Audit Report on Non-Pedagogical Pensioners of the New York City Board of Education Working for the City after Retirement

June 25, 2004 | FL04-110A

Table of Contents

    Audit Report In Brief

    The Comptroller’s Office performed an audit to identify New York City Board of Education (non-pedagogical) pensioners who may be illegally re-employed (“double-dippers” or “disability retirees”), and to quantify the amounts of any improper payments to individuals who appear to be violators of New York State Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) § 211 and § 212, or New York City Charter § 1117 during calendar years 2001 and 2002.

    The audit found that three individuals who received $6,124 in pension payments during 2001 and 2002 that appear to violate applicable sections of State and City laws. These individuals were in apparent violation of New York State Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) § 211 or § 212 because they were under age 70 and received City wages exceeding the limitations without having a waiver on file at BERS, or were in violation of § 1117 of the New York City Charter because they were collecting disability pensions while earning more than $1,800 (including pension payments) a year at a New York City agency.

    • Investigate those individuals identified as concurrently receiving pensions while being re-employed in public service. BERS officials should also commence prompt recoupment action against those individuals found to be illegally collecting pensions.
    • Forward to the Department of Investigation, if the circumstances warrant such action, the names of those individuals found to be illegally collecting pensions.
    • Ascertain whether previous pension overpayments have been recouped and whether current pensions have been suspended for those individuals who have been cited in previous audits as “double-dippers” or “disability violators.”
    • Send special reminders to service retirees under the age of 65, and to all disability retirees, that clearly state their responsibilities regarding public service re-employment.
    $242 billion
    Aug
    2022