S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8554
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Employees
 
 AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in  relation  to  establishing  a
   managerial or confidential higher education differential
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The civil service law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 154-d to read as follows:
   §  154-D.  MANAGERIAL  OR  CONFIDENTIAL HIGHER EDUCATION DIFFERENTIAL.
 NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO  THE  CONTRARY,  EMPLOYEES
 DESIGNATED  MANAGERIAL  OR  CONFIDENTIAL  WHO HOLD AN EARNED ASSOCIATE'S
 DEGREE, BACHELOR'S DEGREE, MASTER'S DEGREE, OR DOCTORATE (E.G., MD,  JD,
 PH.D.)  FROM A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OR A PROFESSIONAL LICENSE ISSUED BY
 THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A HIGHER
 EDUCATION  DIFFERENTIAL  OF  UP TO SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS RETROACTIVELY FOR
 STATE FISCAL YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR-TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE  AND
 FOR  STATE FISCAL YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE-TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX.
 SUCH HIGHER EDUCATION DIFFERENTIALS SHALL BE LUMP SUM PAYMENTS THAT  ARE
 NOT  ADDED  TO  BASE SALARY, NOT SUBJECT TO ANY SALARY INCREASES AND NOT
 PENSIONABLE. SUCH HIGHER EDUCATION DIFFERENTIALS SHALL BE  PRORATED  FOR
 MANAGERIAL  OR  CONFIDENTIAL  EMPLOYEES  PAID ON ANY BASIS OTHER THAN AN
 ANNUAL BASIS INCLUDING HOURLY OR PER DIEM EMPLOYEES. SUCH EMPLOYEES  WHO
 ARE  LESS THAN FULL-TIME SHALL RECEIVE THE HIGHER EDUCATION DIFFERENTIAL
 PRORATED ON A BASIS REFLECTING THE ACTUAL HOURS WORKED, INCLUDING  HOURS
 CHARGED TO ACCRUALS OR ON AN AUTHORIZED LEAVE, BETWEEN OCTOBER FIRST AND
 MARCH  THIRTY-FIRST  OF  THE  PRECEDING  STATE  FISCAL YEAR. IN ORDER TO
 RECEIVE THIS PAYMENT, EMPLOYEES MUST PROVIDE PROOF, SUCH AS  A  COPY  OF
 THEIR  DIPLOMA OR LICENSE, THAT THEY HOLD A QUALIFYING DEGREE OR PROFES-
 SIONAL LICENSE TO THEIR AGENCY HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE  BY  DATES  ESTAB-
 LISHED  BY THE OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS. EACH AGENCY HUMAN RESOURCES
 OFFICE SHALL NOTIFY ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES OF  HOW  TO  SUBMIT  SUCH  PROOF.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11962-01-5
              

 A. 8554                             2
 
 PROOF  OF  ELIGIBILITY  TO  RECEIVE  A QUALIFYING DEGREE OR PROFESSIONAL
 LICENSE SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED IF THE DEGREE OR LICENSE HAS NOT  ACTUALLY
 BEEN AWARDED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.