Section 1. Whenever any employee or former employee of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority dies, and the authority owes his estate any sum or sums by reason of services rendered by him for wages, or for unpaid vacation and/or sick time allowances, or for any other accrued and unpaid benefits then due and owing to him, and neither a duly appointed executor or administrator has made written demand for payment upon the treasurer of the authority and the authority shall not otherwise have actual notice that proceedings relative to the formal settlement of such employee’s estate have been commenced in any probate court, such sum or sums may, in the discretion of the authority, be paid after the expiration of 30 days from the death of such employee to such person as may have been nominated as beneficiary, on a form approved by and filed either with the authority for life insurance purposes or with the  employee’s retirement system  by such employee during his lifetime. In the event that the employee’s retirement system is unable to locate any such beneficiary designation form, then the authority shall next use a beneficiary designation form submitted by the employee to the authority for life insurance purposes. If no such beneficiary designation form exists at either of those sources or if the stated beneficiary is deceased or cannot be located, then the authority may pay such sums to the surviving spouse or next of kin of such employee. Payments made as provided in this section shall discharge all liability of the authority to all persons with respect to such sum or sums.

Section 2. The provisions of section 1 shall take effect upon its enactment.