or withdraws his contributions, whichever is later, interest shall be credited at the rate of five-twelfths of one per cent multiplied by the full number of months completed during that year, such interest rate to be applied to the value of contributions including any prior interest credits as of the first day of that year. Any employee who withdraws his contributions from the fund and is subsequently reinstated shall not receive credit for service for such prior employment in the computation of his eventual retirement allowance unless the withdrawn contributions plus interest, if any, have been repaid with additional interest at a rate to be determined by the commission. Any municipality which has made contributions on behalf of any member serving in the armed forces who is not reemployed by the municipality within six months following the termination of such service, unless this period is further extended by reason of disability incurred in such service, shall be entitled to receive from the fund on application to the Retirement Commission the amount of such contributions. Any municipality which has made contributions in accordance with subsection (b) of section 7-436b on behalf of any member who leaves the employment of the municipality and withdraws from the municipal employees' retirement system before becoming eligible for retirement shall be entitled to receive from the fund on application to the Retirement Commission the amount of such contributions. In case of the death of a member before retirement, who has not elected a retirement income option in accordance with the provisions of this part or who has made such election but has not completed the age and service requirements that would permit him to retire on his own application, or after retirement without having made such election, or in case of the death of the survivor of a member who has made such election and his spouse after a retirement allowance has become payable, his contributions to the fund plus such five per cent interest, if any, less any retirement allowance paid to him or his spouse, and less any retroactive contributions paid by such member to the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System which have been paid from the fund under the provisions of section 7-451, shall be paid from the fund on the order of the Retirement Commission to the beneficiary or beneficiaries, if any, named by such member. If no named beneficiaries survive the member, or the survivor of the member and his spouse, payment shall be made to the executors or administrators of such member or his spouse, as the case may be, except that, if the amount is less than five hundred dollars, the refund may be made, at the option of the Retirement Commission, in accordance with the terms of section 45a-273.

(1949 Rev., S. 894; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 9; 1959, P.A. 310; 1967, P.A. 399; 1969, P.A. 244; P.A. 84-106, S. 5, 8; P.A. 86-243, S. 5, 10; P.A. 87-72; P.A. 88-149, S. 3, 5; P.A. 19-124, S. 1.)

History: 1959 act added provision re service credit for reemployed member who had withdrawn his contributions and added qualification re nonelection of option in providing for disposition of contributions where member dies before retirement; 1967 act allowed refunds to beneficiaries of deceased members who have not completed age and service requirements; 1969 act allowed withdrawal of contributions originally made to another system and transferred to municipal employees' retirement fund; P.A. 84-106 provided that interest at the rate of 5% per year shall be credited to contributions withdrawn from the fund, and to contributions paid to eligible beneficiaries of deceased members and that such interest shall be repaid by members attempting to reinstate previous service credits in the system; P.A. 86-243 provided that upon withdrawal of contributions, interest shall be included and shall be calculated from July 1, 1983, instead of July 1, 1984; P.A. 87-72 provided that members who leave municipal service but do not immediately withdraw their contributions shall continue to earn interest on such contributions until they are withdrawn; P.A. 88-149 provided for the refund of contributions made by a municipal employer for the purchase of wartime military service credit for an employee who leaves the employment of the municipality and withdraws from the municipal retirement system; P.A. 19-124 designated existing provisions re member contribution to fund and members serving in armed forces as Subsecs. (a) and (h), respectively, and added Subsecs. (b) to (g) re member contributions for fiscal years beginning July 1, 2019, July 1, 2020, July 1, 2021, July 1, 2022, July 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024, respectively, effective July 1, 2019.

Sec. 7-440a. Certain contributions by members treated as employer contributions. Each participating employer may pick up the member contributions required by section 7-440 for all compensation earned on and after January 1, 2002, and the contributions so picked up shall be treated as employer contributions in determining tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, and chapter 229. The employer shall pay such member contributions from the same source of funds that is used to pay the member. The employer may pick up such contributions by a reduction in the cash salary of the member, or by an offset against a future salary increase, or by a combination of a reduction in salary and offset against a future salary increase. If member contributions are picked up, they shall be treated for all purposes of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund in the same manner and to the same extent as member contributions made prior to the date picked up. Municipalities participating in fund B may adopt this section for their members. Such election shall be made in a manner prescribed by the Retirement Commission.

(P.A. 01-80, S. 9; P.A. 03-278, S. 18.)

History: P.A. 03-278 made technical changes, effective July 9, 2003.

Sec. 7-441. Definitions. Contributions by municipalities. Municipal issuance of employees' retirement system funding bonds. Issuance of refunding bonds. Regulations. (a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “General obligation” means an obligation issued by a municipality and secured by the full faith and credit and taxing power of such municipality;

(2) “Municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bond” means an obligation issued by a municipality to fund, in whole or in part, an outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system;

(3) “Obligation” means any bond or any other transaction which constitutes debt in accordance with both municipal reporting standards in section 7-394a and the regulations prescribing municipal financing reporting adopted by the secretary pursuant to section 7-394a;

(4) “Unfunded accrued liability to the system” means the amount necessary for the payment of future pensions based upon the service of members rendered prior to their becoming members of the system, less any amount transferred to the fund from any other retirement fund on account of such members, as determined by the Retirement Commission upon sound actuarial principles consistently applied; and

(5) “Weighted average maturity” means (A) the sum of the products, determined separately for each maturity or sinking fund payment date and taking into account any mandatory redemptions of the obligation, of (i) with respect to a serial obligation, the principal amount of each serial maturity of such obligation and the number of years to such maturity, or (ii) with respect to a term obligation, the dollar amount of each mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to such obligation and the number of years to such payment, divided by (B) the aggregate principal amount of such obligation.

(b) Each participating municipality shall be liable to the fund for an amount determined by the Retirement Commission on sound actuarial principles to be necessary for the payment of future pensions based upon the service of members rendered prior to their becoming members, less any amount transferred to the fund from any other retirement fund on account of such members, and for any increases in future benefits provided by amendments to this chapter to the extent that such increases are based on service prior to the effective date of such amendments; and in the case of a transfer of service credit between two participating municipalities under the provisions of section 7-442a where an increase in benefits results, the municipality to which the employee is transferred shall be liable to the fund for an amount so determined to be necessary for the payment of the increase in future pensions, based upon the service of the transferred member rendered subsequent to the commencement of his membership and prior to the effective date of transfer. The municipality shall pay annually to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund such amounts fixed by said commission as shall discharge such liability over a period not exceeding thirty years from the earliest effective date of participation as to any department in the Connecticut Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund, or a period not exceeding twenty years from the date of such transfer or increase in benefits, or entrance of a member into membership, whichever period shall be longer, except that the Retirement Commission may approve one consolidated amortized payment for the discharge of two or more separate liabilities running for different periods, such payments to be made over a period terminating not later than the latest date prescribed for the discharge of any one of such liabilities.

(c) All participating municipalities shall pay monthly to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund such proportion of the pay of all members employed by such municipality as is determined from time to time by the Retirement Commission on sound actuarial principles to be necessary in addition to the contributions by members to provide future pensions based on service rendered by members subsequent to the effective date of participation as defined in section 7-427 other than the excess pensions referred to in subsection (b) of this section. In the case of members serving with the armed forces of the United States in time of war or hostilities or national emergency, whether declared or undeclared, or any acts incident thereto, as provided in section 7-434, the municipality shall forward to the Retirement Commission to be credited to the fund a like contribution based on the pay of such member at the time of entering such service, in addition to paying the member's contribution as provided in section 7-440. If such member is not reemployed within six months following the termination of such service, unless this period is further extended by reason of disability incurred in such service, the municipality shall be entitled to receive from the fund, on application to the Retirement Commission, the amount of such contributions. If the Retirement Commission should find that the payments made to it under this subsection by any municipality have been more than sufficient because such municipality has elected to provide Social Security coverage for its employees, the commission, using sound actuarial principles, shall determine a refund, or a credit which shall be applied to the payments required of the same municipality under subsection (b) of this section in a manner to be determined by the commission.

(d) All municipalities shall contribute on account of retirement allowances for disability an additional proportion of the pay of members employed in such municipality to be determined by the Retirement Commission upon sound actuarial principles.

(e) Each municipality shall also pay to the Retirement Commission annually a proportionate share of the cost of the administration of the fund or funds in which it participates, as determined by the commission on the basis of the number of members employed by such municipality and the number of members retired from employment with such municipality, or their beneficiaries, who are currently receiving benefits from the retirement system established by this part.

(f) The rates of contribution provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section shall be varied among policemen and firemen in fund B participating in the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System, other members of fund B so participating, policemen and firemen in fund B not so participating and other members of fund B not so participating, but each rate shall be uniform within each such class.

(g) If any payment due under this section is not paid within two months from the date when due, interest shall be added to such payment at the prevailing rate of interest as determined by the Retirement Commission. Such interest shall be paid by the municipality.

(h) A municipality shall pay annually to the Retirement Commission, to be credited to fund B, such amounts fixed by the commission as shall discharge said municipality's liabilities for its contributions under this subsection and section 7-436 over a period not exceeding twenty years, provided no such payments shall be due until July 1, 1974.

(i) Notwithstanding the provisions of the general statutes, any special act, charter, special act charter, home-rule ordinance, local ordinance or local law governing the authorization and issuance of bonds, notes or other obligations and the appropriation of the proceeds thereof, a municipality participating in the system that has an unfunded accrued liability to the system as of July 1, 2017, may authorize and issue municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds to fund all or a portion of such municipality's outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system, as determined by the Retirement Commission upon sound actuarial principles consistently applied, and the payment of costs related to the issuance of such bonds, in accordance with the following requirements:

(1) The municipality shall, not later than thirty days prior to the issuance of municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds, notify the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, State Treasurer and Retirement Commission of such municipality's intent to issue such bonds, and include with such notice (A) the amount of the outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system based on the existing schedule of pension amortization payments, as determined by the Retirement Commission based on sound actuarial principles consistently applied; (B) the amount of any remaining annual pension amortization payments scheduled for payment by the municipality for the portion of the outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system that will not be defrayed by such bonds; (C) a comparison of the anticipated effects of funding the outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system through the issuance of such bonds with the funding of such liability through the annual payments scheduled for payment as determined by the Retirement Commission pursuant to subsection (b) of this section; (D) documentation of the municipality's authorization of the issuance of such bonds, including, but not limited to, a certified copy of the resolution or ordinance of the municipality authorizing the issuance of such bonds and the opinion of nationally recognized bond counsel as to the due authorization of the issuance of such bonds; and (E) other information and documentation required or requested by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, State Treasurer or Retirement Commission to carry out the provisions of this section; and

(2) Not later than ten days after the sale of such bonds, the municipality shall provide the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, State Treasurer and Retirement Commission with a final financing summary. Such final financing summary shall include, but not be limited to, (A) the final official statement, if any, with respect to the issuance of such bonds, and (B) a comparison of the anticipated effects of funding the outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system through the issuance of such bonds with the funding of such liability through the annual payments scheduled for payment, as determined by the Retirement Commission pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

(j) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the provisions of this chapter apply to any municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds issued pursuant to this section. Such bonds shall be general obligations of the municipality, and shall be serial bonds maturing in annual or semiannual installments of principal or term bonds with mandatory annual or semiannual deposits of sinking fund payments into a sinking fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of the general statutes, any special act, charter, special act charter, home-rule ordinance, local ordinance or local law, (1) the first installment of any series of such bonds shall mature or the first sinking fund payment of any series of such bonds shall be due not later than eighteen months from the date of issuance of such series, and the last installment of any series of such bonds shall mature or the last sinking fund payment of any series of such bonds shall be due not later than thirty years from the date of issuance of such series; (2) any such bonds may be sold at public sale on sealed proposal, by negotiation or private placement in such manner and at such price or prices, at such time or times and on such terms or conditions as the municipality or the officers or board of the municipality delegated the authority to issue such bonds, determines to be in the best interest of the municipality; and (3) no municipality shall issue temporary notes in anticipation of the receipt of proceeds from the sale of such bonds.

(k) Proceeds of municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds, to the extent not applied to the payment of costs related to the issuance thereof, shall be paid to the Retirement Commission, not later than thirty days after the date of issuance of such bonds, to fund all or a portion of the outstanding unfunded accrued liability to the system for which such bonds were issued.

(l) A municipality may, pursuant to section 7-370c, authorize and issue refunding bonds to pay, fund or refund prior to maturity any municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds, provided, notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-370c, the weighted average maturity of such refunding bonds shall not exceed the weighted average maturity of the municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds being paid, funded or refunded by such refunding bonds. The municipality shall notify the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, State Treasurer and Retirement Commission of such municipality's intention to issue refunding bonds pursuant to this subsection not less than ten days prior to the issuance of such bonds, and shall provide said Secretary, State Treasurer and Retirement Commission with copies of the final official statement, if any, prepared for such bonds not later than ten days after the issuance of such bonds.

(m) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, in consultation with the State Treasurer, may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to establish guidelines concerning compliance by municipalities with the provisions of this section.

(1949 Rev., S. 895; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 10; September, 1957, P.A. 10, S. 2; 1959, P.A. 320; 1967, P.A. 398; 1969, P.A. 277; 283; 407, S. 1, 2; P.A. 73-232, S. 1, 2; 73-234; 73-619, S. 2, 3; P.A. 75-29; P.A. 87-269, S. 1, 3; P.A. 93-356, S. 11; P.A. 17-107, S. 1.)

History: 1959 act changed the phrase at the end of Subsec. (a) from “the earliest effective date of participation in any of the Connecticut municipal employees' retirement fund, fund A or fund B” to “... participation as to any department in the Connecticut municipal employees' retirement fund”, amended Subsec. (b) to authorize refunds as well as credits and amended Subsec. (e) to distinguish between policemen and firemen participating in fund A as well as those not so participating; 1967 act added to provision concerning municipality's liability to fund to include increases in future benefits based on service prior to effective date of any changes to provisions by amendment, less any amount transferred from other retirement fund; 1969 acts required monthly payments rather than annual payments under Subsec. (b) and added provisions re payments for members serving in armed forces, added Subsec. (f) re interest on overdue payments and amended Subsec. (a) re liability for payments to cover increased future benefits when service credit transferred between two participating municipalities; P.A. 73-232 amended Subsec. (c) reducing from minimum of 1% to 0.5% of members' pay contributed to cover disability retirement benefits; P.A. 73-234 rephrased Subsec. (e) for clarity; P.A. 73-619 added Subsec. (g) re annual payments to cover municipality's liabilities for contributions over period not exceeding 20 years; P.A. 75-29 amended Subsec. (a) to allow for consolidated amortized payment to discharge two or more liabilities; P.A. 87-269 amended Subsec. (d) to include the number of retirees from a municipality receiving benefits from the system when calculating that municipality's share of administrative costs; P.A. 93-356 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provisions re contributions by municipalities which transfer from fund A to fund B, amended Subsec. (c) to delete provision establishing minimum contribution payable by municipalities of 1/2% of pay, and amended Subsec. (e) to delete references to fund A; P.A. 17-107 added new Subsec. (a) re definitions, redesignated existing Subsecs. (a) to (g) as Subsecs. (b) to (h), added Subsecs. (i) to (m) re municipal employees' retirement system pension funding bonds and adoption of regulations, and made conforming changes, effective July 1, 2017.

Sec. 7-441a. Contributions to remain at level in effect on June 30, 1980. Section 7-441a is repealed, effective October 1, 2002.

(P.A. 80-37, S. 2, 3; S. A. 02-12, S. 1.)

Sec. 7-442. Transfer from fund A to fund B. Section 7-442 is repealed.

(1957, P.A. 447, S. 11; 1959, P.A. 432, S. 1; P.A. 93-356, S. 15.)

Sec. 7-442a. Transfer of retirement credit between municipalities. Any municipal employee who is a member of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund and who accepts employment with another municipality in a department which, on the date he commences employment participates or, within two years thereafter, elects to participate in said fund shall be credited for retirement purposes with his entire period of service, as defined in section 7-425, with all municipalities which are members of said fund, provided, if he had withdrawn his contributions from the fund, he shall not receive credit for such prior employment in the computation of his eventual retirement allowance unless the withdrawn contributions plus interest, if any, have been repaid with additional interest at a rate to be determined by the commission. When a member has obtained credit for prior service in another municipality, and the department in which he so served has subsequently been withdrawn from the fund, such member may, upon request to the commission, withdraw the total of all contributions made during such prior service, and such credit for prior service shall thereupon be withdrawn. The withdrawal of such contributions shall include five per cent interest credited in accordance with the provisions of section 7-440. The Retirement Commission may make regulations as to such matters relating to such transfers of employment as the Retirement Commission finds necessary for the uniform and equitable administration of this section, having regard to the welfare of transferring employees and the interests of the municipalities.

(1963, P.A. 597; 1969, P.A. 278; P.A. 84-106, S. 6, 8; P.A. 93-356, S. 12.)

History: 1969 act applied provisions of section to transfers in which municipality elects to participate in fund B within two years of transfer date, clarified credit procedure where employee had withdrawn contributions after leaving prior employment or wishes to withdraw such prior contributions and deleted former general references to powers of commission to apportion contributions between municipalities and to determine payments required of each; P.A. 84-106 provided that the repayment of withdrawn contributions shall include any withdrawn interest plus additional interest as determined by the commission and that the withdrawal of contributions shall include 5% interest; P.A. 93-356 deleted provisions re transfer of retirement credit between fund A and fund B.

Sec. 7-442b. Transfer of retirement credit between municipal and state systems. Purchase of credit for prior state service. (a) Any person who became a member of the municipal employees' retirement system after December 31, 1964, and who previously was a member of the state employees retirement system or the retirement system of any municipality not participating under the provisions of this part shall receive credit for the purposes of retirement under the provisions of this part for the period of service with the state or such municipality if the state or municipality voluntarily chooses to transfer to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund from the retirement fund of the state or such municipality, by the authority having control thereof, on application of such employee, the entire amount paid into such state fund by the employee or the entire amount paid into such municipal fund by the employer and the employee as a result of the service of such employee, plus interest at the rate being paid by the retirement fund from which such amount is transferred from the date of each payment into such fund to the date such employee became a member of the municipal employees' retirement system. No transfer of employee contributions or interest shall be required whenever a former member of the tier II plan in the state employees retirement system applies for such retirement credit. If a municipality not participating under the provisions of this part declines to transfer the entire amount paid into such municipal fund by the employer and the employee as a result of the service of such employee, the member may purchase all or a portion of the credit for the member's prior service to such nonparticipating municipality by paying into the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund (1) two and one-quarter per cent or five per cent, as appropriate, of the member's salary for the period of such service, and (2) the actuarial cost determined by the Retirement Commission as necessary to fund the increased benefits payable by reason of such purchase, together with interest at the rate of six and one-half per cent, compounded annually, on such payment. No credit shall be granted under this subsection for any period of service for which any governmental unit is or will be paying a retirement benefit or if such credit would result in multiple service credit for the same period of service. In the case of an employee who withdraws from the municipal employees' retirement system and wishes to return to a municipality not participating under provisions of this part, there shall be transferred to the retirement fund of the municipality to which such employee is returning the entire amount paid into the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund by the employer and the employee, together with interest at the rate being paid by the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund as the result of the services of such employee.

(b) Any member of the municipal employees' retirement system who was previously a member of tier I of the state employees retirement system and who, pursuant to section 5-166, withdrew all his contributions in the State Employees Retirement Fund upon leaving state employment shall be credited, for retirement purposes under this chapter, with such period of prior state service upon payment into the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund of an amount equal to the total of all contributions and interest refunded to him from the State Employees Retirement Fund plus five per cent interest on such refunded amount from the effective date of his withdrawal from the state fund to the date of his application for credit under this subsection. Any application for such credit shall be made to the Retirement Commission on or before January 1, 1992, or within one year after the applicant becomes a member of the municipal employees' retirement system, whichever is later.

(February, 1965, P.A. 565; 1967, P.A. 401; 1969, P.A. 688, S. 4; P.A. 82-377, S. 2, 3; P.A. 83-533, S. 51, 54; P.A. 84-106, S. 7; P.A. 86-243, S. 7, 10; P.A. 91-241, S. 1, 2; P.A. 03-138, S. 2.)

History: 1967 act required 3% interest annually rather than 3% “compounded”; 1969 act deleted reference to 3% interest and substituted “the rate being paid by the retirement fund from which they are transferred” and added provision allowing transfer of contributions to retirement fund of nonparticipating municipality if employee withdraws from system and is employed by such a municipality; P.A. 82-377 eliminated requirement that share of contributions paid by the state or a nonparticipating municipality be transferred to municipal employees' retirement fund upon transfer of employee to municipal system; P.A. 83-533 amended section to provide that transfer of employee contributions are not required in case of employee who is a member of tier II; P.A. 84-106 made it clear that the transfer of funds from a state or municipal retirement system to the municipal employees retirement system at a member's request is voluntary on the part of the former employer and that in transfers between municipal systems, the entire amount contributed by the employer and employee shall be transferred; P.A. 86-243 added Subsec. (b), permitting any member of the municipal employees' retirement system to purchase credit for any period of prior membership in tier I of the state employees' retirement system, from which he had previously withdrawn all contributions; P.A. 91-241 amended Subsec. (b) by changing the time by which an application shall be made from January 1, 1987, to January 1, 1992, or one year after the applicant becomes a member; P.A. 03-138 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions specifying how members may purchase retirement credit for prior service to a non-MERF municipality that has declined to transfer such member's retirement contributions to MERF, adding provision re when credit will not be granted under Subsec. and making technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality, effective June 26, 2003.

Cited. 178 C. 23.

Sec. 7-442c. Credit for prior service with redevelopment agency. Any employee of a redevelopment agency of a municipality which has included such agency within the provisions of this part shall be given retirement credit for prior service to such agency upon payment of a sum equal to that which he would have paid had such service been covered by the provisions of this part, plus five per cent interest per annum for each year of service prior to passage of such resolution, such sum to be paid within one year of the passage of such resolution.

(1969, P.A. 725, S. 2.)

See Sec. 7-427 re municipalities' participation in retirement fund.

Sec. 7-442d. Transfer of members of fund A to fund B by resolution of legislative body. Effective date. Transfer of assets by State Treasurer. Section 7-442d is repealed.

(1971, P.A. 319, S. 1; P.A. 93-356, S. 15.)

Sec. 7-442e. Credit for prior service with Connecticut Housing Authority. Any employee of the Connecticut Housing Authority who became a member of the municipal employees' retirement system on July 1, 1986, and who had continuous service with said authority prior to participation in the system shall be credited for retirement purposes under this chapter with such period of continuous service. The Connecticut Housing Authority shall make contributions to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund for eligible employees in accordance with section 7-441.

(P.A. 88-149, S. 4, 5.)

Sec. 7-443. Initial rates of contribution by municipality. The Retirement Commission shall fix the initial rates of contribution by municipalities on account of future pensions based on services rendered prior and subsequent to the acceptance of this part on an actuarial study of the municipalities whose acceptance is necessary to the taking effect of this part. It shall make a complete actuarial study of the experience of the retirement system established by this part at intervals of not more than five years and shall thereupon readjust the contributions to be made by municipalities.

(1949 Rev., S. 896.)

Sec. 7-444. Withdrawal by a municipality. A municipality may withdraw one or more departments from the retirement system established by this part by the procedure provided in section 7-427 for acceptance of this part; provided such withdrawal shall not relieve the municipality from liability arising from retirement allowances already granted. The employees of the department or departments shall be entitled to the return of their contributions, plus interest as provided in section 7-440, and the same shall be paid to the municipality for that purpose. In addition, the municipality shall be entitled to receive any balance from the sums contributed by it for such department or departments after deducting any payments already made or then due on account of administrative expenses and retirement allowances, with a sum sufficient, as determined by the commission on sound actuarial principles, to provide for the payment of all future retirement allowances and refunds already vested by the retirement of members from the municipality. For this purpose, such retirement allowances and future retirement allowances shall exclude an amount equal to the total contributions, plus interest as provided in section 7-440, of members previously retired under this part. If there is a deficit in such sum, it shall be paid in full into the fund by the municipality seeking to withdraw and its liability in this regard shall be enforceable as provided in section 7-445.

(1949 Rev., S. 897; 1959, P.A. 315; 1967, P.A. 402; P.A. 87-85; P.A. 90-232, S. 1, 2.)

History: 1959 act allowed withdrawal of one or more departments in lieu of complete withdrawal; 1967 act excluded from retirement allowances and future allowances payments, an amount equaling total contributions of members previously retired when municipality or one or more of its departments withdraws; P.A. 87-85 provided that employees shall receive interest on their returned contributions after the withdrawal of their employer from the system; P.A. 90-232 added interest to the exclusion from returned contributions of contributions of previously retired members.

Sec. 7-445. Liability of municipality. Each participating municipality shall be liable to the fund for the cost of maintaining for its employees the retirement system herein provided for, including all contributions collected from employees. The liability of a municipality under this part shall be enforceable by the Retirement Commission against such municipality through appropriate action in the Superior Court.

(1949 Rev., S. 898.)

Sec. 7-446. Assignments prohibited. Any assignment by a member or beneficiary of any allowance or benefit payable under the terms of this part shall be null and void. Each such allowance and benefit shall be for the support of the member or beneficiary entitled thereto and shall be exempt from the claims of creditors of such member and beneficiary, provided, if the provisions of this section are contrary to the laws governing a particular set of circumstances, as to that set of circumstances, any allowance or benefit payable hereunder shall be exempt to the maximum extent permitted by law.

(1949 Rev., S. 899.)

Sec. 7-447. Custody and investment of funds. All contributions received from members and municipalities shall be paid over daily by the Retirement Commission to the State Treasurer, who shall be the custodian of the fund with power to invest and reinvest as much of said fund as is not required for current disbursement in accordance with the provisions of part I of chapter 32. All benefits, allowances and other payments authorized by this part shall be made from the fund upon vouchers approved by the Retirement Commission.

(1949 Rev., S. 900; 1969, P.A. 191, S. 2; P.A. 81-343, S. 4, 7.)

History: 1969 act allowed investments in trust funds; P.A. 81-343 substituted “Part I of Chapter 32” for previous language allowing investments in accordance with statutes governing savings banks or trust funds investments.

See Sec. 4-32 re state revenue accounting.

Sec. 7-448. Administration of part. Penalty for failure to provide necessary information to Retirement Commission. The administration of the system of retirement allowances established by this part, except as the same relate to the custody and investment of the fund, shall be entrusted to the Retirement Commission, which may employ actuarial, clerical and other assistance necessary for the purpose and which may make reasonable regulations for carrying out the provisions of this part including designation of the times at and manner in which the participating municipalities shall make the several payments required by this part. Each participating municipality shall furnish, at such times and in such manner as the Retirement Commission directs, information concerning the names, ages, length of service and pay of members employed by such municipality and any other data which the Retirement Commission determines to be necessary for the proper execution of this part and to give prompt notice of all appointments, removals, deaths, resignations, leaves of absence and changes in pay of members. If any participating municipality fails to provide such information, the Retirement Commission shall send written notice of such failure to the municipality by registered or certified mail. If such municipality fails to provide such information within thirty days after receipt of such notice, the Retirement Commission may assess a penalty of one hundred dollars per day against the municipality for each day of such failure beyond such thirty-day period. Such penalties shall be paid to the State Comptroller for deposit in the fund, and shall be used to help defray any additional expenses incurred by the Retirement Commission due to such failure to provide information.

(1949 Rev., S. 901; P.A. 87-269, S. 2, 3.)

History: P.A. 87-269 established penalties for municipalities which fail to provide the necessary information requested by the commission on a timely basis.

Cited. 144 C. 322.

Sec. 7-449. Effect of amendment or repeal of part. In case of the amendment or repeal of this part, the liability of fund B shall be limited in the case of a member or person claiming through such member to the contributions made by such member, without interest, and in the case of a municipality to contributions made by such municipality, subject to the deductions provided in the case of withdrawal by a municipality in accordance with section 7-444. All future retirement allowances vested by the retirement of members prior to such repeal or amendment shall be paid in full in accordance with the terms of this part and the rights of the Retirement Commission to compel the payment by any municipality of the sum or sums necessary to provide such retirement allowances granted to members formerly employed by such municipality shall not be affected by such repeal or amendment.

(1949 Rev., S. 902; P.A. 93-356, S. 13.)

History: P.A. 93-356 deleted reference to liability of fund A upon repeal or amendment of part II of chapter 113.

Sec. 7-450. Establishment of pension and retirement systems or other past employment health and life benefit systems. (a) Any municipality or subdivision thereof may, by ordinance, or with respect to a municipality not having the authority to make ordinances, by resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of its legislative body, establish pension, retirement, or other postemployment health and life benefit systems for its officers and employees and their beneficiaries, or amend any special act concerning its pension, retirement, or other postemployment health and life benefit systems, toward the maintenance in sound condition of a pension, retirement, or other postemployment health and life benefit fund or funds, provided the rights or benefits granted to any individual under any municipal pension or retirement system shall not be diminished or eliminated. The legislative body of any such municipality, by resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of its members, may provide for pensions to persons, including survivors' benefits for widows of such persons, not included in such pension or retirement system.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the general statutes or of any special act, charter, special act charter, home-rule ordinance, local ordinance or other local law, any municipality or subdivision thereof may, by ordinance and amendment thereto, or with respect to a municipality not having the authority to make ordinances, by resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of its legislative body, (1) establish one or more trusts, or determine to participate in a multiemployer trust, to hold and invest the assets of such pension, retirement or other postemployment health and life benefit system; (2) provide for the management and investment of such system and any such trust, including the establishment of a board or commission or the designation of an existing board or commission for such purposes; or (3) provide for the organization of and the manner of election or appointment of the members of such board or commission. Notwithstanding any limitations on the investment of municipal funds set forth in section 7-400, funds held in any trust described in subdivision (1) of this subsection may be invested (A) in accordance with the terms of the pension, retirement or other postemployment health and life benefit plan, as such terms may be amended from time to time; or (B) in any trust fund administered, held or invested by the Treasurer pursuant to chapter 32 and for which the Treasurer may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to allow for the investment of funds held in any trust described in said subdivision. The investment and management of the assets of any trust described in said subdivision shall be in compliance with the prudent investor rule as set forth in sections 45a-541 to 45a-541l, inclusive.

(c) The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not operate to invalidate the establishment by any municipality or subdivision thereof, pursuant to the provisions of any public or special act, charter, special act charter, home-rule ordinance, local ordinance or local law, of any postemployment health and life benefit system duly established prior to October 1, 2005, or of any trust duly established or board or commission duly established or designated prior to July 1, 2006, with respect to a pension, retirement or other postemployment health and life benefit system.

(1949 Rev., S. 903; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 48; February, 1965, P.A. 338, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 568; 642, S. 1; P.A. 05-202, S. 2; P.A. 06-79, S. 6; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 292.)

History: 1965 act included provisions for survivors' benefits for widows of officials and employees; 1967 acts deleted phrase concerning specific appropriations for pensions to persons not included in retirement system or their widows and protected rights and benefits under system from diminishment or elimination as a result of any amendments to the system; P.A. 05-202 divided section into Subsecs. (a) and (b) and added provisions re postemployment health and life benefit systems; P.A. 06-79 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re establishment of pension and retirement systems by municipalities without authority to make ordinances and re adoption of resolution to provide pensions to persons not included in system, amended Subsec. (b) to replace former provisions re pension and retirement systems established before October 1, 2005, with new provisions re authority of municipalities to establish pension and retirement systems and added new Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2006; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (b) to replace “funds held in any such trust” with “funds held in any trust described in subdivision (1) of this subsection”, designate provision re investment in accordance with plan terms as Subpara. (A) and added Subpara. (B) re trust funds administered, held or invested in by the Treasurer, effective June 23, 2021.

See Sec. 7-192 re validity of municipal charters, special acts and home rule ordinances in effect on October 1, 1982, and authorization to revise charters and home rule ordinances.

See Sec. 7-459a re survivors' benefits.

Cited. 238 C. 809.

Cited. 2 CA 43.

Sec. 7-450a. Actuarial evaluation of pension and retirement systems or other postemployment health and life benefit systems. (a) Any municipality, in which a pension, retirement, or other postemployment health and life benefit system applicable with respect to any employees of such municipality has been established by ordinance or under the authority of any public or special act, charter or special act charter, shall have prepared, no less often than once every five years commencing July 1, 1977, an actuarial evaluation of such system, including evaluation of accumulated or past service liability and the annual liability related to benefits currently earned under such system. Such evaluation shall be prepared by an actuary enrolled by the joint board for the enrollment of actuaries established under Subtitle C of Title III of the federal act entitled Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and such evaluation shall be prepared on the basis of such assumptions as to interest earnings, mortality experience, employee turnover and any other factors affecting future liabilities under such system, which in the judgment of such actuary represent the best estimate as to future experience under such system.

(b) No ordinance, resolution or other act altering the pension, retirement, or other postemployment health and life benefit system shall be enacted until the legislative body of the municipality has requested and received a qualified cost estimate from such enrolled actuary.

(c) Any municipality subject to the requirements in subsection (a) of this section shall have prepared, within six months following the adoption of any amendment to such system increasing benefits to any extent, in addition to such evaluations as required under subsection (a) of this section, a revision of the last preceding evaluation reflecting the increase in potential municipal liability under such system. If such amendment is adopted within one year preceding a date on which an actuarial evaluation is required under subsection (a) of this section, an additional evaluation shall not be required.

(d) Any actuarial evaluation prepared for a municipality in accordance with this section shall be delivered to the chief fiscal officer of such municipality who shall file a certified copy thereof with the municipal clerk and, with respect to any municipality constituting a multitown district, with the municipal clerk of each such town, for custody in the manner of other public records. A summary of such evaluation, including a statement prepared by the actuary as to the amount of annual payment that should be made for proper funding on the basis of such evaluation with respect to benefits currently earned and the accumulated or past service liability, shall be included in the first annual report of the municipality next following completion of each such evaluation.

(P.A. 77-468, S. 1, 2; P.A. 05-202, S. 3; P.A. 06-79, S. 7; 06-196, S. 42.)

History: P.A. 05-202 added provisions re postemployment health and life benefit systems in Subsecs. (a) and (b) and made a technical change in Subsec. (c); P.A. 06-79 made conforming changes in Subsecs. (b) and (d) consistent with other provisions of the same act, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), effective June 7, 2006.

Cited. 238 C. 809.

Sec. 7-450b. Cost of living allowance. Notwithstanding the provisions of any municipal charter or any special act to the contrary, any municipality which has established a retirement system for its officers and employees and their beneficiaries may, by ordinance, provide a cost of living allowance for such persons or their surviving widows or beneficiaries in an amount deemed appropriate by the municipality.

(P.A. 89-162, S. 2, 3.)

Sec. 7-450c. Diminishment or reduction of rights or benefits under pension and retirement systems. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or special act 01-1, no municipality or special taxing district that provides, as of July 11, 2007, a pension and retirement system for its officers and employees and their beneficiaries shall diminish or eliminate any right or benefit granted to any retiree under such retirement or pension system that was in effect on the date of such retiree's retirement. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit a municipality or special taxing district from changing the administration of such retiree's retirement benefits as long as the rights and benefits provided to such retiree after any change in the administration are at least equivalent to the rights and benefits provided prior to such change.

(P.A. 07-221, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 07-221 effective July 11, 2007.

Sec. 7-451. Retroactive coverage. Any agreement or modification entered into under sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive, to cover services of employees of municipalities in positions covered by the fund may be made retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 218(f) of the Social Security Act, but not prior to January 1, 1956. Any contributions payable by such a municipality or by the employees of such a municipality for such retroactive coverage shall be paid from the fund. The commission shall adjust the prior service contributions by such municipalities to reflect over the remainder of the amortization period the municipality's share of the cost of such retroactive coverage.

(September, 1957, P.A. 10, S. 3; 1959, P.A. 303.)

History: 1959 act provided for adjustments to reflect cost of retroactive coverage.

Sec. 7-452. Participation in federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance System: Definitions. Terms used in sections 7-452 to 7-459, inclusive, shall be construed as follows, unless another meaning is clearly apparent from the language or context:

(1) “Municipality” means any town, consolidated town and city, consolidated town and borough, borough, fire district, school district, district department of health, regional council of governments, probate district, housing authority, flood commission or authority established by special act or other municipal association created by special law or by general law or an instrumentality of any of these, if such instrumentality is a distinct juristic entity legally separate from any of the above and its employees are not, through this relation, employees of one of the above;

(2) “Commission” means the State Retirement Commission;

(3) “System” means the Old Age and Survivors Insurance System under Title II of the Social Security Act, as amended;

(4) “Legislative body”, unless otherwise provided by special act or by charter adopted under the provisions of chapter 99, as applied to unconsolidated towns, means the town meeting; as applied to cities and to consolidated towns and cities, means the board of aldermen, council or other body charged with the duty of making annual appropriations; as applied to boroughs and consolidated towns and boroughs, means the board of burgesses; as applied to fire districts, means the district meeting; as applied to district departments of health, means the district board; as applied to probate districts, means the judge of probate; as applied to regional councils of governments, means the council, and, in all other cases, means the body authorized by the general statutes or by special act to make bylaws or ordinances for the municipality;

(5) “Wages” means all remuneration for employment, including the cash value of all remuneration paid in any medium other than cash, except that the term shall not include that part of such remuneration which, even if it were paid for employment within the meaning of the federal Insurance Contributions Act, would not constitute wages within the meaning of that act;

(6) “Social Security Act” means that Act of Congress, approved August 14, 1935, Chapter 531, 49 Stat. 620, officially cited as the Social Security Act, including regulations and requirements issued pursuant thereto, as such act has been and may from time to time be amended;

(7) “Federal Insurance Contributions Act” means Subchapter A of Chapter 9 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1939 and Subchapters A and B of Chapter 21 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended;

(8) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States and includes any individual to whom the Secretary has delegated any of his functions under the Social Security Act with respect to coverage under said act of employees of states and their political subdivisions; and

(9) “Employee” includes an officer of a municipality.

(1951, 1955, S. 408d; 1957, P.A. 204; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 19; 612, S. 2; 1963, P.A. 344, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 549, S. 3; 1967, P.A. 666; 1969, P.A. 402, S. 3; P.A. 89-211, S. 12; P.A. 13-247, S. 272.)

History: 1959 acts deleted counties from the definitions of municipality and legislative body and added probate provisions to the same definitions; 1963 act added district health department provisions to same definitions; 1965 act added regional planning agency provisions to same definitions; 1967 act added reference to charter provisions in definition of “legislative body”; 1969 act divided section into subdivisions; P.A. 89-211 clarified reference to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; P.A. 13-247 amended Subdiv. (1) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency” in definition of “municipality” and amended Subdiv. (4) by substituting “councils of governments” for “planning agencies” and “council” for “regional planning board” in definition of “legislative body”, effective January 1, 2015.

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-453. Membership in system. Contributions. Any municipality of the state may, by vote of its legislative body and with the approval of the commission, apply for membership in the system or provide coverage for employees in any of the services which it may have elected to exclude under section 7-454. The commission is appointed agent for the state and is authorized to act in such capacity in all matters relating to the system and to the municipalities entering it. All agreements to be entered into between the state and the Secretary and between the state and the municipality shall be subject to the examination and approval of the Attorney General before being consummated. The commission is authorized to make regulations governing the procedure to be followed by municipalities in entering and maintaining membership in the system. A municipality shall deduct an amount from the wages of its employees whose services are covered under the system by federal-state agreement and shall contribute an equal amount for each employee on its own behalf so that the sum of these amounts shall be equivalent to the taxes which would be imposed by the federal Insurance Contributions Act if the services of employees covered by the agreement constituted employment as defined in that act. The commission, upon receipt of such contributions, shall, in accordance with applicable regulations, verify them for correctness and endorsement and deliver them to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. The state shall pay to the Secretary of the Treasury, at such time or times as may be prescribed under the Social Security Act, contributions equal to the taxes which would be imposed by the federal Insurance Contributions Act if the services covered by the agreement constituted employment within the meaning of that act.

(1951, 1955, S. 409d; 1963, P.A. 344, S. 4; February, 1965, P.A. 549, S. 4; 1967, P.A. 404; 1969, P.A. 402, S. 4.)

History: 1963 act added provisions re district health departments; 1965 act added provisions re regional planning agencies; 1967 act added phrase allowing provision of coverage for employees in services it may previously have excluded; 1969 act deleted provisions requiring, in cases regarding district departments of health or regional planning agencies, approval of electors for their inclusion in system.

Special policemen in housing projects of city housing authority held to be authority employees although city police department supervised their appointment and assignment. 157 C. 428. Cited. 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-454. Employees not included. In determining the municipal employees entitled to participate in the system and the extent of their participation, all service performed by an employee in the employ of any municipality which joins the system, for such employer, shall be included except as provided in this section. The following services shall be excluded: (1) Services which, in the absence of federal-state agreement, would constitute “employment” as defined in the Social Security Act, (2) services of individuals in positions covered under the Connecticut State Teachers' Retirement Association other than services performed by individuals to whom Section 218(c)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act is applicable; services performed prior to August 16, 1994, of individuals in police officers' or firefighters' positions covered under fund A or fund B or local retirement systems, and (3) services which, under the Social Security Act, may not be included in an agreement between the state and the Secretary entered into under sections 7-452 to 7-459, inclusive. Service which under the Social Security Act may be included in an agreement only upon certification by the Governor in accordance with Section 218(d) of said act shall be included if and when the Governor issues, with respect to such service, a certificate to the Secretary pursuant to section 7-455. Any municipality applying for membership in the system may elect to exclude from membership in the system the following: (a) All services in any class or classes of elective positions, part-time positions or positions the compensation for which is on a fee basis, (b) student service to the fullest extent such coverage is permitted under Section 218 of the Social Security Act, (c) services performed by individuals to whom Section 218(c)(3) (B) of the Social Security Act is applicable, or (d) any services which may be optionally excluded under Section 218(c) of the Social Security Act. Any municipality which joined the system prior to July 8, 1955, shall be deemed to have elected exclusion (c). Where any municipality covers under the agreement the services described in exclusion (c), the services of any individual thereby covered shall cease to be covered by the agreement if he thereafter becomes eligible to be a member of a retirement plan, but only if the agreement is not already applicable to such plan pursuant to Section 218(d) of the Social Security Act. Nothing in sections 7-451 to 7-459, inclusive, shall prevent coverage under the system in accordance with Section 218(d)(8) of the Social Security Act of services of individuals in positions covered by more than one retirement system. Where, prior to June 29, 1959, services in positions covered by a retirement system have been covered under the system, the legislative body of a municipality may request that services of individuals excluded from such coverage because such positions were covered by another retirement system be included under the system, and such services shall be covered under the system in accordance with Section 218(d)(8) of the Social Security Act.

(1951, 1955, S. 410d; 1957, P.A. 447, S. 12; 1959, P.A. 518, S. 1; 612, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 110; 337, S. 1; P.A. 73-597, S. 1, 3; P.A. 13-153, S. 1.)

History: 1959 acts deleted from Subdiv. (2) “services of individuals in positions covered under any retirement plan established by or under the authority of any special act other than services performed by individuals to whom section 218 (c)(3)(C) is applicable, unless and until the special act provides or is amended to provide specifically that such services need not be excluded in determining coverage under the system,” deleted the qualification “(3)” after references to section 218(d) in Subdiv. (3) and specifically prohibited denial of coverage for persons in positions covered by more than one retirement system; 1965 acts added services of individuals in local retirement systems to exception in Subdiv. (2) and added Subdiv. (d); P.A. 73-597 substituted “(B)” for “(C)” in references to “section 218(c)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act”, permitted exclusion of services of emergency nature from coverage at municipality's option and allowed exclusion of student service to extent coverage is permitted under section 218; P.A. 13-153 amended Subdiv. (2) to limit exclusion of services of police officers and firefighters to services “performed prior to August 16, 1994,” and make a technical change, effective June 21, 2013.

Cited. 157 C. 429. Subdiv. (2): Earnings received for extra duty and coaching assignments are not covered by exemption of section for teacher salaries. 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-455. Referendum. (1) With respect to the employees of any municipality, the Governor shall authorize a referendum upon request of the legislative body of such municipality and shall designate the commission to supervise the conduct of such referendum, in accordance with the requirements of Section 218(d)(3) of the Social Security Act, on the question of whether service in positions covered by a retirement system established by the state or by a municipality should be excluded from or included under an agreement under sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive; but no such referendum shall be held with respect to services the exclusion of which is required by subdivision (2) of section 7-454. Pursuant to Section 218(d)(6) of the Social Security Act, each retirement system covering positions of employees of more than one municipality shall, for the purposes of sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive, be deemed to constitute a separate retirement system with respect to each municipality having positions covered thereby.

(2) The legislative body of any municipality which has a retirement system, whether the system was established by special act or otherwise, may subdivide the system into two parts, each of which parts shall be deemed to constitute a separate retirement system; one part, which shall be known as Part A, shall be composed of positions of members of such system who have not expressed a desire for social security coverage, and the positions covered by such system of individuals who are ineligible to become members of such system; the second part, which shall be known as Part B, shall be composed of the positions of members of such system who have expressed their desire for social security coverage, and the positions of all individuals becoming members of such system after the date social security coverage is extended. Whenever the legislative body of a municipality has authorized the subdivision of its retirement system in this manner, the Governor shall authorize a vote among the members of such system on the question of whether they wish to be covered under an agreement under sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive. The Governor shall designate the commission to supervise the conduct of such vote in accordance with the requirements of Section 218(d)(7) of the Social Security Act. For purposes of such vote, an individual in a position to which an agreement under sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive, already applies or in a position excluded pursuant to Section 218(d)(5) of the Social Security Act shall not be considered a member of the retirement system with respect to which the vote is being conducted. For the purposes of such vote and of coverage under the system, an individual who is in a position covered by such retirement system and who is not a member thereof, but who is eligible to be such a member, shall be considered to be such a member, and such coverage shall be obtained for any such individual to the extent permitted by Section 218(d)(6)(E) of the Social Security Act. The position of any member of Part A may be transferred to Part B in the manner and to the extent permitted by Section 218 of the Social Security Act. Nothing in this part shall be construed as permitting a referendum among the members of the Teachers' Retirement Association in accordance with Section 218(d)(3) of the Social Security Act, or vote of said members in accordance with Section 218(d)(7) of said act.

(3) The notice of referendum or vote required by Section 218(d)(3)(c) or Section 218(d)(7) of the Social Security Act, as the case may be, to be given to employees shall contain or shall be accompanied by a statement, in such form and such detail as the commission deems necessary and sufficient, to inform the employees of the rights which will accrue to them and their dependents and survivors, and the liabilities to which they shall be subject, if their services are included under an agreement under sections 7-452 to 7-455, inclusive. Upon receiving evidence satisfactory to him that the conditions of Section 218(d)(3) of the Social Security Act have been met with respect to a referendum or the conditions of Section 218(d)(1) have been met with respect to a vote, the Governor shall so certify to the Secretary.

(1955, S. 411d; September, 1957, P.A. 10, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 612, S. 4; 1967, P.A. 656, S. 65; P.A. 79-631, S. 92, 111.)

History: 1959 act provided that eligible individuals who are not members of system be considered as members for voting purposes, that transfers from A to B be allowed and that nothing contained in provisions be construed to allow referendum among teachers' retirement association members; 1967 act added Subsec. (3) re notice of referendum or vote (replacing former Subsec. (3) which at some point was dropped without intent as were some of the sentences originally in Subsec. (2) at its creation in 1957); P.A. 79-631 made technical changes.

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-456. Deductions from wages. The legislative body of each municipal member of the system shall direct the treasurer or other financial officer of the municipality to make deductions from the wages of its employees as required by section 7-453. The total amount of such deductions and an equal amount appropriated by the municipality shall be forwarded to the commission within the time fixed by the commission; and if any municipality fails to make such payment within the time specified, the commission shall notify the Comptroller of such default and he shall withhold from such municipality the whole or any part of any sum due from the state until such payment is made. The commission is authorized to bring a civil action, in the name of the state, against any municipality so in default.

(1951, S. 412d.)

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-457. Agreement between commission and municipality. The agreement between the commission and the municipality shall describe in detail all conditions which must be fulfilled to meet the applicable requirements of the federal Social Security Act, including a stipulation that the cost to the state of administering sections 7-452 to 7-459, inclusive, shall be paid by the municipalities and apportioned among them quarterly, by the commission, in the ratio which each municipality's quarterly total payment to the system bears to the total payments of all municipalities made in the same quarter; and each municipality shall include in its annual budget a sum sufficient to meet the amount due as its contribution to the commission.

(1951, S. 413d; P.A. 86-312, S. 2, 21.)

History: P.A. 86-312 required inclusion by each municipality in its annual budget of sum sufficient to meet amount due as its contribution to the “commission” rather than the “fund”.

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-458. Refund of amounts recovered from federal government. Any amount recovered by the state from the federal government by virtue of payments made under the federal-state agreement shall be equitably refunded by the state to the contributors as the commission directs.

(1951, S. 414d.)

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-459. Retroactivity. The provisions of sections 7-452 to 7-458, inclusive, and this section shall be retroactive to January 1, 1951, and any agreement or modification thereof between the state and the federal government may be made retroactive in accordance with the provisions of Section 218(f) of the federal Social Security Act, as amended.

(1951, 1953, S. 416d.)

Cited. 157 C. 429; 210 C. 531.

Sec. 7-459a. Survivors' benefits authorized. Any municipality participating in this part may, by vote of its legislative body, provide survivors' benefits for the widows of persons covered by this part.

(February, 1965, P.A. 338, S. 2.)

See Sec. 7-450 re amendment of retirement or pension system to provide for survivors' benefits.

Cited. 157 C. 429.

Sec. 7-459b. Deferred retirement option plan. Adoption. (a) On or after July 1, 2000, the Retirement Commission may create a deferred retirement option plan and prescribe the manner in which such option plan may be adopted by a municipality participating in the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund, provided the method of adoption is in accordance with subsection (c) of this section. If created, such plan shall permit members of the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund who are eligible for a service retirement allowance to elect participation in such plan, provided such plan has been adopted by the participating municipality that employs such member.

(b) The deferred retirement option plan shall include a fixed period of time for member participation, not to exceed five years, and a specified rate of interest credit for member accounts. All other provisions of the deferred retirement option plan shall be as determined by the Retirement Commission, provided the structure of such plan is certified by the consulting actuary to the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund as having no anticipated impact on the contribution rates for municipalities participating in said fund.

(c) Any municipality participating in the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund shall have the option of adopting the deferred option plan for its members. Such adoption shall be in a manner prescribed by the Retirement Commission.

(P.A. 00-73, S. 1, 2; 00-192, S. 98, 102.)

History: P.A. 00-73 and P.A. 00-192 effective July 1, 2000 (Revisor's note: Sec. 1 of P.A. 00-73 and Sec. 98 of P.A. 00-192 are, for the most part, identical except that P.A. 00-192 includes a provision in Subsec. (a) authorizing the Retirement Commission to “prescribe the manner in which such option plan may be adopted by a municipality participating in the Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund, provided the method of adoption is in accordance with subsection (c) of this section” which is not found in P.A. 00-73, and further differs from P.A. 00-73 in Subsec. (c) in providing for adoption “in a manner prescribed by the Retirement Commission” where P.A. 00-73 provides for adoption “by a majority vote of the local legislative body”. The later act, P.A. 00-192, was deemed by the Revisors to have repealed by implication the conflicting earlier provision enacted in P.A. 00-73).

Sec. 7-459c. Retiree group health insurance benefits. Restriction on diminishment or elimination. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or special act 01-1, no municipality or subdivision of a municipality that provides group health insurance benefits to a retiree of the municipality or subdivision as of June 2, 2006, shall diminish or eliminate such retiree's benefits in violation of any collective bargaining agreement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit such municipality or subdivision from selecting an alternative insurance carrier to provide such retiree's benefits as long as the benefits provided by the alternative insurance carrier are at least equivalent to the benefits previously provided by such municipality or subdivision to such retiree, unless such retiree, as of the effective date of such employee's retirement, is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, negotiated in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, with a provision specifying that such retiree is entitled to the same health insurance benefits provided to active employees of the municipality as a result of collective bargaining.

(P.A. 06-123, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-123 effective June 2, 2006.

PART III*

GENERAL PROVISIONS

*Cited. 157 C. 429; 216 C. 253; 224 C. 656.

Cited. 33 CA 541.

Salary increase for tax collector, voted by common council, held invalid because approval of board of finance and taxation was not secured. 25 CS 227.

Sec. 7-460. Compensation of officials and employees. Unless otherwise specifically provided in the general statutes, any municipality or subdivision thereof, through its legislative body, may fix the compensation of its officials and employees, subject to the approval of its budget authority. Any proposed increase in the compensation of the members of the legislative body of any municipality shall be subject to confirmation by referendum at the next regular election of such municipality. The provisions of this section shall be applicable to any municipality, any provision of any special act to the contrary notwithstanding.

(1949 Rev., S. 920; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 90.)

History: 1961 act removed exception for municipal court judges and their appointees, municipal courts having been abolished in 1959.

Cited. 147 C. 401; 179 C. 140; 201 C. 377.

Salary increase for tax collector, voted by common council, held invalid because approval of board of finance and taxation was not secured. 25 CS 227. Cited. 40 CS 539.

Sec. 7-460a. Sick leave pay exclusion from Social Security contributions. Each political subdivision of the state which grants to its full-time permanent employees, on account of illness or injury, sick leave with pay, may exclude any such payment from wages for which Social Security contributions are made, in accordance with the provisions of Subsection (b) of Section 209 of the federal Social Security Act of August 14, 1935 (49 Stat. 625), as from time to time amended.

(P.A. 79-529, S. 2.)

Sec. 7-460b. Residency requirements. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or special act or local law, ordinance or charter, no municipality may require as a condition of employment with such municipality that an employee whose position is subject to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement reached pursuant to sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, reside in such municipality.

(P.A. 89-263.)

Sec. 7-460c. Compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 31-71b and 31-76b to 31-76j, inclusive, to the contrary, any municipality may, by contract, agree with municipal employees to provide overtime compensation in the form of compensatory time, in lieu of overtime pay, at a rate not less than one and one-half hours of compensatory time for each hour worked in excess of the maximum workweek of such employees. A municipality providing compensatory time shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as from time to time amended.

(P.A. 91-81, S. 1, 2.)

Sec. 7-460d. Additional compensation for certain retired public safety employees. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or of any charter or special act, a municipality may, by two-thirds vote of its legislative body or, in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting, by two-thirds vote of the board of selectmen, provide for compensation, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, by such municipality of a retired public safety employee (1) with a permanent and severe disability caused by a serious bodily injury which (A) arose out of and in the course of his or her employment as a public safety employee, and (B) was suffered in the line of duty and within the scope of his or her employment as a public safety employee, (2) who retired from service as a public safety employee as a result of such disability, and (3) who is under the age of sixty-five. As used in this section, “public safety employee” means a retired uniformed member of such municipality's paid fire department or a retired regular member of such municipality's paid police department.

(b) The compensation paid to any public safety employee described in subsection (a) of this section shall be in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the total payment of benefits received by such employee under the provisions of chapter 568 and any other benefits, and (2) the regular rate of pay of such employee at the time of his or her retirement. Upon approval by the legislative body or board of selectmen, as applicable, in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, such compensation shall be paid annually to such employee and shall continue until such employee attains the age of sixty-five.

(c) A municipality providing for compensation in accordance with this section shall establish procedures for the evaluation of any retired public safety employee considered for such compensation to determine such person's eligibility.

(P.A. 19-111, S. 1.)

Sec. 7-461. Leave of absence for reserve corps field training. Each officer and employee of any town, city or borough who is a member of the reserve corps of any branch of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103, shall be entitled to absent himself from his duties or services while engaged in required field training in such reserve corps. No such officer or employee shall be subjected by any person, directly or indirectly, by reason of such absence, to any loss or reduction of vacation or holiday privileges or be prejudiced by reason of such absence with reference to promotion or continuance in office or employment or to reappointment to office or to reemployment. While engaged in such training, each officer or employee who is a bona fide member of the reserve corps of any branch of the armed forces shall receive the difference between his compensation for military activities and his salary or compensation as such officer or employee, provided, if his compensation for military activities exceeds the amount due him as such officer or employee, his military compensation shall prevail. The period of absence in any calendar year shall not exceed thirty days.

(1957, P.A. 569; P.A. 18-72, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 18-72 made a technical change.

Sec. 7-461a. Leave of absence for specialized disaster relief services. Any municipal employee, with the approval of the legislative body of the municipality employing such employee, who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross, may be granted a leave not to exceed fourteen days in each year to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the American Red Cross, upon the request of the American Red Cross, without loss of pay, vacation time, sick leave or earned overtime accumulation.

(P.A. 89-379, S. 3.)

Sec. 7-462. Reinstatement of employees after military leave. (a) Any employee who leaves the service of any political subdivision for the purpose of entering the armed forces of the United States shall be reinstated in his former position and duties, provided he shall make application for return to such service within ninety days after he has received a certificate of satisfactory service from the armed forces. The appointing authority of any political subdivision in which such employee is reinstated shall certify in writing that such employee is able and qualified to perform the work required and that there is work available for him. In considering the factor of availability of work, the political subdivision shall replace by the returning employee any employee, junior in service, who was employed for the purpose of filling the position vacated by such returning employee. Any employee returning to the service of any political subdivision as herein provided shall be credited, under the provisions of this section, with the period of such service in said armed forces to the same extent as though it had been a part of the term of service to such political subdivision. This section shall not apply to any employee of a political subdivision for a period of more than three years in addition to war service or compulsory service and the ninety-day period hereinbefore provided for.

(b) For purposes of this section, “political subdivision” shall include any town, city, borough, district, school board, board of education, public social service or public welfare agency, public corporation, housing authority, redevelopment or urban renewal board or commission, or other public authority or public agency established by law.

(1949, S. 434d; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 20; P.A. 73-194, S. 1, 2.)

History: 1959 act removed references to county employees; P.A. 73-194 substituted “political subdivision” for “town, city or borough” and defined “political subdivision” in new Subsec. (b).

Sec. 7-463. Interest of state in employees' bonds. Whenever an official or other officer or a clerk or employee of any town, city or borough, or any of their agencies, is the repository or custodian of any funds in which the state has an interest, and such officer, official, clerk or employee is bonded for good and faithful performance, such bond shall include and run to the state to the extent of such interest and any additional premium therefor shall be paid by such town, city or borough.

(1949 Rev., S. 921; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 22.)

History: 1959 act removed references to counties.

Sec. 7-464. Group insurance benefits for municipal employees, volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance personnel. Age discrimination. Recovery of payments from collateral sources. Liens. Equitable defenses. Definitions. (a) Any town, city or borough may, through its authorized officials, provide such form or forms of group life, health and accident and hospital plan benefits for its employees as it deems advisable. Any town, city or borough that provides health and accident and hospital plan benefits for its employees may arrange and procure the same benefits for each active member of a volunteer fire company or department or volunteer ambulance service or company within such town, city or borough, provided the member (1) elects coverage under such plan or plans, (2) pays one hundred per cent of the premium charged and any additional costs for such coverage, and (3) meets the requirements for active status set forth by said town, city or borough.

(b) If the town, city or borough has less than twenty employees, no health and accident and hospital plan for such employees may provide for reduced coverage for any employee who has reached the age of sixty-five and is eligible for Medicare benefits or any employee's spouse who has reached age sixty-five and is eligible for Medicare benefits except to the extent such coverage is provided by Medicare. If the town, city or borough has twenty or more employees, the terms of any such plan shall entitle any employee who has attained the age of sixty-five and any employee's spouse who has attained the age of sixty-five to group hospital, surgical or medical insurance coverage under the same conditions as any covered employee or spouse who is under the age of sixty-five.

(c) A self-insured town, city or borough that provides group health benefits for its employees has a lien on that part of a judgment or settlement that represents payment for economic loss for medical, hospital and prescription expenses incurred by its employees and their covered dependents and family members when such expenses result from the negligence or recklessness of a third party. The self-insured town, city or borough may recover such paid health benefits from any tortfeasor recovery but only upon the following terms and conditions:

(1) In no event shall any commercial insurance company which provides health insurance benefits to the employees of a town, city or borough and their covered dependents and family members, including, but not limited to, stop loss insurance beyond a municipal self-funded medical expense amount, be entitled to any reimbursement from a tortfeasor recovery. The provisions of this subsection shall be construed to only permit a self-insured town, city or borough to recover medical expenses paid from its own revenues. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to permit a self-insured town, city or borough to recover medical expenses paid from an insured plan, whether insured in whole or in part.

(2) No lien shall exist against any tortfeasor recovery when the self-insured town, city or borough paid an amount equal to or less than fifteen thousand dollars for medical, hospital and prescription expenses incurred by its employee, covered dependent or family member.

(3) Any lien permitted under this subsection shall be limited to that portion of any settlement or judgment that represents payment for economic loss for medical, hospital and prescription expenses paid as of the time of settlement or judgment, and reduced as set forth in subdivision (4) of this subsection.

(4) The lien shall be reduced by:

(A) Any percentage of comparative negligence attributed to the employee under section 52-572h;

(B) The percentage ratio that the employee's legal fees and costs bear to the total judgment or settlement recovered; and

(C) Application of equitable defenses to the lien amount claimed including, but not limited to, the make whole doctrine and unjust enrichment. If agreement cannot be reached on the application of equitable defenses to the claimed lien amount, then either the employee, covered dependent, family member or the self-insured town, city or borough may petition the Superior Court for resolution on the application of equitable defenses. Any such petition to the Superior Court shall be heard by a judge of the Superior Court and shall be privileged for a hearing assignment and any such hearing shall be held not later than thirty days after the date of filing the application.

(5) The lien shall be effective when written notice of the lien is provided to the employee or his or her attorney but only if written notice of the lien is provided prior to any settlement or the entry of judgment. Written notice shall be deemed effective if the group health plan coverage booklet provided to the employee, covered dependent or family member contains clear language in conspicuous boldface font that the employee, covered dependent or family member shall reimburse the self-insured town, city or borough from any tortfeasor recovery for medical, hospital and prescription expenses paid due to the negligence of a third party as limited by the provisions of this subsection.

(6) Upon written request from the employee, covered dependent family member or such individual's attorney after settlement or the entry of judgment, the self-insured town, city or borough shall have thirty days to provide the employee or his or her attorney with the total amount of the lien claimed. If the total amount claimed is not provided by the self-insured town, city or borough within such thirty-day period, then the self-insured town, city or borough shall be deemed to have waived any lien and shall have no further claim of lien for medical, hospital and prescription expenses paid from the tortfeasor recovery.

(d) As used in subsection (c) of this section: (1) “Self-insured town, city or borough” means a town, city or borough that provides group health benefits to its employees by paying submitted medical, hospital and prescription expense claims from its revenues; and (2) “tortfeasor recovery” means moneys paid by or on behalf of the person or entity whose negligence or recklessness caused the injuries for which medical, hospital and prescription expenses were incurred. “Tortfeasor recovery” includes claims in negligence or recklessness based upon wrongful death under section 52-555 and claims based upon negligent operation of a motor vehicle owned by the state under section 52-556. “Tortfeasor recovery” does not include any recovery based upon liability for any torts other than negligence or recklessness, including, but not limited to, causes of action based upon any provision of the general statutes, intentional misconduct, and uninsured or underinsured motorist claims.

(1949 Rev., S. 922; 1949, 1955, S. 424d; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 23; P.A. 82-196, S. 3; P.A. 88-303, S. 1, 6; P.A. 90-88, S. 1; P.A. 03-254, S. 1; P.A. 17-165, S. 1.)

History: 1959 act removed references to counties; P.A. 82-196 provided that the insurance benefits for employees who have reached 65 years of age shall not be reduced except to the extent such coverage is provided by Medicare; P.A. 88-303 removed the provision for reduced coverage for Medicare- eligible employees and added the provision that employees and their spouses aged 65 and over are entitled to group health insurance under the same conditions as covered employees and spouses under age 65; P.A. 90-88 allowed for the provision of reduced coverage for Medicare eligible employees of municipalities with less than 20 employees in certain cases; P.A. 03-254 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (a) and (b) and amended Subsec. (a) to authorize municipalities to allow active volunteer firefighters and ambulance personnel to participate in the same health insurance plan as municipal employees, provided the volunteers elect coverage under the plan, pay the entire cost of coverage and meet the municipality's requirements for active status; P.A. 17-165 added Subsec. (c) re liens by self-insured municipalities and added Subsec. (d) re definitions.

See Secs. 38a-513f and 38a-513g re health insurance claims data provided annually to certain municipalities and premium information required to be submitted annually by certain municipalities to Comptroller.

Legislature did not explicitly provide that section, as amended by public act 17-165, should be applied retroactively, and since section is substantive in nature, Sec. 55-3 requires that section operate prospectively. 340 C. 41.

Sec. 7-464a. Deferred compensation plan for municipal employees. Administration. Option of participating in deferred compensation program for state employees. (a) Any city, town or other political subdivision of the state may, by contract, agree with any employee to defer, in whole or in part, any portion of such employee's compensation and may subsequently, with the consent of the employee, contract for, purchase or otherwise procure, for the purpose of funding a deferred compensation program for such employee, (1) an investment savings account, (2) a fixed or variable life insurance or annuity contract from any life underwriter licensed by this state who represents an insurance company licensed to contract business in this state, or (3) a beneficial interest in an investment trust established by an organization of public employers, the assets of which are managed by a not-for-profit organization registered as an investment advisor under applicable federal statutes and regulations, from an entity registered as a broker-dealer under statutes and regulations of the state governing the sale of securities, provided the employee shall be furnished prior to purchase with disclosures substantially comparable to the disclosures required under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 for the sale of similar nonexempt products.

(b) The officer designated by the chief executive officer of any city, town or other political subdivision is authorized to enter into such contractual agreements with employees of the city, town or other political subdivision, as the case may be, on behalf of the city, town or political subdivision to defer any portion of that employee's compensation.

(c) The administration of the deferred compensation program shall be under the direction of the officer designated by the particular city, town or other political subdivision. Payroll deductions shall be made, in each instance, by the appropriate payroll officer. The administrator of the deferred compensation program may contract with a private corporation or institution for providing consolidated billing and other administrative services with respect thereto.

(d) For the purposes of this section: “Employee” means any person, whether appointed, elected or under contract, providing services for the city, town or other political subdivision, for which compensation is paid; and “investment savings account” means a savings account in a state bank and trust company, national banking association, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association or federal savings and loan association or a share account in a credit union or federal credit union established to receive the deferred compensation of a municipal employee under the deferred compensation plan established by the officer designated by a city, town or other political subdivision pursuant to this section.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, those persons designated to administer the deferred compensation program are hereby authorized to make (1) deposits or payments to such investment savings accounts, (2) payment of premiums for the purchase of fixed or variable life insurance or annuity contracts, or (3) payments for interests in investment trusts established by an organization of public employers and managed by a not-for-profit organization registered as an investment advisor under applicable federal statutes and regulations under the deferred compensation program. Such payments shall not be construed to be a prohibited use of the general assets of the city, town or other political subdivision.

(f) Any city, town or other political subdivision of the state may, by contract, elect to participate in the deferred compensation program for state employees as authorized under subsection (g) of section 5-264a. The deferred compensation funds associated with the participation by such city, town or political subdivision in the deferred compensation program for state employees may be invested in any of the funding vehicles authorized for such program under section 5-264a.

(P.A. 73-578; P.A. 80-22, S. 2; P.A. 90-208, S. 2; P.A. 91-72, S. 2; P.A. 01-80, S. 11.)

History: P.A. 80-22 amended Subsecs. (a) and (e) to allow funding deferred compensation program through investment savings accounts and in Subsec. (d) defined “investment savings account”; P.A. 90-208 added Subsec. (a)(3) allowing investment in certain retirement fund and amended the section to apply only to cities, towns, boroughs and other political subdivisions of the state; P.A. 91-72 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing existing Subdiv. (3) with new provisions re beneficial interest in certain investment trusts and amended Subsec. (e) by deleting provisions re retirement funds and adding provisions re investment trusts in Subdiv. (3); P.A. 01-80 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (e) and added Subsec. (f) re option to participate in deferred compensation program for state employees by any city, town or political subdivision of the state.

Sec. 7-464b. Agreements between municipalities and boards of education to provide employee medical or health care benefits. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, and the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement, a municipality or a local or regional board of education may join together with any combination of other municipalities and local or regional boards of education by written agreement as a single entity for the purpose of providing medical or health care benefits for their employees. Such written agreement shall establish the membership of such group, the duration of such benefits plan, requirements regarding payment for such benefits plan and the procedures for a municipality or local or regional board of education to withdraw from such group and terminate such benefits plan. Such agreement shall not constitute a multiple employer welfare arrangement, as defined in Section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. Any group established pursuant to this section shall not be deemed a fictitious group. As used in this section, “municipality” means any town, city or borough, consolidated town and city, consolidated town and borough or any district, as defined in section 7-324.

(b) Before a municipality or a local or regional board of education may enter into an agreement described in subsection (a) of this section, the legislative body of a municipality shall approve such an agreement in cases where: (1) There is an existing arrangement between a municipality and the board of education serving such municipality for the provision of medical or health care benefits to the employees of both the municipality and the board of education serving such municipality; or (2) a municipality and the board of education serving such municipality have separate medical or health care benefits plans for their respective employees and both such benefits plans are paid for by the general fund of the municipality.

(P.A. 10-174, S. 1; P.A. 11-67, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 11-67 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “municipality” by adding “any district, as defined in section 7-324”.

Sec. 7-464c. Retirement plans offered by a political subdivision of the state. Administration. Disclosures required. (a) For the purposes of this section, “retirement plan” means any retirement plan created in accordance with the provisions of Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, that is not made available through the State Comptroller pursuant to subsection (c) of section 5-264.

(b) On or after January 1, 2021, any company that administers a retirement plan offered by a political subdivision of the state to the employees of such political subdivision shall disclose to each participant in such retirement plan and the State Comptroller, in an electronic form and manner prescribed by the State Comptroller:

(1) The fee ratio and return, net of fees, for each investment under the retirement plan;

(2) The fees paid to any person who, for compensation, engages in the business of providing investment advice to participants in the retirement plan either directly or through publications or writings; and

(3) Any other information required to be disclosed pursuant to 29 CFR 2550.404a-5 (d), as amended from time to time, if such retirement plan is a participant-directed individual account plan, as such term is used in 29 CFR 2550.404a-5.

(c) Any such company shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) of this section if such company adheres to the disclosure requirements for plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 set forth in Section 2550.404a-5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on July 1, 2017, or as amended from time to time, provided any amended disclosure requirements are substantially similar to those in effect on July 1, 2017.

(d) Each company that is subject to the disclosure requirements established in subsection (b) of this section shall make the disclosures required by said subsection upon initial enrollment in the retirement plan and at least annually thereafter.

(e) Not later than March 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the State Comptroller shall post, on the State Comptroller's Internet web site, each disclosure that the State Comptroller received pursuant to subsection (b) of this section on or before the January first immediately preceding for the calendar year immediately preceding.

(P.A. 17-142, S. 1; 17-236, S. 22; P.A. 19-125, S. 13.)

History: P.A. 17-236 designated existing provisions re disclosures by company that administers retirement plan offered by political subdivision of the state to employees and added Subsec. (b) re company deemed to comply with requirements of Subsec. (a) if company adheres to other disclosure requirements; P.A. 19-125 added new Subsec. (a) re definition of “retirement plan”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (a) and (b) as Subsecs. (b) and (c), amended redesignated Subsec. (b) by substituting “2021” for “2019”, adding provision requiring retirement plan disclosures to State Comptroller, deleting definition of “retirement plan” and provision re annual disclosures of retirement plan in Subdiv. (2), and added Subdiv. (3) re federally required retirement plan disclosures, added Subsec. (d) re annual disclosures of retirement plan, added Subsec. (e) requiring State Comptroller to post retirement plan disclosures on State Comptroller's web site, and made conforming changes, effective January 1, 2021.

Sec. 7-465. Assumption of liability for damage caused by employee of municipality or member of local emergency planning district. Joint liability of municipalities in district department of health or regional council of governments. (a) Any town, city or borough, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, general, special or local, shall pay on behalf of any employee of such municipality, except firemen covered under the provisions of section 7-308, and on behalf of any member from such municipality of a local emergency planning district, appointed pursuant to section 22a-601, all sums which such employee becomes obligated to pay by reason of the liability imposed upon such employee by law for damages awarded for infringement of any person's civil rights or for physical damages to person or property, except as set forth in this section, if the employee, at the time of the occurrence, accident, physical injury or damages complained of, was acting in the performance of his duties and within the scope of his employment, and if such occurrence, accident, physical injury or damage was not the result of any wilful or wanton act of such employee in the discharge of such duty. This section shall not apply to physical injury to a person caused by an employee to a fellow employee while both employees are engaged in the scope of their employment for such municipality if the employee suffering such injury or, in the case of his death, his dependent, has a right to benefits or compensation under chapter 568 by reason of such injury. If an employee or, in the case of his death, his dependent, has a right to benefits or compensation under chapter 568 by reason of injury or death caused by the negligence or wrong of a fellow employee while both employees are engaged in the scope of their employment for such municipality, such employee or, in the case of his death, his dependent, shall have no cause of action against such fellow employee to recover damages for such injury or death unless such wrong was wilful and malicious or the action is based on the fellow employee's negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1. This section shall not apply to libel or slander proceedings brought against any such employee and, in such cases, there is no assumption of liability by any town, city or borough. Any employee of such municipality, although excused from official duty at the time, for the purposes of this section shall be deemed to be acting in the discharge of duty when engaged in the immediate and actual performance of a public duty imposed by law. Such municipality may arrange for and maintain appropriate insurance or may elect to act as a self-insurer to maintain such protection. No action for personal physical injuries or damages to real or personal property shall be maintained against such municipality and employee jointly unless such action is commenced within two years after the cause of action therefor arose and written notice of the intention to commence such action and of the time when and the place where the damages were incurred or sustained has been filed with the clerk of such municipality within six months after such cause of action has accrued. Governmental immunity shall not be a defense in any action brought under this section. In any such action the municipality and the employee may be represented by the same attorney. As used in this section, “employee” includes (1) a member of a town board of education and any teacher, including a student teacher doing practice teaching under the direction of such a teacher, or other person employed by such board, and (2) a member of the local emergency planning committee from such municipality appointed pursuant to section 22a-601. Nothing in this section shall be construed to abrogate the right of any person, board or commission which may accrue under section 10-235.

(b) Each town, city or borough which has joined with other towns, cities or boroughs to form a district department of health, pursuant to chapter 368f, or a regional council of governments, pursuant to section 4-124j, shall jointly assume the liability imposed upon any officer, agent or employee of such district department of health or such regional council of governments, acting in the performance of his duties and in the scope of his employment, under, and in the manner and in accordance with the procedures set forth in, subsection (a) of this section. Such joint assumption of liability shall be proportionately shared by the towns, cities and boroughs in such district or regional council of governments, on the same basis that the expenses of such district are shared as determined under section 19a-243.

(1957, P.A. 401, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 651, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 375; 1963, P.A. 97; February, 1965, P.A. 277; 1971, P.A. 226, S. 1; P.A. 73-610; P.A. 75-408, S. 3; P.A. 77-502, S. 1; P.A. 81-229, S. 2; P.A. 82-472, S. 20, 183; P.A. 85-521, S. 1; P.A. 89-212, S. 12; P.A. 03-278, S. 19; P.A. 13-247, S. 273; P.A. 15-85, S. 1.)

History: 1959 act added qualifying word “physical” before “damages” and “injury,” added exception for libel and slander and reduced time for filing notice from 6 months to 60 days; 1961 act incorporated provisions re case where injured person is an employee injured by fellow employee and restored notice period to 6 months; 1963 act removed waiting period of 30 days after notice to municipality before action could be commenced and deleted provision for notice to employee as well as to municipality; 1965 act added provisions concerning representation of municipality and employee by same attorney; 1971 act required that action must be brought within two years rather than one year and required that notice be written, effective October 1, 1971, and applicable to injuries first sustained on and after said date; P.A. 73-610 defined “employee” and protected rights of persons, boards and commissions under Sec. 10-235; P.A. 75-408 included awards for infringement of civil rights; P.A. 77-502 added Subsec. (b) re district departments of health; P.A. 81-229 amended Subsec. (b) to include regional planning agencies; P.A. 82-472 corrected a reference to regional planning agency; P.A. 85-521 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize a cause of action by an employee against a fellow employee based on the fellow employee's negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle; P.A. 89-212 amended Subsec. (a) to require assumption of liability for members of local emergency planning districts; P.A. 03-278 replaced “verdict” with “final judgment” and made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency”, replacing reference to Ch. 127 with reference to Sec. 4-124j and deleting “or such regional planning agency as determined under section 8-34a”, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 15-85 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re municipality to file a statement with the court if the municipality and municipal employee are represented by the same attorney as defendants in a civil action.

See Sec. 7-101a re indemnification of municipal officers and employees.

See Sec. 10-235 re indemnification of school personnel.

See Sec. 52-557n re liability of an employee, officer or agent of a political subdivision of the state.

A complaint brought under section should be in two counts, one alleging facts essential to legal liability of employee, and the other facts essential to legal liability of municipality under section; since interests of municipality and employee may be antagonistic, they should be represented by separate counsel. 148 C. 27. Municipality may not be held liable unless employee himself becomes obligated to pay for damages. 151 C. 402. Plaintiff who was injured by negligence of fellow employee who had a right to workmen's compensation before 1961 amendment became effective was not barred from bringing a common law action against his fellow employee. 152 C. 42. Cited. 159 C. 509; 167 C. 464, 471. Municipal employee has no cause of action against a fellow municipal employee to recover damages for an injury caused by the act of such fellow employee while both are engaged within the scope of their employment if such injured employee is covered by workmen's compensation unless the act causing such injury was willful or malicious. 169 C. 630. Cited. 173 C. 52; Id., 203; 178 C. 520; 187 C. 53; Id., 147; 189 C. 601. Statute does not cover infringement of civil rights cases where infringement by municipal employee is alleged to have occurred before effective date of statute covering such transactions. 190 C. 77. Cited. 191 C. 77; 204 C. 435; 209 C. 273; 218 C. 531; 219 C. 179; 221 C. 149; Id., 256; decision reconsidered and overruled, see 238 C. 653; 225 C. 177; Id., 217; 229 C. 716; Id., 829; 237 C. 501; 239 C. 708. Checking to see whether required zoning permits have been obtained and filed and inspections to determine whether a property conforms to regulations and codes are discretionary acts and municipal immunity attaches where no exception applies. 297 C. 297.

Cited. 4 CA 216; 12 CA 538; judgment reversed, see 209 C. 273; 16 CA 213; Id., 803; 18 CA 515; 20 CA 439; 24 CA 592; 28 CA 272; 30 CA 594; 31 CA 235; 32 CA 373; judgment reversed, see 229 C. 829; 36 CA 601; 37 CA 62; judgment reversed, see 237 C. 501; 38 CA 546. Statute does not apply to plaintiff's allegations of breach of contract, nuisance and violation of state constitution and various local statutes made directly against defendant borough. 53 CA 791. Although trial court improperly analyzed plaintiff's claims under Sec. 52-557n(a), which concerns claims brought directly against a municipality, rather than under the applicable municipal indemnification statute (Sec. 7-465), which provides that qualified municipal immunity does not apply to claims for indemnification for acts by municipal employees unless the acts are willful or wanton, she could not prevail on her claim that trial court improperly granted motion for a directed verdict because there is no recognized right to a claim for emotional distress resulting to a person from loss of a pet. 84 CA 395. Defendant's pleadings met standard for summary judgment; court properly granted defendant's motion for summary judgment on the ground of municipal immunity because plaintiffs brought suit under section without also suing a municipal employee or agent. 87 CA 353.

Cited. 19 CS 395; 21 CS 193. A broadside allegation of negligence on part of “agents and servants” of defendant, a town, was insufficient to bring an action within purview of statute; to make statute one of indemnification, applicable recovery must be had against specific employees of a town for specific acts covered by statute, and all statutory conditions, including notice, must be met. 22 CS 239. Plaintiff must allege and prove, as to both defendant employee and defendant municipality, due care or freedom from contributory negligence. 23 CS 130; Id., 133. Cited. Id., 152. Municipal employee is not relieved from consequences of his own negligence even though his employer may be exempt; furthermore, he is not indemnified under section unless complaint is drawn so as to invoke section; even if municipality is immune under section from liability for negligence, it may be liable in nuisance. Id., 158. Burden of alleging and proving contributory negligence remains with defendant employee as provided in Sec. 52-114; plaintiff not obliged to allege due care; because interests of municipality and employee may be antagonistic, each should be represented by independent counsel. Id., 228. Under former section, notice to employee and municipality was condition precedent to bringing action against both. 25 CS 70. Where plaintiff brought action under statute against local board of education to recover for injuries resulting from school bus accident, held action should have been brought under Sec. 13a-149; complaint under statute should be in two counts: The first, alleging the facts essential to the legal liability of the employee and the second, the facts essential to the legal liability of the municipality under the statute; in action under former statute, it may appear that interests of municipality and its employee are antagonistic and therefore they should be represented by independent counsel; to establish liability of municipality under statute, plaintiff must prove compliance with requirements as to demand and notice. Id., 302. In count directed against municipality, it is necessary to allege the conduct of the employee was not willful or wanton. Id., 339. History discussed. 26 CS 83. Sec. 52-114, establishing presumption of due care on part of injured person, is applicable to suit against town and its employee under this section. 28 CS 506. Statute was not intended to enlarge the liability of the municipality for the acts or omissions of its employees in courses of action in which they would not formerly have been liable; obligation of town employee, once established against him, shall be assumed by town; employee against whom action is brought is indemnified by town if cause arose while he was performing his duties and within the scope of employment. 29 CS 74. Validation by legislature of a late notice held valid although section cited was incorrect; legislative intent held to be to subject municipal employees and municipalities by way of indemnification for discretionary as well as ministerial acts performed within the scope of employment. 31 CS 442. City not liable for nonfeasance of its police officers where the duty owed is to the public as a whole rather than to the plaintiff individually. 32 CS 258. Written notice of intent to sue municipality and of time and place where alleged damages occurred must be filed with clerk of municipality within 6 months from date cause of action accrued. 33 CS 197. Cited. 39 CS 102; 41 CS 420; Id., 548; 42 CS 22. Town's liability is dependent on and derivative of finding of negligence on the part of municipal employee. 49 CS 15.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 185 C. 616, 622, 623. Sec. 52-557n precludes joint action seeking damages against municipality and its officers under this section. 219 C. 179.

Cited. 3 CA 343; 30 CA 742. Except for indemnification actions, statute does not permit separate cause of action to be brought against a town, and in this case, plaintiff could not prevail on grounds that town failed to give timely notice of intent to represent both the municipality and employee. 85 CA 383.

Sec. 7-466. Collective bargaining authorized. Section 7-466 is repealed.

(1963, P.A. 495, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 12.)

Sec. 7-467. Collective bargaining. Definitions. When used in sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive:

(1) “Municipal employer” means any political subdivision of the state, including any town, city, borough, district, district department of health, school board, housing authority or other authority established by law, a private nonprofit corporation which has a valid contract with any town, city, borough or district to extinguish fires and to protect its inhabitants from loss by fire, and any person or persons designated by the municipal employer to act in its interest in dealing with municipal employees;

(2) “Employee” means any employee of a municipal employer, whether or not in the classified service of the municipal employer, except elected officials, administrative officials, board and commission members, certified teachers, part-time employees who work less than twenty hours per week on a seasonal basis, department heads and persons in such other positions as may be excluded from coverage under sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, in accordance with subdivision (2) of section 7-471;

(3) “Seasonal basis” means working for a period of not more than one hundred twenty calendar days in any calendar year;

(4) “Department head” means an employee who heads any department in a municipal organization, has substantial supervisory control of a permanent nature over other municipal employees, and is directly accountable to the board of selectmen of a town, city or borough not having a charter or special act form of government, or to the chief executive officer of any other town, city or borough;

(5) “Department” means any major functional division in a municipal organization, notwithstanding the provisions of any charter or special act to the contrary;

(6) “Employee organization” means any lawful association, labor organization, federation or council having as a primary purpose the improvement of wages, hours and other conditions of employment among employees of municipal employers.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 688, S. 5; P.A. 78-375, S. 1; P.A. 83-503; P.A. 85-40; P.A. 90-47, S. 1.)

History: 1969 act included district departments of health in definition of “municipal employer”; P.A. 78-375 excluded department heads from definition of “employee” and deleted reference to persons in supervisory positions; P.A. 83-503 defined “seasonal basis”, “department head” and “department”, and included part-time employees who do not work on a seasonal basis within the definition of “employee”; P.A. 85-40 redefined “seasonal basis” as work lasting not more than 120 calendar days rather than as work lasting 65 working days; P.A. 90-47 added nonprofit fire-fighting corporations which contract with municipalities to the definition of “municipal employer”.

See Sec. 10-153b et seq. re collective bargaining for teachers.

Cited. 154 C. 530; 162 C. 579; 171 C. 345, 347; Id., 420; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192. Exhaustion of administrative remedies discussed. 200 C. 38. Cited. 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549, 551; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123; 237 C. 378; 239 C. 32.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232. Subdiv. (2): “Employee” does not include retired or former employees and municipal employer was not obligated to bargain with respect to claims of former employees, regardless of when claims arose. 128 CA 741.

Cited. 28 CS 267. A public announcement of plaintiff's intention to file a prohibited practice complaint against a union is protected by the Municipal Employees Relations Act when the complaint is actually filed at a later date. 31 CS 7. Cited. Id., 212; 36 CS 18; 39 CS 1; 42 CS 227; 43 CS 340; Id., 470.

Sec. 7-467a. Qualification of employee organization. No employee organization, as defined in section 7-467, shall be eligible to petition for exclusive recognition or to participate in a recognition election under section 7-471 unless it has been in existence for not fewer than six months.

(1967, P.A. 491, S. 1.)

Cited. 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Sec. 7-468. Rights of employees and representatives. Duty of fair representation. (a) Employees shall have, and shall be protected in the exercise of, the right of self-organization, to form, join or assist any employee organization, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing on questions of wages, hours and other conditions of employment and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, free from actual interference, restraint or coercion.

(b) When an employee organization has been designated by the State Board of Labor Relations as the representative of the majority of the employees in an appropriate unit, or has been recognized by the chief executive officer of a municipal employer as the representative of the majority of employees in an appropriate unit, that employee organization shall be recognized by the municipal employer as the exclusive bargaining agent for the employees of such unit.

(c) When an employee organization has been designated in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit, it shall have the right to act for and to negotiate agreements covering all employees in the unit and shall be responsible for representing the interests of all such employees without discrimination and without regard to employee organization membership.

(d) When an employee organization has been designated in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit, it shall have a duty of fair representation to the members of that unit.

(e) An individual employee at any time may present a grievance to his employer and have the grievance adjusted, without intervention of an employee organization, provided the adjustment shall not be inconsistent with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement then in effect. The employee organization certified or recognized as the exclusive representative shall be given prompt notice of the adjustment.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 491, S. 2; P.A. 93-426, S. 4.)

History: 1967 act amended Subsec. (b) to specify that recognition of employee representative be made by chief executive officer; P.A. 93-426 inserted new Subsec. (d) to impose a duty of fair representation on an employee organization which represents municipal employees and redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as (e).

Cited. 171 C. 347, 349; Id., 553. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; Id., 685; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 222 C. 233; 224 C. 666; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123; 239 C. 168.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 8 CA 57; 16 CA 232.

Subsec. (a):

Essentially same language as NLRA; judicial interpretation frequently accorded federal act is of great assistance and persuasive force in interpretation of our own acts. 175 C. 349.

Sec. 7-469. Duty to bargain collectively. The municipal employer and such employee organization as has been designated as exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit, through appropriate officials or their representatives, shall have the duty to bargain collectively. This duty extends to the obligation to bargain collectively as set forth in subsection (c) of section 7-470.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 3.)

Cited. 162 C. 579. Collective bargaining is a constitutional right. 164 C. 348. Cited. 171 C. 347; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; Id., 623; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; Id., 597; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 224 C. 666; 225 C. 297; 232 C. 57; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Sec. 7-470. Prohibited acts of employers and employee organizations. (a) Municipal employers or their representatives or agents are prohibited from: (1) Interfering, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 7-468; (2) dominating or interfering with the formation, existence or administration of any employee organization; (3) discharging or otherwise discriminating against an employee because he has signed or filed any affidavit, petition or complaint or given any information or testimony under sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive; (4) refusing to bargain collectively in good faith with an employee organization which has been designated in accordance with the provisions of said sections as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit; (5) refusing to discuss grievances with the representatives of an employee organization designated as the exclusive representative in an appropriate unit in accordance with the provisions of said sections; (6) refusing to comply with a grievance settlement, or arbitration settlement, or a valid award or decision of an arbitration panel or arbitrator rendered in accordance with the provisions of section 7-472.

(b) Employee organizations or their agents are prohibited from: (1) Restraining or coercing (A) employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in subsection (a) of section 7-468, and (B) a municipal employer in the selection of his representative for purposes of collective bargaining or the adjustment of grievances; (2) refusing to bargain collectively in good faith with a municipal employer, if it has been designated in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit; (3) breaching their duty of fair representation pursuant to section 7-468; (4) refusing to comply with a grievance settlement, or arbitration settlement, or a valid award or decision of an arbitration panel or arbitrator rendered in accordance with the provisions of section 7-472.

(c) For the purposes of said sections, to bargain collectively is the performance of the mutual obligation of the municipal employer or his designated representatives and the representative of the employees to meet at reasonable times, including meetings appropriately related to the budget-making process, and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours and other conditions of employment, or the negotiation of an agreement, or any question arising thereunder, and the execution of a written contract incorporating any agreement reached if requested by either party, but such obligation shall not compel either party to agree to a proposal or require the making of a concession.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 4; P.A. 75-189, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-426, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 75-189 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to prohibit refusing to comply terms of settlements, awards and decisions; P.A. 93-426 inserted new Subsec. (b)(3) to prohibit an employee organization which represents municipal employees from breaching its duty of fair representation to its members and redesignated existing Subdiv. (3) as (4).

Cited. 154 C. 530. Plaintiff union's appeal from defendant labor relations board properly dismissed by Superior Court where there was no evidence that municipality engaged in unfair labor practices claimed in union's complaint. 159 C. 46. Cited. 171 C. 345, 349; Id., 347, 564; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232; 33 CA 541.

A public announcement of plaintiff's intention to file a prohibited practice complaint against a union is protected by the Municipal Employees Relations Act when the complaint is actually filed at a later date. 31 CS 7. The clause in a contract between a municipality and its firemen which gives the firemen parity with police is a restraint upon and interference with the police union's ability to negotiate with the municipality. Id., 15, 22. Residency requirement for municipal employees was condition of employment and therefore a mandatory subject of collective bargaining, and employer's unilateral change of such condition of employment was prohibited act; failure of union to demand bargaining prior to enactment of ordinance did not constitute a waiver of its right to bargain. 36 CS 18. Cited. 40 CS 365; 42 CS 227; 43 CS 340; Id., 470.

Subsec. (a):

Subdiv. (1): Labor board cannot compel either party, directly or indirectly, to agree to any contractual position but can require that employees bargain in good faith. 160 C. 285. Cited. 171 C. 349. Subdiv. (4): Unilateral change of pension benefits by employer did not constitute refusal to bargain where union had notice of change and opportunity to negotiate the issue. 173 C. 210. Cited. 206 C. 449; 210 C. 597; 217 C. 110; 232 C. 57. Term “grievance settlement” within Subdiv. (6) encompasses an unappealed grievance decision; State Board of Labor Relations' time-tested interpretation of term is reasonable and consistent with its use as a term of art in the labor law context, there was no merit to argument that legislature intended to make a distinction between grievance decision and grievance settlement and there was nothing in statutory language or legislative history that contravened board's interpretation. 259 C. 251.

Cited. 8 CA 57. Substantial evidence supported denial by State Board of Labor Relations of union's complaint alleging that supervisory personnel employed by city department of public works engaged in prohibited conduct. 156 CA 79.

Cited. 39 CS 338.

Subsec. (c):

Collective bargaining must be taken at reasonable time relative to town's budget-making process. 160 C. 285. Cited. 162 C. 579; 171 C. 352, 353. “Conditions of employment” includes whether person shall continue in employment. Id., 553, 559, 560. Cited. 210 C. 597; 216 C. 253; 224 C. 666; 232 C. 57.

Sec. 7-471. Powers of State Board of Labor Relations. The State Board of Labor Relations shall have the following power and authority in relation to collective bargaining in municipal employment:

(1) Whenever, in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the board, a petition has been filed (A) by an employee or group of employees or any employee organization acting in their behalf alleging that a substantial number of employees (i) wish to be represented for collective bargaining by an employee organization as exclusive representative, or (ii) assert that the employee organization which has been certified or is currently being recognized by their municipal employer as the bargaining representative is no longer the representative of a majority of employees in the unit; (B) by a municipal employer alleging that one or more employee organizations have presented to him a claim to be recognized as the representative of a majority of employees in an appropriate unit; or (C) by either an employee organization or a municipal employer in accordance with subdivision (4) of this section, the board shall refer the petition to its agent who shall investigate the petition and issue a direction of election and conduct a secret ballot election to determine whether and by which employee organization the employees desire to be represented if he has reasonable cause to believe that a question of representation exists, or issue a recommendation to dismiss the petition if he finds that there is not such reasonable cause, or refer the petition to the board for a hearing without having conducted an election or issuing a recommendation of dismissal, in which event the board shall conduct an appropriate hearing upon due notice. The agent shall report his action to the board. The board shall issue an order confirming the agent's direction of election and certifying the results of the election, or issue an order confirming the agent's recommendation for dismissal, or order a further investigation, or provide for an appropriate hearing upon due notice. Before taking any of the aforesaid actions, the board shall provide the parties with an opportunity to file briefs on the questions at issue and shall fully consider any such briefs filed. After a hearing, the board shall order any of the aforesaid actions on the petition or shall, upon good cause, order any other suitable method to determine whether and by which employee organization the employees desire to be represented. The board shall certify the results. No election shall be directed in any bargaining unit or any subdivision thereof within which in the preceding twelve-month period a valid election has been held. No election shall be directed by the board during the term of a written collective bargaining agreement, except for good cause. In any election where none of the choices on the ballot receives a majority, a runoff shall be conducted, the ballot providing for a selection between the two choices receiving the largest and the second largest number of valid votes cast in the election. An employee organization which receives a majority of votes cast in an election confirmed or ordered by the board shall be designated by the board as exclusive representative of the employees in the unit.

(2) The board shall have the power to determine whether a position is covered by sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, in the event of a dispute between the municipal employer and an employee organization. In determining whether a position is supervisory the board shall consider, among other criteria, whether the principal functions of the position are characterized by not fewer than two of the following: (A) Performing such management control duties as scheduling, assigning, overseeing and reviewing the work of subordinate employees; (B) performing such duties as are distinct and dissimilar from those performed by the employees supervised; (C) exercising judgment in adjusting grievances, applying other established personnel policies and procedures and in enforcing the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement; and (D) establishing or participating in the establishment of performance standards for subordinate employees and taking corrective measures to implement those standards. The above criteria for supervisory positions shall not necessarily apply to police or fire departments.

(3) The board shall decide in each case whether, in order to insure to employees the fullest freedom in exercising the rights guaranteed by sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, and in order to insure a clear and identifiable community of interest among employees concerned, the unit appropriate for purposes of collective bargaining shall be the municipal employer unit or any other unit thereof, provided no unit shall include both supervisory and nonsupervisory employees except there shall be a single unit for each fire department consisting of the uniformed and investigatory employees of each such fire department and a single unit for each police department consisting of the uniformed and investigatory employees of each such police department. No existing units shall be altered or modified to conform to this provision. No unit shall include both professional and nonprofessional employees unless a majority of such professional employees vote for inclusion in such unit, provided employees who are members of a profession may be included in a unit which includes nonprofessional employees if an employee organization has been designated by the board or has been recognized by the municipal employer as the exclusive representative of such unit and a majority of the employees in such profession vote for inclusion in such unit, in which event all of the employees in such profession shall be included in such unit. The term “professional employee” means: (A) Any employee engaged in work (i) predominantly intellectual and varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical or physical work; (ii) involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its performance; (iii) of such a character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given time period; (iv) requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study in an institution of higher learning or a hospital, as distinguished from a general academic education or from an apprenticeship or from training in the performance of routine mental, manual or physical processes; or (B) any employee who (i) has completed the courses of specialized intellectual instruction and study described in subparagraph (A)(iv) of this subdivision, and (ii) is performing related work under the supervision of a professional person to qualify himself or herself to become a professional employee as defined in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision.

(4) An employee organization or a municipal employer may file a petition with the board seeking a clarification or modification of an existing unit. The power of the board to make such clarifications and modifications shall be limited to those times when a petition for clarification or modification is filed by either an employee organization or a municipal employer. No petition seeking a clarification or modification of an existing unit shall be considered to be timely by the board during the term of a written collective bargaining agreement, except that a petition for clarification or modification filed by an employee organization concerning either (A) a newly created position, or (B) any employee who is not represented by an employee organization, may be filed at any time.

(5) Whenever a question arises as to whether a practice prohibited by sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, has been committed by a municipal employer or employee organization, the board shall consider that question in accordance with the following procedure: (A) When a complaint has been made to the board that a prohibited practice has been or is being committed, the board shall refer such complaint to its agent. Upon receiving a report from the agent, the board may issue an order dismissing the complaint or may order a further investigation or a hearing thereon. When a hearing is ordered, the board shall set the time and place for the hearing, which time and place may be changed by the board at the request of one of the parties for cause shown. Any complaint may be amended with the permission of the board. The municipal employer, the employee organization and the person so complained of shall have the right to file an answer to the original or amended complaint within five days after the service of such complaint or within such other time as the board may limit. Such municipal employer, such employee organization and such person shall have the right to appear in person or otherwise to defend against such complaint. In the discretion of the board any person may be allowed to intervene in such proceeding. In any hearing the board shall not be bound by the technical rules of evidence prevailing in the courts. A transcript of the testimony taken at any hearing before the board shall be filed with the board. (B) If, upon all the testimony, the board determines that a prohibited practice has been or is being committed, it shall state its findings of fact and shall issue and cause to be served on the party committing the prohibited practice an order requiring it or him to cease and desist from such prohibited practice, and shall take such further affirmative action as will effectuate the policies of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, including but not limited to: (i) Withdrawal of certification of an employee organization established or assisted by any action defined in said sections as a prohibited practice, (ii) reinstatement of an employee discriminated against in violation of said sections with or without back pay, or (iii) if either party is found to have refused to bargain collectively in good faith, ordering arbitration and directing the party found to have refused to bargain to pay the full costs of arbitration under section 7-473c, resulting from the negotiations in which the refusal to bargain occurred. (C) If, upon all of the testimony, the board determines that a prohibited practice has not been or is not being committed, it shall state its finding of fact and shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. (D) For the purposes of hearings and enforcement of orders under sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, the board shall have the same power and authority as it has in sections 31-107, 31-108 and 31-109, and the municipal employer and the employee organization shall have the right of appeal as provided therein. (E) If, by the thirtieth day following the date on which a complaint citing a violation of section 7-470 was made to the board, said board has not determined whether a prohibited practice has been or is being committed and if the violation is of an ongoing nature, said board may issue and cause to be served on the party committing the act or practice cited in such complaint an order requiring such party to cease and desist from such act or practice until said board has made its determination.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 5; 1967, P.A. 491, S. 3, 4; P.A. 78-375, S. 2; P.A. 79-313; P.A. 81-29, S. 3; P.A. 91-255, S. 2; P.A. 92-170, S. 16, 26; P.A. 07-217, S. 28.)

History: 1967 act amended Subdiv. (2) to require that at least two of the criteria enumerating characteristics of supervisory positions apply in determining exclusion from coverage and amended Subdiv. (3) to clarify that “single unit” refers to fire department and police department units rather than to uniformed and investigatory units within each and to set forth conditions in which professional and nonprofessional employees may be in same unit; P.A. 78-375 deleted reference to “supervisory” positions in Subdiv. (2) and amended Subdiv. (3) to prohibit units from including both supervisory and nonsupervisory employees except in police and fire departments and to exempt existing units from conformity with provision re supervisory and nonsupervisory employees; P.A. 79-313 added Subdiv. (4)(E) re cease and desist orders; P.A. 81-29 transferred certain powers of board to its agent re petitions concerning the election of representatives but rested final action with the board; P.A. 91-255 added Subdiv. (1)(C) re petitions filed by employee organizations or municipal employers, added new Subdiv. (4) re petitions seeking clarification or modification of existing units and redesignated existing Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (5); P.A. 92-170 amended Subdiv. (5) to replace references to fact finding with arbitration, effective May 26, 1992, and applicable to arbitration proceedings commencing on or after that date; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subdivs. (3) and (4), effective July 12, 2007.

There is no direct appeal from decision of board determining a bargaining unit and directing an election; National Labor Relations Act compared. 154 C. 530. Appeals to Supreme Court under section shall be taken and prosecuted in same manner as other appeals to Supreme Court. 159 C. 46. Cited. 171 C. 347, 351; Id., 553, 564. One employee does not constitute an appropriate bargaining unit for purposes of the Municipal Employees Relations Act. 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 232 C. 57; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232. It is within board's discretion to award costs and expenses to the employer. 49 CA 513.

Subdiv. (1):

Sec. 1-1(f) is directory not mandatory, does not “require” singular and plural forms to be interchangeable and therefore where statute sets forth “a substantial number of employees”, “employees” cannot be construed as singular. 175 C. 349.

One year rule does not apply to designations by employer recognition agreements; union's status must be recognized for a reasonable period. 39 CS 338.

Subdiv. (3):

There can be no community of interest where there is only a single employee. 175 C. 349.

Subdiv. (5) (Former Subdiv. (4)):

Cited. 171 C. 344, 355; 210 C. 597. Although Subdiv. contains no express requirement that all administrative remedies be exhausted, the legislative history makes clear that employees may only appeal to the Superior Court after an adverse final order of the Board of Labor Relations. 300 C. 667.

Cited. 33 CA 541.

Cited. 39 CS 338; 40 CS 365.

Sec. 7-471a. Supervisory employees not required to form employees association. Nothing in sections 7-467 and 7-471 shall require any employees in a supervisory position to form an employees association.

(P.A. 78-375, S. 3.)

Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Cited. 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470.

Sec. 7-472. Mediation by State Board of Mediation and Arbitration. (a) The services of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall be available to municipal employers and employee organizations for purposes of mediation of grievances or impasses in contract or contract reopener negotiations and for purposes of arbitration of disputes over the interpretation or application of the terms of a written agreement and, if such service is requested by both the municipal employer and the employee organization except as provided in section 7-473c for purposes of arbitration of impasses in contract or contract reopener negotiations. Whenever any impasse in contract or contract reopener negotiations is submitted to arbitration, the decision of the arbitration panel or arbitrator shall be rendered no later than twenty days prior to the final date by which time the budget-appropriating authority of the municipality is required to adopt its budget or forty days after the close of the arbitration hearing, whichever is later, provided that in no case except when such arbitration service is requested or mandated after the final budget adoption date shall such decision be rendered later than five days prior to such final budget adoption date. Nothing contained herein shall prevent any agreement from being entered into in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e) of section 7-474.

(b) Nothing in this section is intended to prevent the use of other arbitration tribunals in the resolution of disputes over the interpretation or application of the terms of written agreements between municipal employers and employee organizations.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 6; 1967, P.A. 491, S. 5; P.A. 75-570, S. 5; P.A. 82-37, S. 1; P.A. 93-17, S. 5, 6.)

History: 1967 act substituted “impasses in contract negotiations” for “contract disputes” in mediation provision and empowered board to arbitrate such impasses upon request of both parties, setting forth the arbitration procedure with time constraints on decision, etc., in Subsec. (a); P.A. 75-570 added exception to provision allowing arbitration of contract impasses, changed requirement that decision be rendered no later than 10 days after hearing to 40 days and added exception to final deadline of 5 days before budget adoption date for cases in which arbitration not instituted until after final deadline; P.A. 82-37 applied provisions of Subsec. (a) to “contract reopener” negotiations; P.A. 93-17 amended Subsec. (a) to delete obsolete reference to Subsecs. (h) to (k), inclusive, of Sec. 7-474, effective April 21, 1993.

Cited. 159 C. 49; 171 C. 347; Id., 353; Id., 553, 564. State Board of Mediation and Arbitration may not arbitrate grievances except as they apply to disputes over interpretation or application of terms of a written agreement, or, by agreement, in cases of impasse in contract negotiations. Id., 613. Cited. 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 217 C. 110; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232; 33 CA 541.

Sec. 7-473. Petition to State Board of Mediation and Arbitration for fact finding. Fact finder's report and appearance before parties. Procedure for acceptance or rejection of report. Section 7-473 is repealed.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 7; P.A. 75-173, S. 1; 75-570, S. 3; P.A. 82-37, S. 2; P.A. 83-86; P.A. 92-170, S. 24, 26.)

Sec. 7-473a. Notice of expiration date of collective bargaining agreement. Notice of newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization. Filing; form. A notice of the expiration date of any collective bargaining agreement between a municipal employer and a municipal employee organization shall be filed by such employer with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration within thirty days of the approval of such agreement. The State Board of Labor Relations shall notify the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration whenever a municipal employee organization has been certified or recognized, in accordance with section 7-471, as the bargaining representative for a group of municipal employees. When a bargaining representative is recognized in accordance with subsection (b) of section 7-468, either the newly certified or recognized employee organization or the municipal employer shall notify the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration of such recognition. The newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization and the municipal employer shall commence negotiations concerning the terms of an original collective bargaining agreement within thirty days of certification or recognition. The State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall prescribe the form and content of the notice of the expiration date and the notice of the certification or recognition date.

(P.A. 75-570, S. 1; P.A. 93-17, S. 1, 6.)

History: P.A. 93-17 added provisions re notice of newly certified and recognized municipal employee organizations and provisions requiring such organizations to begin negotiations concerning original collective bargaining agreements no later than 30 days after certification or recognition, effective April 21, 1993.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Cited. 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470.

Sec. 7-473b. Mandatory timetable for negotiations. Appointment of mediator. (a) The negotiations between a municipal employer and a municipal employee organization shall commence at least one hundred twenty days prior to the expiration date of any current collective bargaining agreement subject to the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive.

(b) If, within fifty days of the commencement of negotiations concerning the terms of a current collective bargaining agreement, or within eighty days of the certification or recognition of a newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization required to commence negotiations pursuant to section 7-473a, a collective bargaining agreement has not been approved, or either the municipal employer or the municipal employee organization has not requested the mediation services of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration, said board shall appoint a mediator in accordance with the provisions of section 31-97.

(c) Either the municipal employer or the employee organization may request the mediation services of said board at any earlier time than that established in subsection (b) of this section, provided the mediation services are requested in accordance with the provisions of section 7-472.

(P.A. 75-570, S. 2; P.A. 84-242, S. 1; P.A. 92-170, S. 17, 26; P.A. 93-17, S. 2, 6.)

History: P.A. 84-242 amended Subsec. (c) to provide that the parties may jointly waive the fact finding requirement and thereafter be subject to mandatory binding arbitration; P.A. 92-170 deleted former Subsecs. (c) and (d) re timetables and procedures for fact-finding, relettering former Subsec. (e) accordingly and removing all references to fact-finding, effective May 26, 1992, and applicable to arbitration proceedings commencing after that date; P.A. 93-17 amended Subsec. (b) to require state board of mediation and arbitration to impose mediation on a newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization and a municipal employer if the parties fail to approve an original collective bargaining agreement within 80 days of the organization's certification or recognition, effective April 21, 1993.

Cited. 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; Id., 623; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; Id., 685; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; Id., 277; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Cited. 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470.

Sec. 7-473c. Neutral Arbitrator Selection Committee. Panel of neutral arbitrators. Mandatory binding arbitration; procedure; apportionment of costs. Rejection of award by legislative body of the municipal employer. Second arbitration format. (a) The Labor Commissioner shall appoint a Neutral Arbitrator Selection Committee consisting of ten members, five of whom shall represent the interests of employees and employee organizations and five of whom shall represent the interests of municipal employers, provided one of the members representing the interests of municipal employers shall be a representative of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. The members of the selection committee shall serve for a term of four years. Arbitrators may be removed for good cause. The selection committee shall appoint a panel of neutral arbitrators consisting of not less than twenty impartial persons representing the interests of the public in general to serve as provided in this section. Each member of the panel shall be a resident of the state and shall be selected by a unanimous vote of the selection committee. The members of the panel shall serve for a term of two years.

(b) (1) If neither the municipal employer nor the municipal employee organization has requested the arbitration services of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration (A) within one hundred eighty days after the certification or recognition of a newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization required to commence negotiations pursuant to section 7-473a, or (B) within thirty days after the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement, or within thirty days after the specified date for implementation of reopener provisions in an existing collective bargaining agreement, or within thirty days after the date the parties to an existing collective bargaining agreement commence negotiations to revise said agreement on any matter affecting wages, hours, and other conditions of employment, said board shall notify the municipal employer and municipal employee organization that one hundred eighty days have passed since the certification or recognition of the newly certified or recognized municipal employee organization, or that thirty days have passed since the specified date for implementation of reopener provisions in an existing agreement, or the date the parties commenced negotiations to revise an existing agreement on any matter affecting wages, hours and other conditions of employment or the expiration of such collective bargaining agreement and that binding and final arbitration is now imposed on them, provided written notification of such imposition shall be sent by registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each party.

(2) Within ten days of receipt of the written notification required pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, the chief executive officer of the municipal employer and the executive head of the municipal employee organization each shall select one member of the arbitration panel. Within five days of their appointment, the two members of the arbitration panel shall select a third member, who shall be an impartial representative of the interests of the public in general and who shall be selected from the panel of neutral arbitrators appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Such third member shall be the chairperson of the panel.

(3) In the event that the municipal employer or the municipal employee organization have not selected their respective members of the arbitration panel or the two members of the panel have not selected the third member, the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall appoint such members as are needed to complete the panel, provided (A) the member or members so appointed are residents of this state, and (B) the selection of the third member of the panel by the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall be made at random from among the members of the panel of neutral arbitrators appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Within ten days of appointment of the chairperson, the arbitration panel shall, by call of its chairperson, hold a hearing within the municipality involved. At least five days prior to such hearing, a written notice of the time and place of such hearing shall be sent to the municipal employer, the municipal employee organization and the other members of the panel. The chairperson of the panel shall preside over such hearing. Any member of the panel shall have the power to take testimony, to administer oaths and to summon, by subpoena, any person whose testimony may be pertinent to the matters before said panel, together with any records or other documents relating to such matters. In the case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, the Superior Court, upon application by the panel, shall have jurisdiction to order such person to appear before the panel to produce evidence or to give testimony touching the matter under investigation or in question, and any failure to obey such order may be punished by said court as a contempt thereof.

(d) (1) The hearing may, at the discretion of the panel, be continued and shall be concluded within twenty days after its commencement. Not less than two days prior to the commencement of the hearing, each party shall file with the chairperson of the panel, and deliver to the other party, a proposed collective bargaining agreement, in numbered paragraphs, which such party is willing to execute and cost data for all provisions of such proposed agreement. At the commencement of the hearing each party shall file with the panel a reply setting forth (A) those paragraphs of the proposed agreement of the other party which it is willing to accept, and (B) those paragraphs of the proposed agreement of the other party which it is unwilling to accept, together with any alternative contract language which such party would accept in lieu of those paragraphs of the proposed agreement of the other party which it is unwilling to accept. At any time prior to the issuance of a decision by the panel, the parties may jointly file with the panel stipulations setting forth the agreement provisions which both parties have agreed to accept.

(2) Within five days after the conclusion of the taking of testimony, the panel shall forward to each party an arbitration statement, approved by a majority vote of the panel, setting forth all agreement provisions agreed upon by both parties in the proposed agreements and the replies, and in the stipulations, and stating, in numbered paragraphs, those issues which are unresolved.

(3) Within ten days after the conclusion of the taking of testimony, the parties shall file with the secretary of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration five copies of their statements of last best offer setting forth, in numbered paragraphs corresponding to the statement of unresolved issues contained in the arbitration statement, the final agreement provisions proposed by such party. Immediately upon receipt of both statement of last best offer or upon the expiration of the time for filing such statements of last best offer, whichever is sooner, said secretary shall distribute a copy of each such statement of last best offer to the opposing party.

(4) Within seven days after the distribution of the statements of last best offer or within seven days of the expiration of the time for filing the statements of last best offer, whichever is sooner, the parties may file with the secretary of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration five copies of their briefs on the unresolved issues. Immediately upon receipt of both briefs or upon the expiration of the time for filing such briefs, whichever is sooner, said secretary shall distribute a copy of each such brief to the opposing party.

(5) Within five days after the distribution of the briefs on the unresolved issues or within five days after the last day for filing such briefs, whichever is sooner, each party may file with said secretary five copies of a reply brief, responding to the briefs on the unresolved issues. Immediately upon receipt of the reply briefs or upon the expiration of the time for filing such reply briefs, whichever is sooner, said secretary shall simultaneously distribute a copy of each such reply brief to the opposing party.

(6) Within twenty days after the last day for filing such reply briefs, the panel shall issue, upon majority vote, and file with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration its decision on all unresolved issues set forth in the arbitration statement, and said secretary shall immediately and simultaneously distribute a copy thereof to each party. The panel shall treat each unresolved issue set forth in the arbitration statement as a separate question to be decided by it. In deciding each such question, the panel agreement shall accept the final provision relating to such unresolved issue as contained in the statement of last best offer of one party or the other. As part of the arbitration decision, each member shall state the specific reasons and standards used in making a choice on each unresolved issue.

(7) The parties may jointly file with the panel stipulations modifying, deferring or waiving any or all provisions of this subsection.

(8) If the day for filing any document required or permitted to be filed under this subsection falls on a day which is not a business day of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration then the time for such filing shall be extended to the next business day of such board.

(9) In arriving at a decision, the arbitration panel shall give priority to the public interest and the financial capability of the municipal employer, including consideration of other demands on the financial capability of the municipal employer. There shall be an irrebuttable presumption that fifteen per cent of the municipal employer's budget reserve is not available for payment of the cost of any item subject to arbitration under this chapter. The panel shall further consider the following factors in light of such financial capability: (A) The negotiations between the parties prior to arbitration; (B) the interests and welfare of the employee group; (C) changes in the cost of living; (D) the existing conditions of employment of the employee group and those of similar groups; and (E) the wages, salaries, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment prevailing in the labor market, including developments in private sector wages and benefits.

(10) The decision of the panel and the resolved issues shall be final and binding upon the municipal employer and the municipal employee organization except as provided in subdivision (12) of this subsection and, if such award is not rejected by the legislative body pursuant to said subdivision, except that a motion to vacate or modify such decision may be made in accordance with sections 52-418 and 52-419.

(11) In regard to all proceedings undertaken pursuant to this subsection the secretary of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall serve as staff to the arbitration panel.

(12) Within twenty-five days of the receipt of an arbitration award issued pursuant to this section, the legislative body of the municipal employer may reject the award of the arbitrators or single arbitrator by a two-thirds majority vote of the members of such legislative body present at a regular or special meeting called and convened for such purpose. If the twenty-fifth day specified in this subdivision falls on a weekend or a holiday, such deadline shall be extended through the next business day following the twenty-fifth day.

(13) Within ten days after such rejection, the legislative body or its authorized representative shall be required to state, in writing, the reasons for such vote and shall submit such written statement to the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration and the municipal employee organization. Within ten days after receipt of such notice, the municipal employee organization shall prepare a written response to such rejection and shall submit it to the legislative body and the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration.

(14) Within ten days after receipt of such rejection notice, the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall select a review panel of three arbitrators or, if the parties agree, a single arbitrator who are residents of Connecticut and labor relations arbitrators approved by the American Arbitration Association and not members of the panel who issued the rejected award. Such arbitrators or single arbitrator shall review the decision on each such rejected issue. The review conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be limited to the record and briefs of the hearing pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the written explanation of the reasons for the vote and a written response by either party. In conducting such review, the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall be limited to consideration of the criteria set forth in subdivision (9) of this subsection. Such review shall be completed within twenty days of the appointment of the arbitrators or single arbitrator. The arbitrators or single arbitrator shall accept the last best offer of either of the parties.

(15) Within five days after the completion of such review the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall render a decision with respect to each rejected issue which shall be final and binding upon the municipal employer and the employee organization except that a motion to vacate or modify such award may be made in accordance with sections 52-418 and 52-419. The decision of the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall be in writing and shall include specific reasons and standards used by each arbitrator in making a decision on each issue. The decision shall be filed with the parties. The reasonable costs of the arbitrators or single arbitrator and the cost of the transcript shall be paid by the legislative body. Where the legislative body of a municipal employer is the town meeting, the board of selectmen shall perform all of the duties and shall have all of the authority and responsibilities required of and granted to the legislative body under this subsection.

(e) The cost of the arbitration panel shall be distributed among the parties in the following manner: (1) The municipal employer shall pay the costs of the arbitrator appointed by it, (2) the municipal employee organization shall pay the costs of the arbitrator appointed by it, (3) the municipal employer and the municipal employee organization shall equally divide and pay the cost of the chairperson, and (4) the costs of any arbitrator appointed by the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall be paid by the party in whose absence the board appointed.

(f) A municipal employer and a municipal employee organization may, at any time, file with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration a joint stipulation modifying, deferring or waiving any or all of the provisions of this section, or modifying, deferring or waiving any or all of the provisions of a previously filed stipulation, and any such stipulation shall be controlling over the provisions of this section or of any previously filed stipulation.

(g) No party may submit for binding arbitration pursuant to this section any issue or proposal which was not presented during the negotiation process, unless the submittal of such additional issue or proposal is agreed to by the parties.

(P.A. 75-570, S. 7; P.A. 77-117; P.A. 82-37, S. 3; P.A. 84-242, S. 2; P.A. 85-18, S. 1; 85-31, S. 1; P.A. 87-11; 87-100, S. 1; P.A. 92-84, S. 1, 7; 92-170, S. 18, 26; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 53, 70; P.A. 93-17, S. 3, 6; P.A. 99-270, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 158; P.A. 19-107, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 77-117 amended Subsec. (c) to include cost data for all provisions in collective bargaining agreements; P.A. 82-37 provided that when contract reopener provisions have not been agreed to within 90 days of the contractual date of implementation, mandatory binding arbitration shall be invoked; P.A. 84-242 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the board shall notify, in writing, the parties who have waived fact finding that binding arbitration is imposed on them; P.A. 85-18 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to establish a more specific and extensive list of factors to be considered by the arbitration panel, including prior negotiations, public interest, employee interests, cost of living changes, existing conditions of employment of the employee group and prevailing conditions in the labor market; P.A. 85-31 amended Subsec. (c) to require each panel member to state the reasons and standards used in making his arbitration decision; P.A. 87-11 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that binding arbitration will be imposed when neither party requests arbitration within 90 days of starting negotiations to revise a collective bargaining agreement; P.A. 87-100 added Subsec. (f) which limited the presentation of new issues to binding arbitration; P.A. 92-84 added Subsec. (a) re neutral arbitrator selection committee and panel of neutral arbitrators, relettered former Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b), changed the time period for imposition of binding and final arbitration from 90 days to 30 days, added requirements that the third member of an arbitration panel shall be selected from the panel of neutral arbitrators, relettered former Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (c) and (d), respectively, required the arbitration panel to give priority to the public interest and the financial capability of the municipal employer in arriving at a decision, required the arbitration panel to consider developments in private sector wages and benefits, added Subsec. (d)(5) providing for rejection of arbitration decision by the legislative body of the municipal employer, and relettered former Subsecs. (d), (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (e), (f) and (g); P.A. 92-170 removed references to fact-finding, changed the order for submission of last best offers and briefs in Subsec. (d), in Subdiv. (5) changed 30 days to 25 days, required the municipal employee organization to prepare a written response when an award is rejected, changed the requirement that arbitrators for the second round be members of the American Arbitration Association to labor relations arbitrators approved by the association and residents of Connecticut, required the review in the second round to be limited to consideration of the criteria set forth in Subdiv. (2), required the decision in the second round to be in writing and to include specific reasons and standards used in making the decision on each issue, required the decision to be filed with the parties and specified that the legislative body pay the costs and made technical changes, effective May 26, 1992, and applicable to arbitration proceedings commencing on or after that date; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 made a technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 93-17 added new Subdivs. (1) and (2) in Subsec. (b) to require state board of mediation and arbitration to impose binding arbitration on a newly certified municipal employee organization and a municipal employer if the parties fail to approve an original collective bargaining agreement within 180 days after the employee organization is certified or recognized, and redesignated existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subparas. (A) and (B), respectively, effective April 21, 1993; P.A. 99-270 made technical changes, added Subdiv. indicators to Subsec. (b) and reorganized the Subdiv. indicators in Subsec. (d); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (d)(9) by adding provision re irrebuttable presumption that 15 per cent of municipal employer's budget reserve is not available to pay cost of item subject to arbitration, effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 19-107 amended Subsec. (d) by adding provision re extension of deadline in Subdiv. (12).

Cited. 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192. City not precluded from seeking a residency requirement for policemen through collective bargaining; constitutional considerations discussed. Id., 623. Cited. 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14. Establishment of paramedic unit not a “condition of employment” within meaning of statute and therefore not subject to mandatory and binding arbitration. 221 C. 244. Cited. 223 C. 761; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123; Id., 704; 238 C. 183; 239 C. 32. Section does not, by its terms, authorize judicial review of interest arbitration award by way of application to confirm under Sec. 52-417. 337 C. 579.

Cited. 1 CA 207; 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232. Each panel member is not required to set forth the specific reasons and standards he used to make his choice on each issue to be resolved. 48 CA 667. An award of damages punitive in nature is contrary to the public policy stated in statute. 49 CA 805.

Cited. 40 CS 365; 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470.

Sec. 7-474. Negotiations and agreements between municipality and employee representatives. Federal approval. Elective binding arbitration; procedure; apportionment of costs. (a) Except as hereinafter provided, when an employee organization has been designated, in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit, the chief executive officer, whether elected or appointed, or his designated representative or representatives, shall represent the municipal employer in collective bargaining with such employee organization.

(b) Any agreement reached by the negotiators shall be reduced to writing. Except where the legislative body is the town meeting, a request for funds necessary to implement such written agreement and for approval of any provisions of the agreement which are in conflict with any charter, special act, ordinance, rule or regulation adopted by the municipal employer or its agents, such as a personnel board or civil service commission, or any general statute directly regulating the hours of work of policemen or firemen or any general statute providing for the method or manner of covering or removing employees from coverage under the Connecticut municipal employees' retirement system or under the Policemen and Firemen Survivors' Benefit Fund shall be submitted by the bargaining representative of the municipality within fourteen days of the date on which such agreement is reached to the legislative body which may approve or reject such request as a whole by a majority vote of those present and voting on the matter; but, if rejected, the matter shall be returned to the parties for further bargaining. Failure by the bargaining representative of the municipality to submit such request to the legislative body within such fourteen-day period shall be considered to be a prohibited practice committed by the municipal employer. Such request shall be considered approved if the legislative body fails to vote to approve or reject such request within thirty days of the end of the fourteen-day period for submission to said body. Where the legislative body is the town meeting, approval of the agreement by a majority of the selectmen shall make the agreement valid and binding upon the town and the board of finance shall appropriate or provide whatever funds are necessary to comply with such collective bargaining agreement.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of any general statute, charter, special act or ordinance to the contrary, the budget-appropriating authority of any municipal employer shall appropriate whatever funds are required to comply with a collective bargaining agreement, provided the request called for in subsection (b) of this section has been approved by the legislative body of such municipal employer, or with a collective bargaining agreement approved as the result of an arbitration decision rendered in an impasse of contract negotiations under section 7-472, or rendered in accordance with the provisions of section 7-473c.

(d) If the municipal employer is a district, school board, housing authority or other authority established by law, or is a private nonprofit corporation which has a valid contract with any town, city, borough or district to extinguish fires and to protect its inhabitants from loss by fire, which by statute, charter, special act or ordinance has sole and exclusive control over the appointment of and the wages, hours and conditions of employment of its employees, such district, school board, housing authority, other authority or corporation, or its designated representatives, shall represent such municipal employer in collective bargaining and shall have the authority to enter into collective bargaining agreements with the employee organization which is the exclusive representative of such employees, and such agreements shall be binding on the parties thereto, provided, where any provisions of any such agreement require federal approval, such provisions shall be binding upon receipt of such approval, and no such agreement or any part thereof shall require approval of the legislative body of the municipality.

(e) No provision of any general statute, charter, special act or ordinance shall prevent negotiations between a municipal employer and an employee organization, which has been designated or recognized as the exclusive representative of employees in an appropriate unit, from continuing after the final date for making or setting the budget of such municipal employer. An agreement between a municipal employer and an employee organization shall be valid and in force under its terms when entered into in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, and signed by the chief executive officer or administrator as a ministerial act. Such terms may make any such agreement effective on a date prior to the date on which such agreement is entered. No publication thereof shall be required to make it effective. The procedure for the making of an agreement between the municipal employer and an employee organization provided by said sections shall be the exclusive method for making a valid agreement for municipal employees represented by an employee organization, and any provisions in any general statute, charter or special act to the contrary shall not apply to such an agreement.

(f) Where there is a conflict between any agreement reached by a municipal employer and an employee organization and approved in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, on matters appropriate to collective bargaining, as defined in said sections, and any charter, special act, ordinance, rules or regulations adopted by the municipal employer or its agents such as a personnel board or civil service commission, or any general statute directly regulating the hours of work of policemen or firemen, or any general statute providing for the method or manner of covering or removing employees from coverage under the Connecticut municipal employees' retirement system or under the Policemen and Firemen Survivors' Benefit Fund, the terms of such agreement shall prevail; provided, if participation of any employees in said system or said fund is effected by such agreement, the effective date of participation in said system or said fund, notwithstanding any contrary provision in such agreement, shall be the first day of the third month following the month in which a certified copy of such agreement is received by the Retirement Commission, or such later date as may be specified in the agreement.

(g) Nothing herein shall diminish the authority and power of any municipal civil service commission, personnel board, personnel agency or its agents established by statute, charter or special act to conduct and grade merit examinations and to rate candidates in the order of their relative excellence from which appointments or promotions may be made to positions in the competitive division of the classified service of the municipal employer served by such civil service commission or personnel board. The conduct and the grading of merit examinations, the rating of candidates and the establishment of lists from such examinations and the initial appointments from such lists and any provision of any municipal charter concerning political activity of municipal employees shall not be subject to collective bargaining, provided once the procedures for the promotional process have been established by the municipality, any changes to the process proposed by the municipality concerning the following issues shall be subject to collective bargaining: (1) The necessary qualifications for taking a promotional examination; (2) the relative weight to be attached to each method of examination; and (3) the use and determination of monitors for written, oral and performance examinations. In no event shall the content of any promotional examination be subject to collective bargaining.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 8; 1967, P.A. 491, S. 6–10; 708; 1969, P.A. 174; 1971, P.A. 532, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-35; 75-173, S. 2; 75-570, S. 4, 6; P.A. 82-212, S. 1; P.A. 85-18, S. 2; 85-31, S. 2; P.A. 87-100, S. 2; P.A. 90-47, S. 2; P.A. 92-170, S. 19, 20, 26.)

History: 1967 acts amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re conflict between agreement and any general statute concerning covering or removing coverage under municipal employees retirement system, by requiring submission of request for funds or approval of conflicting provisions be made within 14 days of reaching agreement and by establishing failure to make submission within specified time as prohibited practice and setting forth terms re approval or rejection, amended Subsec. (d) by declaring binding nature of agreements made by districts, school boards, etc., amended Subsec. (e) by allowing bargaining to continue after budget deadline and by allowing retroactive effective dates for terms of agreement and amended Subsec. (f) to include conflicts with statutes concerning municipal employees retirement system and further amended Subsec. (b) to provide for cases where legislative body is town meeting; 1969 act amended Subsec. (f) to clarify effective date of provisions in agreements which affect participation of employees in municipal employees' retirement system; 1971 act amended Subsecs. (b) and (f) by adding provision re conflict between agreement and coverage or noncoverage under policemen and firemen survivors' benefit fund; P.A. 75-35 added to Subsec. (d) provision re agreement terms which require federal approval; P.A. 75-173 and 75-570 amended Subsec. (c) to include agreements approved as result of arbitration decision or as result of failure to reject fact finder's report; P.A. 75-570 also added Subsecs. (h) to (k) re arbitration proceedings after rejection of fact finder's report; P.A. 82-212 added proviso in Subsec. (g) specifying types of proposed changes to promotional process which shall be subject to collective bargaining and declared “initial” appointments and content of promotional examinations to be not subject to collective bargaining; P.A. 85-18 amended Subsec. (j)(2) to establish a more specific and extensive list of factors to be considered by the arbitration panel, including prior negotiations, public interest, employee interests, cost of living changes, existing conditions of employment of the employee group and prevailing conditions in the labor market; P.A. 85-31 amended Subsec. (j) to require each panel member to state the reasons and standards used in making his arbitration decision; P.A. 87-100 added Subsec. (l) which limited the presentation of new issues to binding arbitration; P.A. 90-47 amended Subsec. (d) to include nonprofit fire-fighting corporations as representatives for collective bargaining; P.A. 92-170 amended Subsec. (c) to remove references to fact-finding and removed Subsecs. (h) to (l), inclusive, concerning fact-finding, effective May 26, 1992, and applicable to arbitration proceedings commencing on or after that date (Revisor's note: An obsolete reference in Subsec. (c) to “or subsections (h) to (k), inclusive, of this section” was deleted editorially by the Revisors).

Cited. 171 C. 347; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; Id., 623; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; Id., 685; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 217 C. 490; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 51; Id., 123; 239 C. 32.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Cited. 28 CS 267. Subsecs. (f) and (g) not in conflict, since merit examination appointments not subject to collective bargaining agreements. 30 CS 259. A public announcement of plaintiff's intention to file a prohibited practice complaint against a union is protected by the Municipal Employees Relations Act when the complaint is actually filed at a later date. 31 CS 7. Subsecs. (f) and (g) provide that the provisions of a municipal charter concerning political activity shall override the substantive and procedural provisions of any collective bargaining agreement on that subject. 35 CS 645. Cited. 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470. Subsecs. (b) and (d) conflict because (b) requires submission of contract term requiring fiscal appropriation to municipal legislative body while (d) does not; the specific authority applicable to housing authorities in (d) prevails over the more general authority contained in (b). 47 CS 624.

Subsec. (d):

Right of a board under statute to act as exclusive negotiator in bargaining collectively with its employees is not impaired by subsequent subsections of this section. 182 C. 93.

Subsec. (f):

Subsec. determines the effect of a validly negotiated agreement and does not purport to prescribe the conditions of valid negotiation. 182 C. 93. Cited. 206 C. 563. An agreement made in a matter not appropriate for collective bargaining does not prevail over conflicting civil service rules and court's orders implementing such rules. 284 C. 237.

Cited. 31 CS 125; 36 CS 637.

Subsec. (g):

Subsec. does not address other sources of limitation on powers of local civil service commissions. 182 C. 93. Cited. 206 C. 643. Collective bargaining is limited to changes in the promotional examination process; decision on application of preexisting qualifications is not subject to collective bargaining. 234 C. 35. In the absence of proposed change in promotional examination process, grievance settlement resulting in promotion may not be considered part of promotional examination process. 284 C. 237.

Cited. 7 CA 105; 11 CA 37; 22 CA 402; 32 CA 280; Id., 289. Only three enumerated adjustments to municipal policy governing merit examinations must first be subject to collective bargaining; because a written examination was not mandated, its elimination did not constitute a change in the “relative weight” of examination methods. 210 CA 529.

Appeal from dismissal of municipal employees for political activities proscribed by city charter properly brought to public employees appeal board; statute excludes such charter provisions from collective bargaining; dismissal cannot be construed as a grievance required to be subject to binding arbitration as prescribed in the collective bargaining agreement. 35 CS 645. Cited. 39 CS 1.

Sec. 7-474a. Provision limiting volunteer services for maintenance of buildings and grounds prohibited in collective bargaining agreements. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, no collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after July 1, 2018, between a municipality and an employee organization that is the exclusive representative of the municipality's employees shall contain any provision limiting the ability of the municipality to permit volunteer services for the maintenance of buildings and grounds, provided there is no impact on the wages or conditions of employment of represented employees.

(P.A. 18-81, S. 59.)

History: P.A. 18-81 effective July 1, 2018.

Sec. 7-475. Strikes prohibited. Nothing in sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, shall constitute a grant of the right to strike to employees of any municipal employer and such strikes are prohibited. In the event an agreement expires before a new agreement has been approved by the municipal employer and the employee organization, the terms of the expired agreement shall remain in effect until such time as a new agreement is reached and approved in accordance with section 7-474. Nothing in this section shall affect the rights and duties of the municipal employer and the employee organization under sections 7-468 to 7-470, inclusive, during the period of time such expired agreement remains in effect.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 9; P.A. 75-81.)

History: P.A. 75-81 added provisions re continuance of previous agreement terms after their expiration and until new agreement made.

Cited. 171 C. 347; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; Id., 623; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 217 C. 490; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

A public announcement of plaintiff's intention to file a prohibited practice complaint against a union is protected by the Municipal Employees Relations Act when the complaint is actually filed at a later date. 31 CS 7. Duty to bargain collectively and in good faith takes on important dimension in public sector because of denial of right to strike. 36 CS 18. Cited. 42 CS 227; 43 CS 470.

Sec. 7-476. Existing bargaining unit not altered during term of agreement. Nothing in sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, is intended to require that the composition of an existing bargaining unit be altered during the term of an existing agreement.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 10.)

Cited. 171 C. 347; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Sec. 7-477. Payroll deductions of union dues authorized. Municipal employers and employee organizations are authorized to negotiate provisions in a collective bargaining agreement calling for the payroll deduction of employee organization dues and initiation fees.

(February, 1965, P.A. 159, S. 11.)

Cited. 171 C. 347; Id., 553; 175 C. 349. Standing to test constitutionality of binding arbitration provisions of Municipal Employees Relations Act discussed. 181 C. 421. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 196 C. 192; 200 C. 38; 201 C. 577; Id., 685; 204 C. 746; 205 C. 116; 210 C. 549; 212 C. 294; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297; 234 C. 123.

Cited. 3 CA 1; 16 CA 232.

Sec. 7-478. Municipal employee member of civil service board or commission not to participate in certain matters. Any provision of any special act, home rule ordinance or charter to the contrary notwithstanding, no member of a municipal civil service board or commission who is an employee of such municipality shall participate, as a board or commission member, in matters regarding compensation plans, or in grievances involving employees covered by collective bargaining.

(1967, P.A. 214.)

Cited. 204 C. 746; 210 C. 549; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297.

Cited. 42 CS 227.

Sec. 7-478a. Municipalities participating in interlocal agreements deemed a municipal employer subject to collective bargaining. (a) Two or more municipal employers participating in an interlocal agreement pursuant to sections 7-339a to 7-339l, inclusive, shall constitute a municipal employer as defined in section 7-467.

(b) Each employee organization, as defined in said section 7-467, of the municipal employers constituting a municipal employer under this section shall retain representation rights for collective bargaining. If two or more employee organizations have representation rights, the employee organizations shall act in coalition for all collective bargaining purposes.

(c) When a municipal employer is constituted under this section the collective bargaining agreement of each employee organization with representation rights shall remain in effect. A decision by a municipal employer to enter into or implement an interlocal agreement under sections 7-339a to 7-339l, inclusive, shall not be a subject of collective bargaining but the impact of such agreement upon wages, hours and other conditions of employment, shall be a subject of collective bargaining.

(P.A. 95-308, S. 9.)

Sec. 7-478b. Collective bargaining agreement provision re closing of nonmunicipal offices on Martin Luther King Day. (a) Each municipality shall include a requirement in any collective bargaining agreement executed on or after April 26, 2000, that all nonessential municipal offices shall be closed on any day designated as Martin Luther King Day pursuant to section 1-4.

(b) Any municipality that did not observe the Martin Luther King Day legal holiday on January 17, 2000, by closing all nonessential municipal offices shall close all such nonessential municipal offices on any day designated as Martin Luther King Day pursuant to section 1-4.

(P.A. 00-98, S. 1, 6.)

History: P.A. 00-98 effective April 26, 2000.

Sec. 7-478c. Reopening of certain collective bargaining agreements for compensation or exchange of benefits for observance of Martin Luther King Day. Notwithstanding the provisions of the general statutes, each municipal employer and each employee organization in a municipality that is required to close all nonessential municipal offices in observance of Martin Luther King Day pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7-478b shall reopen each collective bargaining agreement approved in accordance with the provisions of sections 7-467 to 7-477, inclusive, for the sole purpose of negotiating compensation or exchange of benefits, if any, for the bargaining unit members covered by such agreement for observance of Martin Luther King Day.

(P.A. 00-98, S. 2, 6.)

History: P.A. 00-98 effective April 26, 2000.

Sec. 7-478d. Duties of State Board of Mediation and Arbitration if no resolution. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-473c, if any such municipal employer and any such employee organization are unable to resolve the compensation or exchange of benefits issue after reopening the agreement pursuant to section 7-478c by May 31, 2000, the parties shall submit the issue to the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration, and said board shall make every effort to resolve the issue through mediation not later than June 30, 2000.

(P.A. 00-98, S. 3, 6.)

History: P.A. 00-98 effective April 26, 2000.

Sec. 7-478e. Mandatory binding arbitration for issues re observance of Martin Luther King Day. Panel of neutral arbitrators. Procedure. Criteria for decision. Apportionment of costs. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-473c:

(1) If the parties are unable to resolve the compensation or exchange of benefits issue pursuant to section 7-478d by June 30, 2000, the parties shall submit the issue to an arbitration panel for resolution through binding arbitration pursuant to this section not later than July 15, 2000.

(2) If neither the municipal employer nor the municipal employee organization has submitted the issue to an arbitration panel for resolution through binding arbitration pursuant to this section by July 15, 2000, said board shall notify the municipal employer and municipal employee organization that binding and final arbitration is now imposed on them, and the arbitration panel selected pursuant to this section shall resolve the issue through binding arbitration not later than September 30, 2000. Written notification of such imposition shall be sent by registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each party.

(3) Within two days of receipt of such notification, the chief executive officer of the municipal employer and the executive head of the municipal employee organization each shall select one member of the arbitration panel. Within two days of their appointment, the two members of the arbitration panel shall select a third member, who shall be an impartial representative of the interest of the public in general and who shall be selected from the panel of neutral arbitrators appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of section 7-473c. Such third member shall be the chairman of the panel. In the event the municipal employer or the municipal employee organization have not selected their respective members of the arbitration panel or the two members of the panel have not selected the third member, the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall appoint such members as are needed to complete the panel, provided (A) the member or members so appointed are residents of this state, and (B) the selection of the third member of the panel by the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall be made at random from among the members of the panel of neutral arbitrators appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of section 7-473c.

(4) The panel shall, within two days, by the call of its chairman, hold a hearing within the municipality involved. The chairman of the panel shall preside over such hearing. Any member of the panel shall have the power to take testimony, to administer oaths and to summon, by subpoena, any person whose testimony may be pertinent to the matters before said panel, together with any records or other documents relating to such matters. In the case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, the Superior Court, upon application by the panel, shall have jurisdiction to order such person to appear before the panel to produce evidence or to give testimony touching the matter under investigation or in question, and any failure to obey such order may be punished by said court as a contempt thereof.

(5) The panel shall conclude the hearing within fifteen days after its commencement. Within ten days after the hearing, the panel shall issue, upon majority vote, and file with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration its decision which shall immediately and simultaneously distribute a copy thereof to each party. In making its decision, the panel shall accept the last best offer of either of the parties. As part of the arbitration decision, each member shall state the specific reasons and standards in making a choice on each unresolved issue. In arriving at its decision, the panel shall be limited to the consideration of the criteria set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 7-473c. The decision of the panel shall be final and binding upon the municipal employer and the municipal employee organization except as provided in section 7-478f and, if such award is not rejected by the legislative body pursuant to section 7-478f, except that a motion to vacate or modify such decision may be made in accordance with sections 52-418 and 52-419.

(6) In regard to all proceedings undertaken pursuant to this section the secretary of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall serve as staff to the arbitration panel.

(7) The cost of the arbitration panel shall be distributed among the parties in the following manner: (A) The municipal employer shall pay the costs of the arbitrator appointed by it, (B) the municipal employee organization shall pay the costs of the arbitrator appointed by it, (C) the municipal employer and the municipal employee organization shall equally divide and pay the cost of the chairman, and (D) the costs of any arbitrator appointed by the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall be paid by the party in whose absence the board appointed.

(P.A. 00-98, S. 4, 6.)

History: P.A. 00-98 effective April 26, 2000.

Sec. 7-478f. Rejection of award by legislative body. Second arbitration format. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-473c:

(1) Not later than October 30, 2000, the legislative body of the municipal employer may reject the award of the arbitrators or single arbitrator issued pursuant to section 7-478e by a two-thirds majority vote of the members of such legislative body present at a regular or special meeting called and convened for such purpose.

(2) Not later than November 10, 2000, the legislative body or its authorized representative shall be required to state, in writing, the reasons for such vote and shall submit such written statement to the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration and the municipal employee organization. Not later than November 20, 2000, the municipal employee organization shall prepare a written response to such rejection and shall submit it to the legislative body and the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration.

(3) Not later than November 20, 2000, the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration shall select a review panel of three arbitrators or, if the parties agree, a single arbitrator who are residents of Connecticut and labor relations arbitrators approved by the American Arbitration Association and not members of the panel who issued the rejected award. Such arbitrators or single arbitrator shall review the decision on each such rejected issue. The review conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be limited to the record of the hearing pursuant to section 7-478e, the written explanation of the reasons for the vote and a written response by either party. In conducting such review, the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall be limited to consideration of the criteria set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 7-473c. Such review shall be completed not later than December 10, 2000.

(4) Not later than December 15, 2000, after the completion of such review, the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall render a written decision with respect to each rejected issue which shall be final and binding upon the municipal employer and the employee organization except that a motion to vacate or modify such award may be made in accordance with sections 52-418 and 52-419. The arbitrators or single arbitrator shall accept the last best offer of either of the parties. The decision of the arbitrators or single arbitrator shall be in writing and shall include specific reasons and standards used by each arbitrator in making a decision on each issue. The decision shall be filed with the parties. The reasonable costs of the arbitrators or single arbitrator and the cost of the transcript shall be paid by the legislative body. Where the legislative body of a municipal employer is the town meeting, the board of selectmen shall perform all of the duties and shall have all of the authority and responsibilities required of and granted to the legislative body under this subsection.

(P.A. 00-98, S. 5, 6.)

History: P.A. 00-98 effective April 26, 2000.

Sec. 7-479. Conflicts of interest. For the purposes of this section, “municipality” means any town, city, borough, school district, taxing district, fire district, district department of health, probate district, housing authority, flood commission or authority established by special act or regional council of governments. Any municipality, in addition to such powers as it has under the provisions of the general statutes or any special act, may, by ordinance or regulation, prohibit any member or employee of any municipal board or agency, or any official, officer or employee of such municipality from (1) being financially interested, or having any personal beneficial interest, either directly or indirectly, in any contract or purchase order for any supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services furnished to or used by any such municipality, board or agency, and (2) accepting or receiving, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm or corporation to which any contract or purchase order may be awarded by such municipality, by rebate, gifts or otherwise, any money, or anything of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation or contract for future reward or compensation. Such municipalities may prescribe penalties for the violation of any ordinance or regulation enacted pursuant to this section, including the voidance of any municipal purchase, contract or ruling adopted in contravention thereof.

(1969, P.A. 782; P.A. 13-247, S. 274.)

History: P.A. 13-247 substituted “council of governments” for “planning agency” and made a technical change, effective January 1, 2015.

Cited. 204 C. 746; 210 C. 549; 215 C. 14; 221 C. 244; 225 C. 297.

Cited. 42 CS 227.