Sec. 51-49g. Determination of retirement salary of compensation commissioners and allowance to surviving spouses.

(a) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of compensation commissioners who first commenced service as compensation commissioners in a term commencing prior to January 1, 1981, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses under subsection (a) of section 51-51, “salary” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The annual salary payable pursuant to subsection (a) of section 31-277, as such salary may change from time to time; and for compensation commissioners to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each instance under subsection (b) of section 31-277, (1) one and one-half per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a compensation commissioner, (2) three per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a compensation commissioner, (3) four and one-half per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a compensation commissioner, and (4) six per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a compensation commissioner.

(b) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of compensation commissioners who first commenced service as compensation commissioners in a term commencing on or after January 1, 1981, and prior to July 1, 2011, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses, under subsection (b) of section 51-51, “salary” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The annual salary payable at the time of retirement or death, fixed in accordance with subsection (a) of section 31-277; and for compensation commissioners to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each case under subsection (b) of section 31-277, (1) one and one-half per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a compensation commissioner, (2) three per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a compensation commissioner, (3) four and one-half per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a compensation commissioner, and (4) six per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a compensation commissioner.

(c) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of compensation commissioners who first commenced service as compensation commissioners on or after July 1, 2011, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses, under subsection (b) of section 51-51, “salary” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The average annual salary for the five years next preceding his or her retirement payable at the time of retirement or death, fixed in accordance with subsection (a) of section 31-277; and for compensation commissioners to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each case under subsection (b) of section 31-277, (1) one and one-half per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a compensation commissioner or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (2) three per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a compensation commissioner or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (3) four and one-half per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a compensation commissioner or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, and (4) six per cent of the annual salary the compensation commissioner was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a compensation commissioner or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, on and after October 2, 2011, the retirement salary of a compensation commissioner shall not exceed the limits of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time.

(P.A. 84-399, S. 13, 17; 84-546, S. 163, 173; P.A. 92-226, S. 20, 28; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 136.)

History: P.A. 84-546 made technical changes to Subsec. (b), changing “judge” to “commissioner”; P.A. 92-226 amended section to provide that January 1, 1981, date re determination of retirement salary and surviving spouse allowance applies to date “term” commenced rather than to date “service” commenced; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (b) by adding “and prior to July 1, 2011” re calculation of retirement salary for compensation commissioners commencing service on or after January 1, 1981, and substituting “compensation commissioner” for “commissioner”, added Subsec. (c) re retirement salary for compensation commissioners commencing service on or after July 1, 2011, and added Subsec. (d) re retirement salary of compensation commissioners not to exceed limits prescribed in Internal Revenue Code, effective June 15, 2012.