§ 154-134. General disability retirement benefits.

(a)

Eligibility. Disability retirement benefits shall be paid monthly to a participant who becomes totally disabled before becoming otherwise entitled to retirement benefits under the plan, has completed ten years of creditable service or becomes totally disabled in the line of duty, and is employed by an employer on the date he or she becomes totally disabled. Disability retirement benefits will be granted only upon certification of at least two physicians, one of whom shall be a Fulton County physician. The board of trustees shall have the authority to promulgate such uniform and nondiscriminatory rules as may be necessary to provide disability retirement benefits under the plan.

(b)

Amount. The disability retirement benefit, stated as a monthly amount in the form of a single life annuity for the life of the participant, shall be the participant's accrued benefit at his disability retirement date, computed in accordance with section 154-92, without adjustment for commencement before the normal retirement date.

(c)

Commencement. The disability retirement benefit shall be payable commencing on the participant's disability retirement date and continuing on the first day of each month until the earlier of the participant's recovery from total disability or death, subject to the provisions on the effect of recovery and death on benefits in subsection (d) of this section and in section 154-142.

(d)

Effect of recovery from disability. Disability retirement benefits shall cease if the participant recovers from his total disability. If the participant returns to employment with the employer, the prior period of total disability shall not constitute creditable service, but creditable service earned before the onset of total disability shall be credited toward any future benefit to which the participant becomes entitled under the plan.

(91-RC-669, § 4.4, 12-18-91)