[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses 7-11-2006 by L.L. No.
1-2006. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,
the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Any Town Supervisor, member of the Town Board, Town officer,
Town employee, Town volunteer expressly authorized by the Town to
participate in a publicly sponsored volunteer program, or any other
person holding a Town position by election, appointment or employment
in the service of the Town, whether or not compensated, but shall
not include an independent contractor. The term "employee" shall include
a former employee of the Town, his/her estate or judicially appointed
personal representative.
Town of Ulysses, a New York State municipal corporation.
A.
Upon compliance by the employee with the provisions of § 14-3 of this chapter, the Town shall provide for the defense of the employee in any civil action or proceeding in any state or federal court arising out of any alleged act or omission which occurred or is alleged in the complaint to have occurred while the employee was acting or in good faith purporting to act within the scope of his/her public employment or duties, including, without limitation, any civil action or proceeding arising out of any alleged act or omission in which it is alleged that the officer or employee has violated the civil rights of the claimant, petitioner or plaintiff under Sections 1981 and 1983 of the United States Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 1981 and 1983). Such defense shall not be provided where such action or proceeding is brought by or on behalf of the Town.
B.
Subject to the conditions set forth in this chapter, the employee
shall be represented by the Town Attorney or an attorney employed
or retained by the Town for the defense of the employee. The Town
Board of the Town shall employ or retain an attorney for the defense
of the employee, and reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation
expenses shall be paid by the Town to such attorney employed or retained,
from time to time, during the pendency of the civil action or proceeding
subject to certification by the Supervisor that the person is or was
an employee. Payment of such fees and expenses shall be made in the
same manner as payment of other claims and expenses of the Town. Any
dispute with respect to representation of multiple employees by the
Town Attorney or by an attorney employed or retained for such purposes
or with respect to the amount of the fees or expenses shall be resolved
by the court.
C.
Where the employee delivers process and request for a defense to the Town Attorney or the Supervisor as required by § 14-3 of this chapter, the Town Attorney or the Supervisor, as the case may be, shall take the necessary steps, including the retention of an attorney under the terms and conditions provided in Subsection B of this section, on behalf of the employee to avoid entry of a default judgment, pending resolution of any question relating to the obligation of the Town to provide a defense.[1]
D.
Subject to the conditions set forth in this chapter, the Town shall
indemnify and save harmless its employees in the amount of any judgment
obtained against such employees in a state or federal court, or in
the amount of any settlement of a claim, provided that the act or
omission from which such judgment or claim arose occurred while the
employee was acting within the scope of his/her public employment
duties; provided, further, that in the case of a settlement, the duty
to indemnify and save harmless shall be conditioned upon the approval
of the amount of settlement by the Town Board of the Town. The duty
to indemnify and save harmless prescribed by this subsection shall
not arise where the injury or damage resulted from intentional wrongdoing
or recklessness on the part of the employee. Nothing in this subsection
shall authorize a public entity to indemnify or save harmless an employee
with respect to punitive or exemplary damages, fines or penalties,
or money recovered from an employee pursuant to § 51 of
the General Municipal Law; provided, however, the Town shall indemnify
and save harmless its employees in the amount of any costs, attorneys'
fees, damages, fines or penalties which may be imposed by reason of
an adjudication that an employee, acting within the scope of his/her
public employment or duties, has, without willfulness or intent on
his/her part, violated a prior order, judgment, consent decree or
stipulation of settlement entered in any court of this state or of
the United States.[2]
A.
The duties to defend provided in this chapter shall be contingent
upon: 1) delivery to the Town Attorney or, if none, to the Supervisor
of the original or a copy of any summons, complaint, process, notice,
demand or pleading within 10 days after he/she is served with such
document; and 2) the full cooperation of the employee in the defense
of such action or proceeding and defense of any action or proceeding
against the Town based upon the same act or omission, and in the prosecution
of any appeal. Such delivery shall be deemed a request by the employee
that the Town provide for his/her defense pursuant to this chapter,
unless the employee shall state in writing that a defense is not requested.[1]
B.
Upon entry of a final judgment against the employee, or upon the
settlement of the claim, the employee shall serve a copy of such judgment
or settlement, personally or by certified or registered mail, within
30 days of the date of entry or settlement, upon the Supervisor of
the Town; and if not inconsistent with the provisions of this section,
the amount of such judgment or settlement shall be paid by the Town.
The benefits of this chapter will inure only to employees as
defined herein and shall not enlarge or diminish the rights of any
other party nor shall any provisions of this chapter be construed
to affect, alter or repeal any provisions of the Workers' Compensation
Law.
The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to impair,
alter, limit or modify the rights and obligations of any insurer under
any policy of insurance. The Town is directed to provide reasonable
insurance coverage pursuant to General Municipal Law § 52.
As otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the provisions
of this chapter shall not be construed in any way to impair, alter,
limit, modify, abrogate or restrict any immunity available to or conferred
upon any unit, entity, officer or employee of the Town or any right
to defense provided for any governmental officer or employee by, in
accordance with, or by reason, any other provision of state or federal
statutory or common law.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all actions and
proceedings specified herein which have been commenced, instituted
or brought on or after the effective date of this chapter.