NYC Commissioner Louis Molina resigns, will receive salary until NYPD pension begins.

Louis Molina, the Commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), is set to officially resign from his post on Wednesday, as confirmed by reliable sources. Although his resignation marks the end of his formal employment, Molina will remain on the city payroll for several weeks until his New York Police Department (NYPD) pension becomes effective.

Molina, a former NYPD detective and the previous Commissioner of the Department of Correction under outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, communicated his departure to staff via an internal email dated December 23. In this correspondence, he stated that he would cease his duties on December 31, coinciding with the inauguration of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on New Year’s Day.

According to sources familiar with the situation, Molina will be on “end of service leave” from DCAS until January 20. This status allows him to collect his full salary during this period, which is considered atypical for individuals in similar positions. As the DCAS commissioner, Molina has received an annual salary of 7,000, implying that his three-week leave will amount to approximately ,000 in pre-tax earnings.

Observers note that the timing of Molina’s resignation and simultaneous securing of “vested separation retirement” benefits from the NYPD raises questions. On the day he informed DCAS employees of his resignation, Molina also finalized his new pension benefits, which are set to commence on January 21, the day following the conclusion of his DCAS salary.

Pension fund records classify Molina as a “uniformed member” of the NYPD; however, he has not served in the police department during his tenure with the Adams administration. This designation typically confers pension benefits but raises uncertainty regarding when he was reclassified in this manner, as the benefits associated with such a title would not apply to non-uniformed staff in his current role.

While Molina’s office acknowledged his retirement in a statement, it did not address inquiries regarding the specifics of his leave or pension arrangements. In this statement, Molina expressed gratitude for his time in city government, emphasizing his commitment to serving New York City.

Typically, agency commissioners remain in their roles until formally relieved to ensure a seamless transition during mayoral changes. According to a spokesperson for Mamdani, the incoming administration did not request Molina’s resignation prior to his announcement. Unless replaced, Molina’s deputy, Carolina Chavez, will operate in an acting capacity as the head of DCAS, which is responsible for various city agency functions, including recruitment and management of the municipal real estate portfolio.

In his farewell message to staff, Molina expressed confidence in DCAS’s capability to support the incoming administration’s agenda, ranging from childcare initiatives to affordable housing initiatives, and encouraged staff to embrace the upcoming changes.