§ 24-12-48. Provision for severance benefits. In the event revenue bonds shall be issued in an amount estimated to be sufficient with any other available funds to pay the cost of constructing the Newport Bridge and opening the bridge for traffic, the authority shall cause a sufficient amount of the proceeds of the bonds as may be required to make the severance benefit payments hereinafter set forth, which amount shall in no event exceed the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), and which amount is hereby declared to be a part of the cost of the project or projects to be applied as follows:

(1) The sufficient amount of the proceeds shall be deposited in a bank in the state in the name of the Jamestown and Newport ferry company thereby creating a "severance benefit" account to be used by the Jamestown and Newport ferry company as a checking account for the purpose of paying upon the opening of the Newport Bridge to traffic the severance benefits hereinafter set forth; namely,

(i) To employees of the department of transportation employed in the operation of the ferry from Jamestown to Newport at the time of the opening of the Newport Bridge to traffic.

(ii) To employees of the department of transportation employed in the operation of the ferry from Jamestown to Newport, whose employment is terminated involuntarily including termination occasioned by accident or illness between the time of the initial issuance of revenue bonds under the provisions of this chapter and the time of the opening of the Newport Bridge to traffic, who have been regularly employed by the department of transportation and its predecessors in the operation of such ferry, including the Jamestown and Newport ferry company and the Jamestown ferry authority for twenty-four (24) months or longer, and who are separated from such employment, severance benefits as follows:

(A) For service of twenty-four (24) months - five (5) weeks additional pay at their respective rates of pay in effect at the time of the termination of their employment for regular work week exclusive of overtime.

(B) For service beyond twenty-four (24) months - five (5) weeks pay plus thirty (30) days pay for each additional year or major fraction thereof beyond twenty-four (24) months at their respective rates of pay in effect at the time of the termination of their employment for a regular work week exclusive of overtime.

(C) One day's pay at their respective rates of pay for regular work day exclusive of overtime in effect at the time of the termination of their employment for each day of authorized accumulated sick leave remaining to their credit on the date of termination of their employment.

(2) In event the severance benefits computed as provided in subdivision (1) shall in the aggregate exceed the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), the amount of the benefit payable to each of the persons specified above shall be proportionately reduced and the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be prorated among such persons.

(3) All sums remaining in the checking account after completion of the payments herein provided shall be paid to the Rhode Island turnpike authority.

History of Section. (P.L. 1962, ch. 210, § 1; P.L. 1963, ch. 165, § 22; P.L. 1997, ch. 326, § 154.)