N.Y. Retirement & Social Security Law Section 512
Final average salary


a.

A member’s final average salary shall be the average wages earned by such a member during any three consecutive years which provide the highest average wage; provided, however, if the wages earned during any year included in the period used to determine final average salary exceeds that of the average of the previous two years by more than ten percent, the amount in excess of ten percent shall be excluded from the computation of final average salary. In determining final average salary pursuant to any provision of this subdivision, where the period used to determine final average salary is the period which immediately precedes the date of retirement, any month or months (not in excess of twelve) which would otherwise be included in computing final average salary but during which the member was on authorized leave of absence at partial pay or without pay shall be excluded from the computation of final average salary and the month or an equal number of months immediately preceding such period shall be substituted in lieu thereof.

b.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision a of this section, with respect to members of the New York state employees’ retirement system, the New York state and local police and fire retirement system and the New York city teachers’ retirement system, a member’s final average salary shall be equal to one-third of the highest total wages earned during any continuous period of employment for which the member was credited with three years of service credit; provided, however, if the wages earned during any year of credited service included the period used to determine final average salary exceeds the average of the wages of the previous two years of credited service by more than ten percent, the amount in excess of ten percent shall be excluded from the computation of final average salary.

c.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions a and b of this section, the final average salary of an employee who has been a member of the New York city employees’ retirement system (other than a New York city correction/sanitation revised plan member or an investigator revised plan member) or the New York city teachers’ retirement system for less than one year shall be the projected one year salary, with the calculation based upon a twelve month projection of the sums earned in the portion of the year worked. If a member has been employed for more than one year but less than two years, then the member’s final average salary shall be the average of the first year and projected second year earnings based upon the calculation above, and if more than two years, but less than three years, then one-third the total of the first two years of employment plus the projected third year’s earnings, calculated as indicated above.

d.

Subject to the provisions of subdivision c of this section, and notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision a of this section, with respect to members of the New York city employees’ retirement system (other than a New York city uniformed correction/sanitation revised plan member or an investigator revised plan member) and the New York city board of education retirement system who are subject to the provisions of this article, a member’s final average salary shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of paragraph thirteen of subdivision e of section 13-638.4 of the administrative code of the city of New York.

Source: Section 512 — Final average salary, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/RSS/512 (updated May 3, 2024; accessed Dec. 21, 2024).

500
Application
501
Definitions
502
Eligibility for service retirement benefits
503
Eligibility for normal and early service retirement benefits
504
Service retirement benefits
504‑A
Twenty-year retirement program for New York city correction members below the rank of captain
504‑B
Twenty-year retirement program for New York city correction members of the rank of captain or above
504‑C
Supplemental retirement allowance
504‑D
Twenty-year retirement program for New York city correction members
505
Service retirement benefits
506
Ordinary disability benefits
507
Accidental disability benefits
507‑A
Disability retirement
507‑B
Performance of duty disability retirement
507‑C
Performance of duty disability retirement
507‑D
Disability benefits
507‑E
Uniformed court officers and peace officers
507‑F
Accidental disability retirement
507‑G
Payment of both pensions for accident and other benefits prohibited
507‑H
Retirement for disability incurred in performance of duty
507‑I
Disability benefits
508
Death benefits
508‑A
Death benefit for vested members who die prior to retirement
508‑B
Death benefit for deputy sheriffs employed by Nassau county
508‑B*2
Death benefits for correction officers employed by Nassau county
508‑B*3
Death benefits for correction officers employed by Suffolk county
508‑B*4
Death benefits for deputy sheriffs employed by Suffolk county
508‑C
Death benefits for fire marshals employed by Nassau county
509
Accidental death benefits
509‑A
COVID-19 benefit
510
Escalation of benefits
511
Coordination with social security benefits
512
Final average salary
513
Credit for service
514
Options
515
Optional retirement program
516
Vesting
517
Member contributions
517‑A
Termination of membership
517‑B
Loans to members of a teachers’ retirement system
517‑C
Loans to members of certain retirement systems
518
Election of coverage under article
519
Effect of other laws
520
Duration

Accessed:
Dec. 21, 2024

Last modified:
May 3, 2024

§ 512’s source at nysenate​.gov

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