§ 554. Transfer of officers and employees. 1. Officers and employees
of any board or department in or of the city may be transferred to the
authority, and shall be eligible for such transfer and appointment
without examination to offices and positions under the authority.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this title, the officers and employees
of the city, who are members or beneficiaries of any existing pension or
retirement system, shall continue to have the rights, privileges,
obligations and status with respect to such system or systems, as are
now prescribed by law; and all such employees, who have been appointed
to positions in the service of the city under the rules and
classifications of the municipal civil service commission shall have the
same status with respect thereto after transfer to the authority as they
had under their original appointments. Any person appointed by the
authority under the rules and classifications of the municipal civil
service commission of the city, originally or by transfer or otherwise,
including persons employed or eligible for appointment under the board
of education of the city or of any agency of any kind whatsoever subject
to the rules and classifications of the municipal civil service
commission of the city, shall have and shall continue to have all the
rights, privileges, obligations and status with respect to such pension
or retirement systems, including not only the right to admission
therein, but continuance and reinstatement therein, to the same extent
and in like manner as though he had been appointed, transferred or
restored to the civil service of the city, the board of education or any
other agency of any kind whatsoever subject to the rules and
classifications of the municipal civil service commission of the city.
The appointment and promotion of all employees of the authority shall be
made in accordance with the provisions of the civil service law under
the jurisdiction of the municipal civil service commission of the city.

2. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this section, no
person shall be eligible for original appointment to a position of
bridge and tunnel officer with the authority, unless such person has
earned a high school diploma recognized as valid by the department of
education.