Illinois Statutes Chapter 40. Pensions § 5/15-153.2. Disability retirement annuity

(a) This subsection (a) applies to a participant receiving benefits calculated under subsection (a) of Section 15-153. A participant whose disability benefits are discontinued under the provisions of clause (6) of Section 15-152 and who is not a participant in the optional retirement plan established under Section 15-158.2 is entitled to a disability retirement annuity of 35% of the basic compensation which was payable to the participant at the time that disability began, provided that the board determines that the participant has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that prevents him or her from engaging in any substantial gainful activity, and which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

(b) This subsection (b) applies to a participant receiving benefits calculated under subsection (b) of Section 15-153. A participant whose disability benefits are discontinued under clause (6) of Section 15-152 and who is not a participant in the optional retirement plan established under Section 15-158.2 is entitled to a disability retirement annuity of 65% of the basic compensation that was payable to the participant at the time that disability began, provided that the board determines that the participant has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that prevents him or her from engaging in any substantial gainful activity and can be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

(c) The board's determination of whether a participant is disabled shall be based upon:

The terms “medically determinable physical or mental impairment” and “substantial gainful activity” shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the federal Social Security Act, as now or hereafter amended,  1 and the regulations issued thereunder.

(d) The disability retirement annuity payment period shall begin immediately following the expiration of the disability benefit payments under clause (6) of Section 15-152 and shall be discontinued for a recipient of a disability retirement annuity when (1) the physical or mental impairment no longer prevents the recipient from engaging in any substantial gainful activity, (2) the recipient dies, (3) the recipient elects to receive a retirement annuity under Sections 15-135 and 15-136, (4) the recipient refuses to submit to a reasonable physical examination by a physician approved by the board, or (5) the recipient fails to provide an earnings verification necessary to determine continuance of benefits. If a person's disability retirement annuity is discontinued under clause (1), all rights and credits accrued in the system on the date that the disability retirement annuity began shall be restored, and the disability retirement annuity paid shall be considered as disability payments under clause (6) of Section 15-152.

(e) The board shall adopt rules governing the filing, investigation, control, and supervision of disability retirement annuity claims. Costs incurred by a claimant in connection with completing a claim for a disability retirement annuity shall be paid: (A) by the claimant in the case of the one required medical examination, medical certificate, and any other requirements generally imposed by the board on all disability retirement annuity claimants; and (B) by the System in the case of any additional medical examination or other additional requirement imposed on a particular claimant that is not imposed generally on all disability retirement annuity claimants.